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caste

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A hereditary social class or rank within a rigid hierarchical system, especially in Indian society; suggests fixed status determined by birth rather than merit.

Detailed Definition
Though modern, “caste” appears archaically in 19th-century poetry to describe inherited social divisions. Poets use it critically, contrasting Eastern or feudal rigidity with ideals of equality. In Romantic and Victorian verse, it symbolizes oppression or artificial barriers to love and merit. Its inclusion reflects colonial-era awareness, adding sociological depth to narratives of exile, rebellion, or forbidden union.
Example
Example in poetry:
"Born of a higher caste, yet humble in heart," a paradox in devotional verse; Though "caste" is more common in post-colonial poetry, earlier poets used it for social rank: "The rigid caste of courtly life"; "Love knows no caste, nor birth, nor station," declares a romantic lyric; In allegory: "The caste of angels stood in ordered ranks"; "He defied the caste that bound his spirit"; The poet transcends caste in song.
Additional Notes
Though “caste” entered English later (from Portuguese), its archaic poetic use refers to rigid social stratification; in 19th-century verse, it critiques inherited privilege or explores exoticized Eastern societies, often with Orientalist overtones.
Also Known As
class rank social class
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