Home and the World as a Political/Postcolonial Novel

 Assignment-1

Home and the World as a Political/Postcolonial Novel

Name:   Avani Jani

paper: 201 Indian English Literature – Pre-Independence

Roll no: 03

Enrollment no: 4069206420220014

Email id: avanijani.18@gmail.com

Batch: 2023-2024 (M.A Sem 3) 

Submitted to: S. B. Gardi Department of English, maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

Introduction:

First serialized in the Bengali magazine Sabuj Patra in 1915, Rabindranath Tagore's Ghare-Baire (1919), known as The Home and the World in its English translation, unfolds a compelling narrative. The story revolves around Nikhilesh, a wealthy and educated gentleman, his young wife Bimala, and his impassioned friend Sandip, a fervent Swadeshi activist. Sandip's influence prompts Bimala to relinquish her traditional role, encouraging her to step beyond the confines of her known world. However, her journey towards modernity is juxtaposed with the allure of Sandip's rhetoric and a nuanced dissatisfaction with her husband's moderate politics and quiet determination. The transformation into a modern woman becomes a journey fraught with complexities and carries a significant, albeit unspecified, price.

Who has penned this impactful novel?

 None other than Rabindranath Tagore, a literary luminary awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. His recognition came "because of his profoundly sensitive, fresh, and beautiful verse, by which, with consummate skill, he has made his poetic thought, expressed in his own English words, a part of the literature of the West."

Tagore's Home and the World emerges as a poignant response to the crises of its time. Beyond being a literary work, it stands as a political novel resonating with a multitude of attitudes, often at odds with the prevailing colonial experience. The narrative delves into the intricacies of modernity and the inherent costs it imposes. Notably controversial, the novel provides Tagore with a platform to launch his most vehement critique against the burgeoning ideology of nationalism. This bold stance, contrary to the ideology's surging popularity in both India and the West, garnered significant attention—eliciting not only praise but also disdain from readers within and beyond the boundaries of Bengal.

Postcolonial novel-

In this thought-provoking narrative, Tagore's The Home and the World becomes a powerful lens through which the complex dynamics of nationalism and its repercussions are examined. As the novel unfolds, we witness the volatile period of swadeshi through the experiences of three compelling characters: Nikhil, an enlightened and progressive landlord; his charismatic yet selfish childhood friend, Sandip, a fervent nationalist leader; and Nikhil’s wife, Bimala, who, inspired by her husband, steps out of her traditional role to explore a new identity for the Indian woman.

The allegorical quality of the novel surfaces as Nikhil and Sandip embody two conflicting visions for the nation. Caught in the crossfire is Bimala, torn between these opposing ideologies, representing Bengal at a critical juncture. Nikhil’s vision advocates for enlightened humanitarianism and a global perspective, emphasizing true equality and harmony among individuals and nations. In stark contrast, Sandip’s parochial and belligerent nationalism fosters intense patriotism but threatens to replace moral sensibility with national bigotry and blind fanaticism.

As the story unfolds, with Bimala navigating the tumultuous terrain between Nikhil and Sandip, the narrative takes on deeper layers, symbolizing Bengal's struggle to define its guiding principle. Nikhil’s tragic demise, just as Bimala begins to distance herself from Sandip’s influence, reflects Tagore’s pessimism about Bengal's future. The absence of benevolent leaders like Nikhil suggests a looming threat of mutilation and division, as millions are poised to play with their lives to fulfill the apocalyptic wishes of self-seeking, immoral, power-hungry politicians intent on carving out Bengal's destiny along religious communal lines.

The characters of Nikhil and Sandip embody conflicting philosophies toward their country. While Nikhil loves his country passionately, he refuses to let his love override his conscience. In contrast, Sandip advocates for the deification of the nation, asserting that the country's needs must be elevated to the status of a god. This dangerous deification, coupled with a belief that any action, regardless of its heinous nature, is justifiable in service to the nation, transforms Sandip into a frightful terrorist and appalling criminal. His manipulative tactics, including exploiting idealistic youth like Amulya and orchestrating harm to his own followers, underscore the destructive consequences of his nationalist fervor.

Tagore's narrative, set against the backdrop of a larger ideology of love, creation, and global human fellowship, offers a radical critique of militant nationalism. Through insightful storytelling, he anticipates and exposes the pitfalls of nationalism, including its cultivation of irrationality, prejudice, and hatred, as highlighted by post-colonial critics such as Ernest Gellner, Benedict Anderson, Tom Nairn, and Leela Gandhi. Frantz Fanon's observations on the failure of nationalism to create a true horizontal relationship within its people find resonance in Sandip’s actions, portraying a stark reality where hierarchy, factional hegemony, inequality, and exploitation persist despite nationalist aspirations.

The introduction to "Towards Freedom" endeavors to address contemporary questions related to the novel. It establishes the context of the partition of Bengal in 1905 and the ensuing Swadeshi politics, posing the question, "What makes Ghare Baire relevant to our times?" The book asserts its relevance in the ideological terrain encompassing gender reforms, education, caste mobilization, and nationalism—issues that remain pertinent today.

Sambuddha Chakrabarti's article, "Andare the 'home'," delves into 19th-century Bengali society's portrayal of women, emphasizing detailed historical analysis from contemporary journals. The roles of daughters, wives, and mothers are explored, contrasting Rabindranath's family changes with societal shifts. The essays collectively aim to reconstruct Indian women's selfhood and explore British women's influence, particularly in the context of "Imperial feminism."

Saswati Sengupta's "Goddesses, Women, and the Clutch of Metaphors" analyzes gender norms using metaphors, emphasizing the rigid cultural code represented by the trope of Lakshmi. The transition to images like Bharati or Bhavani as political metaphors of the nation as a mother is examined, indicating the complex interplay between domestic and political roles for women.

The exploration extends to the world outside ("Baire"), mapping it through male characters in the novel. Essays investigate the politics of the peasant, exemplified by Panchu and Mirjan, providing valuable insights into marginalized characters. Sumanta Banerjee highlights the role of the Bengal peasantry, illustrating Rabindranath's depiction influenced by his own experiences as a zamindar.

The essays dissect the contradictions of modernity, focusing on the competing visions of Nikhilesh and Sandip regarding nation and womanhood. The volume acknowledges the consensus binding both men within a common culture while appreciating their differences shaped by education and social class.

The essays concerning marginalized characters contribute significantly to understanding the novel, emphasizing the role of the Bengal peasantry in the backdrop of political tensions. Sekhar Bandyopadhyay's essay, "Understanding Panchu," stands out for its insights into the politics of Namasudras and Rajbansis in East and North Bengal during the period, shedding light on often overlooked aspects of history.

The volume, guided by historical contexts, treats social, political, and historical issues as crucial to understanding Rabindranath's novel. However, it raises the question of how literary intention and expression, especially in an overtly political novel like Ghare Baire, interact with historical realities. The essays could have explored the potential gap between literary ambiguities and political critiques.

In conclusion, "Towards Freedom" tackles pertinent issues with political goodwill and pure intentions, providing foresight but occasionally precluding the exploration of unforeseen pitfalls—a road less taken in the act of writing as feeling one's way blindly.

Conclusion-

In conclusion, Rabindranath Tagore's "The Home and the World" stands as a timeless masterpiece, seamlessly blending political narrative with postcolonial insights. Through the characters of Nikhil, Sandip, and Bimala, Tagore navigates the complexities of nationalism, identity, and the human condition during the Swadeshi movement. The allegorical nature of the novel symbolizes Bengal's struggle between conflicting visions, culminating in Nikhil's tragic demise, reflecting Tagore's apprehension about the region's future. The novel's critique of militant nationalism aligns with post-colonial scholars' observations, highlighting the inherent dangers of blind fervor. Ultimately, Tagore's narrative depth and foresight elevate the novel beyond its temporal setting, offering a profound exploration of love, creation, and global human fellowship.

References cited:

Chaudhuri, Rosinka. “Tagore’s Home and the World.” Economic and Political Weekly, vol. 43, no. 50, 2008, pp. 23–25. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40278286.

Mambrol, Nasrullah. “Postcolonial Novels and Novelists.” Literary Theory and Criticism, 28 July 2019, literariness.org/2019/03/08/postcolonial-novels-and-novelists/.

“Rabindranath Tagore.” Tagore: Home and the World as a Political/Postcolonial Novel, www.literaturewise.in/mdl/mod/page/view.php?id=84.

“The Home and the World by Rabindranath Tagore.” Goodreads, Goodreads, 31 Mar. 2005, www.goodreads.com/book/show/174216.The_Home_and_the_World.

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