The Theme of East -West Confrontation in the
Novels of Rabindranath Tagore
Dr. Ramesh Kumar Shukla
Assistant Professor & Head
Department of English
M.L.K. P.G.
College Balrampur ,
Uttar Pradesh, India
Abstract:
Rabindranath Tagore (May7, 1868 –August7,
1941) is a man of the versatile genius. He is the first and foremost Indian
philosopher, poet, novelist, social reformer, painter and playwright who gained
for modern India an everlasting place on the world literary map. His more
interesting and precious piece of literature is Gitanjali (1910), which is
praised in the foreign countries and also got Nobel Prize, on the same, in
November 1913. He is the first non-European who won Nobel Prize for literature.
His other notable literary works are The Post Office (1914), The Home and the
World (1916), Gora (1910), Char Adhyay (1934) and The Beggar Woman (1877). He
is highly influenced with the Upanishads and Buddhism. Moreover India‘s
indigenous culture has deep impact so far as the culture identity of the
country in its fiction in English novelists. Rabindranath Tagore is also highly
accomplished by the same ideology. It is treated as one of the major themes in
Indian fiction in English especially during British Empire in India.
Rabindranath Tagore is one of the most prominent writers of pre-colonial India
who has dealt with the theme of indigenous culture during British period. He
has successfully depicted the Indian religion, culture and values in his
literary works. There are atavistic images in his novels also. In his novel
especially The Home and the World there is revival of India’s indigenous
culture as well as the confrontation of the western culture. Here the novelist
has shown the East –West encounter through Bimila’s indecisiveness. There is
similar conflict in the novel A Passage to India by E.M. Forster. Here Mrs.
Moore is also in the same situation of the bird in bush. This research paper
focuses on the traditional customs of the East which are contrary to the
outlook of the West and certainly refers awareness, advancement, modernity and
evolution.
Keywords – Philosopher, Non- European,
Culture, Prominent, Confrontation, Evolution
“The highest education is that which does not
merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existences”. -
Rabindranath Tagore
Introduction
Rabindranath Tagore is a pioneering literary figure. He is highly
regarded for his ceaseless innovations in novel, poetry, drama, prose, music
and painting. His works include some sixty collections of verse, novels like The Home and the World, Gora, and Four Chapters, dance drama like Shyama, Chandalika and Chitrangada. He
believes that nation is almost better than reverence of God and humanity.
Ranindranath Tagore says-
“I believe I have outgrown that teaching,
and it is my conviction that my countrymen
will truly gain their India by fighting against the education which teaches
them that a country is greater than the ideals of humanity’’.
In the novel The Home and the World, the entranced by Sandeep, wizardly with
words, Bimla,s cardinal error of placing
adoration of the nation above solicitude for humanity only end in catastrophe.
Tagore is highly sensitive about the
complexity of the key characters which he has created in The Home and the World. The easier accessibility of Satyajit Ray’s
film version of the novel makes it ever more popular for students to read it in
the original or in translation. The privileging of the visual over the textual
has led to superficial commentaries on the novel’s take on the nation. Tagore has drawn the character
of Sandip with a deft touch. Sandip’s manipulative guile did not mean that he
was entirely avoided of the charisma that buttered the seductive power of
nationalism. The words of his speech ` seemed to carry the guest of a storm
and his boldness knew no limits.
Sandip is an intensely argumentative as Gora. His sharp mind shone in
all its brilliance. Sandip lost his power over her.
The theme of East -West confrontation in the
novel The Home and the World
Tagore is the author of various talents. The
national consciousness is reflected everywhere in his literary works. His
ability of presenting these themes is much impressive. He has depicted the
indigenous culture in his novel The Home
and the World. There is East-West conflict in the novel about which the
novelist was very curious in those (British Reign) days.
Swapan Majumdar says:
“During his formative years Rabindranath
Tagore was an ardent observer of the debate on the relevant issues and themes
of the time in which his elders took part. The East-West often featured in
these controversies and discussions”
In The Home and the World the novelist has shown a dynamic interaction
between Indian and western model of thought. In fact, the novel is the depiction
of the conflict which Tagore himself has realized within his own mind and soul.
There are descriptions of two ideals, in which one is pertaining of the culture
of the west and other is the revolt against the culture. Tagore uses his real
life experiences and opinions to form this novel. There is also exploration of
love, modernity, role of women and the concept of inside home and outside world
except nationalism. The author’s use of paradoxes like home, world, politics,
love tradition and modernity, make the novel allegorical.
The central theme of
the novel The Home and the World is
love, nationalism and traditions of the society. The novel is about Swadeshi
movement in Bengal in 1905. It played an important role in freedom of our
country. The novel portraits about the conflict between tradition and
modernity, conjugal love and passionate love, conservative and modern women,
traditional, personal and political aspects.
The story of the novel The Home and the World revolves around
Nikhil, a landlord of progressive mind and supporter of western ideals. He is
husband of Bimla. He is calm and sweet by temperament. Although he is supporter
of Swadeshi movement but he is follower of western thoughts also. He supports
his wife Bimla at each and every step. Bimla is not pretty at all. But Nikhil has compassion for the
poor. So he married Bimla. He does everything to make her able to stand before
the world. He educated her. He also provides her all opportunities to go out of the door. He believes in virtues of
humankind rather than external beauty. For Nikhil physical beauty is only time
being but true beauty is merely virtue. Bimla appears like an ordinary girl.
She is unaware of outer world. It is Nikhil who gives her full support to stand
in the world by giving her moral and psychological strength, education, culture
and sophistication. He transformed her into a self- conscious and valuable
woman. He desires to bring his wife out of the narrow home to the wide world.
He is generous and broad minded land owner.
Benjamin says:
“I understand that Tagore adopted allegory to
shape his narrative because it allowed him to illustrate in a didactic as well
as scenic manner. The idea of nationalism that so much troubled him that
particular conjecture in the history of Bengal and India. However, lacking the
epistemological freedom implied in the symbol, allegory, led Tagore to
illustrate this conflict in a dialectical rather than ideological manner that
cancelled other perspectives on the issue…”
In The
Home and the World Rabindranath Tagore has shown the beginning of a dynamic
interaction between Indian and Western models of thought. Here, Nikhil is
sensible. He is against brutality. But Sandip is resolute in resisting anything
and everything that comes between him and his aim. Although, Nikhil and Sandeep
belong to the same surroundings and nation but they are different in their
ideologies.
Swapan Majumdar says:
“During his formative years Rabindranath
Tagore was an ardent observer of the debate on the relevant issues and themes
of the time in which his elders took part. The East-West often featured in
these controversies and discussions”
In The Home and the World Bimla
is central figure of the novel. She is wife of Nikhil. Nikhil wants to see her
as a modern and progressive woman. In the beginning she has full loyalty in her
husband (Nikhil). She remains faithful to her husband.
Bimla says-
“ I distinctly remember after my marriage,
when, early in the morning, I would cautiously and silently get up and take the
dust of my husband's feet without waking him, how at such moments I could feel
the vermilion mark upon my forehead shining out like the morning star.”
Further Bimla says-
“It was my woman's heart, which must worship
in order to love.”
Moreover, like an Indian God fearing woman she fears God. She has faith
in Indian culture, tradition and civilization. Bimla’s love for her husband is
limitless. But when Sandip enters in her
life as a magnetic leader as well as friend of her husband, Nikhil. Her
thought, ideology, principle and behavior all are totally changed. She has
shifted her love from Nikhil to Sandip, in the same way as Raina shifted her
love from Sergius towards Bluntschli in Arms
and the Man.
There
arises a great change in traditional behavior of Bimla. She falls in love with
Sandip. She can’t remain herself as a traditional house wife. Her extra marital
affair with Sandip has not only destroyed her happy married life with her
husband (Nikhil) but also shows her rejection of the whole ethos of the Hindu culture
and mythology. She never likes any hindrance, while she desires to meet Sandip.
She changes her life style of the traditional ways of the Indian Household to
become a modern and self dependent woman. There is a glimpse of a complete
modern break with the Hindu code by a woman dispirited and disgusted at the
hollowness of its pretensions. It shows that modern women should not worship
their husband as deity.
Tagore allegorizes the
conflict of the nation. Nikhil wants to bring Bimla out of Purdah into the
world, at the time of the Swadeshi movement. He wants her to become her own
independent self.
Barathi Ray says:
“The new woman was to be an educated and brave
wife as an appropriate partner of an English-educated nationalist man able to
run an efficient and orderly home like her Western counterpart, be high-minded
and spiritual like the women of the golden age (...) If the model was absurd,
and inimitable, and indeed full of contradictions, no one was bothered. That
was the new woman the nation needed, and it was women’s duty to live up to it.”
In The Home and the World Tagore expresses in a didactic manner, at
the time when Bimla refuses her husband’s critique of the Swadeshi. She falls
in love with Sandip and becomes identified by his ideals. Nikhil wants Bimla to
make her own choice freely. Moreover, Sandeep worships her as the Goddess of
Bengal. Bimla’s infatuation with Sandip stands in the novel for Bengal’s
infatuation with Swadeshi.
Nikhil says:
“I had hoped that when Bimala found herself
free in the outer world she would be rescued from her infatuation for tyranny.
But now I feel sure that this infatuation is deep down in her nature. She is
quite angry with me because I am not running amuck crying Bande Mataram (...)
For that matter, I have become unpopular with all my countrymen because I have
not joined them in their carousals.”
In The Home and the World, Sandip
is a brave and confident nationalist. He is against foreign clothes. But as a
leader he betrayed Bimla. After taking all her money and jewelry, he left and
ran away.
This shows that Bimla is aware of selfless
love of her husband (Nikhil). She is proud of him. Nikhil is a loyal, faithful
and ideal husband who always and by all means supports Bimla to gain freedom
from her conventional thoughts. But he is quite innocent about the wrong
intention of Bimla and Sandip. Tagore describes here clearly about betrayal of
a faithful and trustworthy wife like Bimla. He raises a genuine question
regardin marital relation and conjugal love by portraying a story of Nikhil,
Bimla and Sandip. Tagore has shown the impact of good and evil on this world.
Nikhil represents goodness and Sandip represents evil of the world. Nikhil
marries with Bimla. He gives her a sound status in the society. He wants to
develop moral of a husband and friend both. But he was unable to understand his
own wife Bimla and his bosom friend Sandip. He is deceived by Bimla.
It is said
“Triya Charitrum
Purusasya bhagam Daivo na janami kuto Manusya”
Bimla doesn’t care for her husband’s feelings. She is peeping the heart
of Sandip. She feels guilty. She wants to say sorry to Nikhil. But she never
has such appropriate time. Nikhil was injured in the riots of the mobs. Bimla
started crying after looking at him on the stretcher.
Thus, The Home and the World ends with such
conclusion that make us think deeply about not only love but loyalty and the
clash between tradition and modern ideas also. At last Bimla realizes her
disloyalty for her husband (Nikhil) and her excessive attraction towards
Sandip. Her trust towards Sandeep proved destructive by all means.
Here, Tagore preaches
us that the journey of self discovering and improving the world is not easy
task. We must think and care for whom,
who cares for us. The Home and the World is
a timeless story which teaches us to think about our relationship, the impact
of beliefs and our loyalty for others. The story explores about the personal decision,
self-identity, gender roles and our overall behavior with family, society and
countrymen.
The theme of East -West confrontation in the
novel Gora
Gora
is a novel written by Rabindranath Tagore in
1910. There is description of man’s inner conflict because he is trying to
distinguish between right and wrong. This novel is the portrayal of the
arguments of philosophy which leads a person to a struggle when he follows the
truth .Gora is the representation of
an orphan boy, like the ordinary, grew as a humble, educated, Bengali
gentleman. He is rational, intelligent humble and brilliant. He is an orthodox
Hindu. He is a strict follower of all the customs and beliefs of Hindus. He is
follower of Brahmo Samaj.
When the British ridicule the Indian culture harshly,
Gora realized that he should very first emphasize for driving the British out
of India. He wants unite all the people of India on the basis of Hinduism.
Because Hindu culture has faith in the concept of ‘oneness of all’. After
growing up, Gora becomes a fanatic Hindu. To keep a vigil over his intimate
friend Binoy, who frequently visits the house of Brahmo girls, Suchitra and
Lalita, Gora also uses to their homes. Here is in an emotional conflict
Parallel to the love parable of Gora and Suchitra Binoy’s love for Lalita is
also developed. Anandamoyi is a representative of Hindus and Paresh Babu is
representative of Brahmos.
Gora uses his caste and
religion as a righteous entity to establish his identity. He accepts his
religion as a cult and his faith as a ritual to denote his break with the West.
Gora is an exploration of a young
man’s search for harmony and unity of his country. His faith in caste is
crumbling. He is no longer able to dismiss his interest in Suchitra. Gora has
been gradually moving towards a more realistic understanding of the social
bondage of the community. Gora realizes that society offers no help to a man at
the time of his misfortune it merely afflicts him with penalties and humbles
him to the dust.
Gora says,
“Mother, you are my mother! The whom I have
been wandering about in search of was all the time sitting in my room at home.
You have no caste, you make no distinctions, and you have no hatred – you are
only image of our welfare! It is you who are India.”
Gora has full faith in Hinduism and India. At
first, it seems that Gora and Suchitra will never be married. But as soon as
the mystery of Gora’s birth is revealed to him. He comes to know that he is not
a Hindu, the effect is astonishing. His perception about himself has been
totally changed. The rest of the character is of meager importance.
The theme of East -West confrontation in the
novel Char Adhyay
Char
Adhyay (Four Chapters)
is written by Rabindranath Tagore in 1934. It is last political novel by
Gurudev . There is and underlying preoccupation about the campus of patriotism
and legitimacy of violence. The novelist uses a triangulated relationship. The
central figure of the novel is Ela. She is a modern woman. She looks for
engagement for her existence. She has a strong sense of justice. Misfortunately
she has lost her parents. So she grew up, under kind guidance of her uncle and
aunt. She meets Indranath a charismatic man and disappointed scientist. But at
the same time has romantic attachment with Atindranath who is also called Atin
or Anta. In Four Chapters the
novelist describes about the new modern woman in all her complexity and
confusion. Ela is the embodiment of such modern women who are torn between
political zeal and romantic passion. Ela wants to “Publicize the increase in
women’s rights in the modern age” she has great devotion for Atin.
Ela says,
“you are great. I can see your brilliance,
dazzling as a flash of lightining.”
Ela realizes the entrapment of women’s
biology.
In this way Rabindranath Tagore in his novels
like, The Home and the World, Gora and
Four Chapters, there is the theme of
confrontation between East and West. The structure pattern of the book is
therefore more in the nature of process of reconciliation and adjustment of
opposites, not in the nature of final solutions but in the discovery of truth
as a way of life. The journey towards truth of life is never easy. Tagore
played a leading role in the Swadeshi movement. He filled the whole of our
literary horizon with his personality. He represented the glimpse of the warm
soul of India in his literary works.
“In the sky, there is no distinction out of
their own minds and then believe them to be true.”
Works Cited
Tagore, Rabindranath. The Home and the World. Penguin India, 2005.
Bose, Sugata.
“Introduction”. Nationalism & Home and The World. Rabindranath
Tagore. Penguin India, 2021.
Tagore web – The Complete Works of
Rabindranath Tagore. (n.d)
Bhattacharya, Sabyasachi. The Mahatma and the Poet. National Bank Trust India, 1997
Quayum, Mohammad A.
Tagore, Nationalism and Cosmopolitanism: Perceptions, Contestations and
Contemporary Rrelevance. Routledge
India, 2021.
Subarmaniam, Lakshami, and Rajat Kanta Roy.
“Rabindranath Tagore and Crisis of Identity in Colonial India”. Rabindranath Tagore and Challenges of Today,
edited by Bhudeb Chaudhuri and K.G. Subramanyan. Indian Institute of Advanced
Study, 1988.
Bhattacharya, Bhabani. Rabindranath Tagore 1861-1961: A Centenary Volume. Sahitya Akademi,
2010.
Anitha S.Kumar, Tagore the Novel is study of Gora and The Wreck pp, 56.
Kumar, Anitha S. “Tagore the Novel is study of Gora and The
Wreck.” pp, 56.