Introduction:
"Enterprise" by Nissim Ezekiel is a satiric poem with a moral. It deals with pilgrimages which serve no purpose. The poet suggests that religious pilgrimages are a waste and abound in snobbery. In "Enterprise" which contains the two central metaphors of his poetry - pilgrimage and home - Ezekiel reveals his attitude of commitment. Besides, according to him, to please God one need not go on pilgrimages as He is within.
A Pilgrimage: Without Testing the Call:
The poem is in the form of a narrative. The narrator, the poet explains how he and some others started on a pilgrimage. The aim of the pilgrimage was to ennoble the minds and to make the burdens light. The pilgrimage had no hitch, to start with. While, at the second stage, they did not know whether they got a call at all. Obviously, they had started casually, and impulsively. It was very hot and they were unable to beat the heat. Thus, they were physically unfit for the pilgrimage.
Mission Misunderstood by the Pilgrims:
The pilgrims visited various places of interest on the way and took down notes on the very humdrum aspects of life and on the various curiosities that lined up on their way. Thus, ironically, the pilgrimage had started with a distraction. Obviously, the pilgrims had misunderstood their mission. Soon, differences arose among the members of the team over silly matters... ... ...
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