Analysis Song of the Traveller is a poem written by Jose Rizal. He was a true Filipino who loved his country however he was also educated and acculturated to the European lifestyle and mindset because he spent many years in abroad. Because of this, to the Filipino people, he had become something alien through his different educational experiences abroad. It distanced him from the culture of his motherland. The poem mainly revolves around the loneliness of being an immigrant or a traveller.
Rizal captures the image of being an outsider and far away from loved ones. In a foreign land, one may feel like he has no purpose or is useless. It is very difficult to feel welcome because there is no sense of belongingness. Rizal talks about trying to find happiness in a foreign place but it seems like it can never be as satisfying as being in the motherland. Because of this, being a traveller as described by Rizal can becomes very lonesome. Only the happy memories of his loved ones keep him company.
A traveller becomes very nostalgic when he has been away for a very long time. In Rizal’s poem, he has thoughts about how maybe death will end his pain and sufferings however, dying in a foreign land will be a huge waste because no one will remember him and he will just be soon forgotten by the people back in his motherland. If people were to be jealous of a traveller, they do not understand how lonesome and alienating a journey can be without loved ones to support the traveller.
He may want to return to his country after a long time however it will never be the same as before. People change and they may have forgotten about you and moved on. Being a stranger to your own land, could be a sad truth for being a traveller for such a long time but Rizal tells us in the poem that the traveller should move on and not look back because people will not care about you like before. Continue your journey because feeling remorse and sad will do you no good.