Creative Unity (LibriVox reading)

What it is

This is a LibriVox volunteer recording of Creative Unity, a collection of lectures and essays by Rabindranath Tagore. In it he discusses creativity, joy, the differences between Eastern and Western thought, freedom, and his idea of a university. The reading is performed by a volunteer, not Tagore himself.

Why it matters

This work shows Tagore as a philosopher and public thinker, not only a poet. His comparisons between East and West reflect his wider efforts to build cultural understanding, including his founding of an experimental school and university in India.

Look closer

• What does comparing 'East' and 'West' suggest about Tagore's own experiences and travels?
• Why might Tagore have cared so much about the idea of a university?
• What questions would you want to ask Tagore about his idea of creative freedom?