A Clinical and Textual Analysis of Stephen Gill’s Epic The Flame

Stephen Gill's The Flame is a highly thought provoking epic. It springs out of the philosophical and visionary farsightedness of the poet and has compelled world literary critics, researchers and politicians to contemplate upon this terror- stricken world and spread the message of peace and tolerance and do away with fanaticism to establish world peace. The Flame evokes the readers and attempts to rouse him from his doused ethical values, to instill in him the epistle of hope and resurrection, wrapped up in the rising flames of fire, which destroys and also regenerates like the volcanic eruptions that pave the way for growth after the sinister destruction. It is this message, which Gill seeks to impart in The Flame. As a cultivated work of art The Flame is a blueprint on the theme of Ahimsa (non-violence), a plea to unite and overcome the ‘maniac messiahs' from inhuman activities in the name of religious fanaticism and enlighten the path of righteousness. Gill justifies his title and states, “The eternal flame knows no occupation, faith nor complexion and cannot be imprisoned within human bonds…. The flame is known to engulf mortals even today, melting unknown metals into one.”