Summary of Ulysess

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Summary of ulysess

Ulysses (Odysseus) declares that there is little point in his staying home “by this still hearth” with his old
wife, doling out rewards and punishments for the unnamed masses who live in his kingdom.

Still speaking to himself he proclaims that he “cannot rest from travel” but feels compelled to live to the
fullest and swallow every last drop of life. He has enjoyed all his experiences as a sailor who travels the
seas, and he considers himself a symbol for everyone who wanders and roams the earth. His travels have
exposed him to many different types of people and ways of living. They have also exposed him to the
“delight of battle” while fighting the Trojan War with his men. Ulysses declares that his travels and
encounters have shaped who he is: “I am a part of all that I have met,” he asserts. And it is only when he is
traveling that the “margin” of the globe that he has not yet traversed shrink and fade, and cease to goad
him.

Ulysses declares that it is boring to stay in one place, and that to remain stationary is to rust rather than to
shine; to stay in one place is to pretend that all there is to life is the simple act of breathing, whereas he
knows that in fact life contains much novelty, and he longs to encounter this. His spirit yearns constantly for
new experiences that will broaden his horizons; he wishes “to follow knowledge like a sinking star” and
forever grow in wisdom and in learning.

Ulysses now speaks to an unidentified audience concerning his son Telemachus, who will act as his
successor while the great hero resumes his travels: he says, “This is my son, mine own Telemachus, to
whom I leave the scepter and the isle.” He speaks highly but also patronizingly of his son’s capabilities as a
ruler, praising his prudence, dedication, and devotion to the gods. Telemachus will do his work of governing
the island while Ulysses will do his work of traveling the seas: “He works his work, I mine.”

In the final stanza, Ulysses addresses the mariners with whom he has worked, traveled, and weathered
life’s storms over many years. He declares that although he and they are old, they still have the potential to
do something noble and honorable before “the long day wanes.” He encourages them to make use of their
old age because “ ’tis not too late to seek a newer world.” He declares that his goal is to sail onward
“beyond the sunset” until his death. Perhaps, he suggests, they may even reach the “Happy Isles,” or the
paradise of perpetual summer described in Greek mythology where great heroes like the warrior Achilles
were believed to have been taken after their deaths. Although Ulysses and his mariners are not as strong
as they were in youth, they are “strong in will” and are sustained by their resolve to push onward
relentlessly: “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”

Form

This poem is written as a dramatic monologue: the entire poem is spoken by a single character, whose
identity is revealed by his own words. The lines are in blank verse, or unrhymed iambic pentameter, which
serves to impart a fluid and natural quality to Ulysses’s speech. Many of the lines are enjambed, which
means that a thought does not end with the line-break; the sentences often end in the middle, rather than
the end, of the lines. The use of enjambment is appropriate in a poem about pushing forward “beyond the
utmost bound of human thought.” Finally, the poem is divided into four paragraph-like sections, each of
which comprises a distinct thematic unit of the poem.
Commentary

In this poem, written in 1833 and revised for publication in 1842, Tennyson reworks the figure of Ulysses by
drawing on the ancient hero of Homer’s Odyssey (“Ulysses” is the Roman form of the Greek “Odysseus”)
and the medieval hero of Dante’s Inferno. Homer’s Ulysses, as described in Scroll XI of the Odyssey,
learns from a prophecy that he will take a final sea voyage after killing the suitors of his wife Penelope. The
details of this sea voyage are described by Dante in Canto XXVI of the Inferno: Ulysses finds himself
restless in Ithaca and driven by “the longing I had to gain experience of the world.” Dante’s Ulysses is a
tragic figure who dies while sailing too far in an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Tennyson combines these
two accounts by having Ulysses make his speech shortly after returning to Ithaca and resuming his
administrative responsibilities, and shortly before embarking on his final voyage.

However, this poem also concerns the poet’s own personal journey, for it was composed in the first few
weeks after Tennyson learned of the death of his dear college friend Arthur Henry Hallam in 1833. Like In
Memoriam, then, this poem is also an elegy for a deeply cherished friend. Ulysses, who symbolizes the
grieving poet, proclaims his resolution to push onward in spite of the awareness that “death closes all” (line
51). As Tennyson himself stated, the poem expresses his own “need of going forward and braving the
struggle of life” after the loss of his beloved Hallam.

The poem’s final line, “to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield,” came to serve as a motto for the poet’s
Victorian contemporaries: the poem’s hero longs to flee the tedium of daily life “among these barren crags”
(line 2) and to enter a mythical dimension “beyond the sunset, and the baths of all the western stars” (lines
60-61); as such, he was a model of individual self-assertion and the Romantic rebellion against bourgeois
conformity. Thus for Tennyson’s immediate audience, the figure of Ulysses held not only mythological
meaning, but stood as an important contemporary cultural icon as well.

“Ulysses,” like many of Tennyson’s other poems, deals with the desire to reach beyond the limits of one’s
field of vision and the mundane details of everyday life. Ulysses is the antithesis of the mariners in “The
Lotos-Eaters,” who proclaim “we will no longer roam” and desire only to relax amidst the Lotos fields. In
contrast, Ulysses “cannot rest from travel” and longs to roam the globe (line 6). Like the Lady of Shallot,
who longs for the worldly experiences she has been denied, Ulysses hungers to explore the untraveled
world.

As in all dramatic monologues, here the character of the speaker emerges almost unintentionally from his
own words. Ulysses’ incompetence as a ruler is evidenced by his preference for potential quests rather
than his present responsibilities. He devotes a full 26 lines to his own egotistical proclamation of his zeal for
the wandering life, and another 26 lines to the exhortation of his mariners to roam the seas with him.
However, he offers only 11 lines of lukewarm praise to his son concerning the governance of the kingdom
in his absence, and a mere two words about his “aged wife” Penelope. Thus, the speaker’s own words
betray his abdication of responsibility and his specificity of purpose.
The Home and the World
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The Home and the World  

Book cover

Author Rabindranath Tagore

Original title ঘরে বাইরে Ghare Baire

Country India

Language Bengali

Genre(s) Autobiographical novel

Publication date 1916

Media type Print (Hardback & Paperback)

ISBN NA

The Home and the World 1916 (in the original Bengali, ঘরে বাইরে Ghôre Baire, lit. "At
home [and] outside") is a 1916 novel by Rabindranath Tagore. The book illustrates the battle
Tagore had with himself, between the ideas of Western culture and revolution against the
Western culture. These two ideas are portrayed in two of the main characters, Nikhil, who is
rational and opposes violence, and Sandip, who will let nothing stand in his way from
reaching his goals. These two opposing ideals are very important in understanding the history
of this region and its contemporary problems. There is much controversy over whether or not
Tagore was attempting represent Gandhi in Sandip but many argue that Tagore would not
even venture to personify Sandip as Gandhi because Tagore was a large admirer of Gandhi
and Gandhi was anti-violence while Sandip would use violence in any respect to get what he
wanted. The book shows “the clash between new and old, realism and idealism, the means
and the end, good and evil” (p xxiv) within India and southern Asia.

Contents
[hide]

 1 Background Context
o 1.1 Political Movement
o 1.2 Traditional Indian Household
 2 Plot summary
 3 Major Events
o 3.1 The Rally
o 3.2 Bimala's Realization
 4 Characters
o 4.1 Nikhil – Husband of Bimala
o 4.2 Bimala – Wife of Nikhil
o 4.3 Sandip
o 4.4 Bara Rani (Bimala's sister-in-law)
o 4.5 Amulya
 5 Important Themes
o 5.1 Nationalism
o 5.2 Tradition vs. Modernism
o 5.3 Sandip vs. Nikhil
o 5.4 Illusions
o 5.5 Truth
o 5.6 Love/Union
o 5.7 The Role of Women
o 5.8 Religion versus Nationalism
 6 Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
 7 Historical Context
 8 References
 9 External links

[edit] Background Context


[edit] Political Movement
The novel's setting is in early 20th century India. The story line coincides with the National
Independence Movement taking place in the country at the time, which was sparked by the
Indian National Congress. There were various national and regional campaigns of both
militant and non-violent ideas which all had the common goal of ending British colonial rule.
Militant nationalism had a strong showing in the early part of the 20th century, especially
during the World War I period. Some examples of this movement are the Indo-German Pact
and Ghadar Conspiracy, unfortunately both of these failed. The latter stages of the movement
saw a transition to non-violent forms of resistance led by Mohandas Gandhi. India remained a
British colony until 1947, when Pakistan (August 14) and India (August 15) gained their
freedom. On January 26, 1950, India adopted a constitution and became its own republic. At
the time of Indian Independence, the Muslim dominated north west and eastern parts of the
country were separated to form West Pakistan and East Pakistan (which later became
Bangladesh). Particularly important to the novel is an understanding of the Swadeshi
movement, as a part of the Indian Nationalist Movement. The Swadeshi Movement started in
response to the Partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon which occurred in 1905. The Swadeshi
movement was a successful resistance policy against the British colonization. Indian citizens
were encouraged to boycott British goods in order to foster Indian identity and independence.
This movement was important in fostering "the new spirit in India," and separating India
from Britain, which was largely thought to be responsible for the subsequent widespread
poverty.

[edit] Traditional Indian Household

Family structures in traditional India consists of not only the nuclear family but also
grandparents, parents-in-law, and unmarried sister-in-laws as well. Though the joint-family is
linked to ancient India, its still prevalent in modern day India. Traditionally, baby boys were
preferable to baby girls since boys were able to earn money and support the family. Girls on
the other hand, were expensive to raise. They didn’t bring home the bread and the girl’s
marriage dowry required a hefty amount of money and other luxury goods such as valuable
jewelries and saris. Once girls were married off to the other families, they would have to
address their new parents-in-law as “father” and “mother”. As home maker of the family, the
wife’s duty was to supervise the household and take care of the children, she also had to try
hard to please her new in-laws.

The Home and the World tells us not only the personal struggles of the three main characters,
but also little details of the family structure and how traditional Indian households were like.
In the book, Bimala starts off as a traditional, obedient house wife who is faithful to her
husband and even forces herself to be respectful towards her nagging sister-in-law. “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 (11)”. However as she falls “in love” with Sandip, she slowly weens away from
her traditional housewife role. She becomes more daring, more confidently brushes off her
sister-in-law’s criticisms, and crosses outside the women’s quarter of the house, and easily
converses with another man, Sandip, who is not her husband. Through her dilemma, the
readers are able to learn about the traditional ways of the Indian household through Bimala’s
change from the good house wife to an independent, more modern woman.

[edit] Plot summary


The novel is set in early 20th century India in the estate of the Bengali zamindar Nikhil. He
marries Bimala, a woman who is both of a lower status and of a darker complexion, which is
contradictory to his family traditions. Their love is idyllic and both are dedicated to one
another until the appearance of his friend and radical revolutionist, Sandip.

Sandip, a passionate and active man, is a contradiction to the peace-loving and somewhat
passive Nikhil. His charismatic speech, support of the Swadeshi movement, and a renewed
appreciation of everything Indian while denying everything British garnered support from
local natives across the province. After hearing Sandip speak at a rally, Bimala insists that
Sandip visit Nikhil’s estate. While visiting, Sandip's influential nature easily attracts the
innocent and unsuspecting Bimala, and she suggests he make his headquarters at their house.
Once empowered by the inside world, knowing only her husband and home, she becomes
engaged with the outside world, taking part in the Swadeshi movement by working with
Sandip. As the novel develops, Bimala is drawn to Sandip’s passion and the attraction
between the two becomes inevitable, producing a love triangle. She begins to question her
marriage with Nikhil and finds in Sandip what she has always sought after in a man: zeal,
ambition, and a hint of danger.

She begins to help Sandip by stealing money from Nikhil’s treasury, convinced that if it is
not equally his money as well as hers, then it belongs to the country. While Bimala claims her
national duty as motivation, her true intentions lie in pleasing Sandip. Nikhil subsequently
discovers their actions, but grants Bimala freedom to grow and choose what she wants in her
life (as their marriage was arranged when she was a young girl). Meanwhile, Bimala
experiences love for the first time, which ultimately helps her understand that it is indeed her
husband Nikhil who really loves her.

The novel ends with a riot, resulting in Sandip fleeing the city. Nikhil is mortally wounded in
the head. Amulya, a young follower of Sandip's movement who considered Bimala as his
sister, and whom Bimala thinks of as her son (since she has no children), dies by a bullet
through his heart.

[edit] Major Events


[edit] The Rally

Near the beginning of the novel, Nikhil brings his wife Bimala to a political rally in an
attempt to get her to join the outside world and get in touch better with “reality.” Though
Bimala had heard of Sandip before this time, and developed a somewhat negative opinion of
him, this was the first time she heard Sandip speak. This event not only changes her opinion
of Sandip, but affects her entire outlook on her life both at home and in the outside world. “I
was no longer the lady of the Rajah’s house, but the sole representative of Bengal’s
womanhood,” Bimala says (31). “I returned home that evening radiant with a new pride and
joy.” After returning home, Bimala asks her husband to invite Sandip to their home for
dinner, setting the plot of the novel in motion.

[edit] Bimala's Realization

Towards the end of the book Sandip convinces Bimala to steal from her husband, Nikhil.
While in the act of stealing 6000 rupees, she comes to a realization of the terrible crime she is
committing, "I could not think of my house as separate from my country: I had robbed my
house, I had robbed my country. For this sin my house had ceased to be mine, my country
also was estranged from me" (144). This represents a character turning point for Bimala:
While in the act of thieving, she realizes that Sandip is not only corrupting and robbing the
nation, but encouraging her and others to do the same. Ultimately, she ends up giving the
money to Sandip and receives unceasing praise from both Sandip and Amulya for her newly
recognized sin.

However, Bimala realizes that she has made a mistake by stealing the money from Nikhil and
attempts to have Amulya pawn off some of her jewelry in order to replace the money.
Amulya attempts to give the box back, but Sandip steals it and gives it back himself. This
event allows both Amulya and Bimala to see that Sandip is concerned only with himself, thus
allowing them to break free from part of his web. It is during this time that Bimala realizes
her power over Sandip by being able to easily make him jealous.

[edit] Characters
[edit] Nikhil – Husband of Bimala

Nikhil is seen and described as an educated and gentle man. The reader can see that as the
story is told from his point of view. His words flow more poetically, as if possessing a higher
proficiency of language. He is from an aristocratic family of landlords, and his family prides
themselves in beautiful women. However, Nikhil is different in that he married not only a
poor woman, but also one who was not particularly attractive. Nikhil loves his wife very
much as he likes to buy her European style dresses and other modern gifts. He also tries to
educate her about the outside world and bring her away from the traditional female life in
India. However, due to his gentle and soft nature, he cannot do anything but watch and
standby as he sees a relationship unfolding between his wife and his old friend, Sandip. He is
also unpopular in the town because he has not joined them stating, "I am not running amuck
crying Bande Mataram."(42) In light of this, the police also suspect him of harboring some
"hidden protest." In reality, Nikhil considers himself to be more aware of his country's role in
a broader sense, and refuses to take part in Swadeshi. He claims that " '[He] is willing...to
serve [his] country; but [his] worship he reserves for Right which is far greater than [his]
country.' " (29) In traditional texts Nikhil's full name reads as Nikhilesh. Its literal translation
is "Lord of the Universe" with Nikhil being literally translated to '"whole" and insinuating
harmony, wisdom, and awareness.

[edit] Bimala – Wife of Nikhil

Bimala is described as not very pretty and from a much more humble background than
Nikhil. She loves her husband dearly, and enjoys being completely devoted to him. At the
beginning of the novel, she seems to be confined to the traditional female role, and has no
thoughts of entering the real world, even with persuasion from her husband. Her feelings
make a rapid change with the occurrence of the Swadeshi movement. "My sight and my
mind, my hopes and my desires, became red with the passion of this new age"(26). When she
meets Sandip, her new ideals are fueled by his zealous nature and a fiery, shameless side of
her emerges. As time goes on she becomes more interested and involved in the Swadeshi
movement; it is at this time that she starts to develop romantic feelings for Sandip. Literally
translated Bimala means "without mal or blemish". It is often used to mean clean, pure, and
immaculate. Oftentimes the name is shortened to Bimal. Although Bimala is married to
Nikhil and their marriage was arranged since she was a little girl, Nikhil believes that Bimala
is free to make her own decisions to her life. “I was married into a Rajah’s house. When I
was a child, I was quite familiar with the description of the Prince of the fairy story” (17-18).
Therefore, Bimala is very dedicated to her husband, her marriage, and most importantly, her
family values. However, Nikhil sometimes questions her view of him, basically that of a
traditional woman. She cannot stand her husband's idleness, and unwillingness to participate
in more "patriotic" endeavors. "Bimala has no patience with patience. She loves to find in
men the turbulent, the angry, the unjust. Her respect must have its element of
fear."( 42)Bimala was not raised the way her husband was raised: well and educated.
However, she understands the social differences between her and her husband. “My
husband’s grandmother and mother were both renowned for their beauty… [o]nly the
auspicious marks with which I was endowed gained me an entry into this family – otherwise,
I had no claim to be here” (21).

[edit] Sandip

Sandip is the third major character in the novel, completing the love triangle. He is a guest in
the home of Nikhil and Bimala and his revolutionary ideas and speeches have a significant
impact on Bimala. He is very vocal in his anti-imperialistic views and is a skilled orator.
Sandip represents characteristics that are directly opposite to those Nikhil possesses, thus
drawing Bimala to Sandip. Bimala gets caught up in the ideas that Sandip presents as well as
the man himself. Her seemingly increasing patriotism causes her to spend more and more
time with Sandip, thereby solidifying the love triangle conflict. Where her husband is
reserved and proper, Sandip is impassioned and stirs the emotions not only of Bimala, but the
people of Bengal. He spreads the notion of “Swadeshi”, or using goods made locally and
boycotting British goods. However, his character is far from the ideal patriot. His motivations
are selfish at times, prompted by the need to better himself socially. He fools people with his
mask of goodness, something that Nikhil sees through at the beginnings of Sandip's
relationship with his wife. "I have been noticing for some time that there is a gross cupidity
about Sandip. His fleshly feelings make him harbor delusions about his religion and impel
him into a tyrannical attitude in his patriotism. His nature is coarse, and so he glorifies his
selfish lusts under high-sounding names" (43). At one point he convinces Bimala to steal
from her house and her husband for the “cause”. Sandip’s presence in the novel concludes
with him fleeing while his speeches and ideas result in communal riots. Sandip's full name is
Sandip Babu. His first name is translated to "with dipa(light fire flame)". According to the
notes in the novel this is used to describe him as "inflaming, exciting, arousing". Sandip's last
name "Babu" originated as an aristocratic title however has come to describe Bengali's
educated in the west, or comparable settings. The British used "Babu" as a patronizing term
however, its usage as an honorific title still survives in India today.

[edit] Bara Rani (Bimala's sister-in-law)

Bimala and her sister-in-law's relationship is strained at best. Bimala's sister-in-law causes a
lot of tension in the household. Bara Rani also uses Nikhil to get the material items that she
desires. Bimala constantly complains about her to Nikhil. Bara Rani taunts Bimala for her
mingling with Sandip Babu.

[edit] Amulya
Bimala considers Amulya to be her adoptive son, whom she met from the Swadeshi
Movement. When first they meet, Bimala asks him to acquire money for their cause. He lists
wild schemes and plans, to which Bimala replies "you must not be childish" (138) After
pondering their situation, Amulya resolves to murder the cashier for the money. Tagore uses
him to symbolize the raw emotion and passion, yet lack of sympathy for others often
emcompassed by group or riot mentality. Tagore also characterizes Amulya as the typical
idealistic youth when Amulya rationalizes the murder with a phrase from the Bhagavad-Gita
stating "Who kills the body kills naught!" (139) Amulya is used as a parallel to Sandip,
comparing follower to leader. When Bimala shows such sympathy by calling him "little
brother", he is caught off guard, suggesting that the youth is even more impressionable with
emotions than Sandip's ideals. Amulya struggles, as any youth, between completing the goals
of the movement and developing strong relationships on an individual level, such as with
Bimala; this is made extremely difficult by Sandip's powerful influence. Amulya frequently
accepts Sandip's motives by rationalizing the necessary actions. In a sense, he can be
considered a pawn used by Bimala and Sandip in their strategic power struggle, particularly
when Bimala requests he sell her jewels.

[edit] Important Themes


[edit] Nationalism

While the entire novel centers around the Swadeshi movement, the author of the novel is not
advocating it but rather warning his audience of the dangers of such a movement. Tagore
knows that it is possible for even a seemingly peaceful movement to turn quickly into
aggressive nationalism. Such a change would do the country more harm than good. The
character named Sandip is the vivacious and ardent leader of Swadeshi. He knows that his
movement has the potential to turn ugly. He fervently believes however that freedom must be
achieved no matter the cost. On page 123-4, Sandip cites a story from the Bhagavad Gita in
support of his own path. The story tells of the Hindu Lord Krishna advising Arjuna to
perform his duty as a warrior regardless of the result. Sandip's use of the Hindu epic poetry to
support his movement illustrates the tendency of individuals to use religion as a basis for
nationalism. The use of excerpts from the Indian epic poem was indicative of the blending
tradition elements of Indian culture with the ideals and goals of modern Indian Independence
movement. As both have the potential to yield individuals claiming an unshakable fervor for
their cause, this can be a rather dangerous combination, a fact clearly acknowledged by the
novel's author.

Nationalism is also expressed through the rejection of foreign goods, which was a part of the
Swadeshi movement. Sandip was strongly against the sale of foreign goods as Bimala stated
that "Sandip laid it down that all foreign articles, together with the demon of foreign
influence, must be driven out of our territory" (97). Nikhil on the other hand felt the opposite.
He stated that in terms of banishing foreign goods from his Suskar market that he "could not
do it" (101) and he refused to "tyrannize" (108). Bimala even pleaded with her husband to
"order them to be cleared out!" (108). She also stated that banishing foreign goods "would not
be tyranny for selfish gain, but for the sake of the country" (109).

[edit] Tradition vs. Modernism

As the title suggests, a major theme is the relationship of the home with the outside world.
Nikhil enjoys the modern, western goods and clothing and lavishes Bimala with them.
However, Bimala, in the Hindu tradition, never goes outside of the house complex. Her world
is a clash of western and traditional Indian life. She enjoys the modern things that Nikhil
brings to her, but when Sandip comes and speaks of nationalism with such fire, she sees these
things as a threat to her way of life. Bimala’s struggle is with identity. She is part of the
country, but only knows the home and her home is a mix of cultures. She is torn between
supporting the ideal of a country that she knows she should love, or working toward ensuring
that her home, her whole world, is free from strife and supporting her husband like a
traditional Indian woman should. Bimala is forced to try to understand how her traditional
life can mix with a modern world and not be undermined. This theme ties in with the
nationalism theme because it is another way that Tagore is warning against the possibility
that nationalism can do more harm than good..

[edit] Sandip vs. Nikhil

Nikhil and Sandip have extremely different views for the growth of the nation. Nikhil
believes in a nation that is peaceful, demonstrates the equality of individuals, and respects
social harmony. Nikhil demonstrates these beliefs in him marrying Bimala, an "unattractive"
woman because of her skin color. In the novel, Nikhil talks about disliking an intense
patriotism nation, "Use force? But for what? Can force prevail against Truth?"(45). On the
other hand, Sandip has contrasting views for the growth of the nation believing in power and
force, "My country does not become mine simply because it is the country of my birth. It
becomes mine on the day when I am able to win it by force".(45) The contradicting views of
Nikhil and Sandip set up the story and constructs an interesting dilemma for Bimala.
Unfortunately for Nikhil, he has already tried to show Bimala the outside world, and stir
some sort of emotion within her since the beginning of the novel, and failed. Sandip
possesses great oratory skill, that wins Bimala over simply because of his passion and
ferocity, something that her husband may lack.

[edit] Illusions

The constant forming of illusions in the novel grows to be a major recurring theme. Sandip
tends to create illusions that almost always have negative affects on his followers and on the
nation of Bengal. He builds an illusion of his beliefs that sucks the people of Bengal into a
sort of cult. His illusion is complete sovereignty, free of all other worlds, and an endless
supply of wealth and self enjoyment. This illusion, as many are, is a fake and a lie. It
ultimately sells these people a front row ticket to watch their nation fall into complete chaos
and civil war among people with different beliefs. He constructs an illusion for Bimala to
believe, saying she is the future, women are the future, they are the chosen path to salvation.
Bimala builds an illusion that she is to blame for this war, it is solely her doing. That she has
done all wrong and no right. She refuses to accept that she too was a victim of Bande
Mataram. " I now fear nothing-neither myself, nor anybody else. I have passed through fire.
What was inflammable has been burnt to ashes; what is left is deathless. I have dedicated
myself to the feet of him, who has received all my sin into the depths of his own pain."
(199)The biggest illusion of all of is his mask of caring and passion, while he hides his own
selfishness and desire for the world.

[edit] Truth

In more than one way, this novel is a comparison of different views of truth. Which reality is
truer is up to the reader's interpretation. Nikhil maintains an idealistic view of the world while
Sandip takes a radical, nature-worshiping view. He feels Nikhil's view of the world is inferior
to the real, raw world in which he lives as a radical leader. Bimala as well must compare
truths. Through her interactions with Sandip, she is introduced to the truth of "sakti" (female
power), yet her life with Nikhil is centered on the truth of conjugality. Each of these instances
is a comparison of truth as being something simply objective to being something with a more
spiritual or moral dimension. While the story ends in tragedy, both views of truth are
important players in the story's outcome, and it is left to the reader to ponder with which he or
she agrees or disagrees.

[edit] Love/Union

From page one of the novel, the love and union between Nikhil and Bimala is illustrated as
something sacred. Nikhil proved throughout the story that he was undeniably devoted to his
wife. He proved this first by marrying a woman who hailed from a poor family, along with
accepting her darker skin. He made great effort to not only educate her, but also for her to
understand her place in the world and not just her place in the captivity of their house. He
shows his love by giving her freedom. Bimala also adores her husband, but in a less material
manner. This is demonstrated in Bimala's daily ritual of "taking the dust", an Indian ritual of
reverence not usually performed by a wife to her husband.

Due to Bimala’s extreme devotion to Nikhil, In the beginning of the novel, the union between
the two of them is seen as one that cannot be broken. However as, the story progresses,
Bimala is slowly overcome by her feelings for Sandip. She eventually realizes that she has
found in Sandip what she longed for in Nikhil, fierce ambition and even violent defense of
ones ideals. Her deep desire for Sandip led her to completely break her scared union with
Nikhil, going as far as to steal money from her household funds. Sandip shows his love for
Bimala through idolization. This idolization comes about due to her freedom though.

The tale clearly presents the theme of love and union time and time again, going from Nikhil
and Bimala's marriage, through the love triangle created by Sandip, and once again returning
to Bimala's love for Nikhil at the very end. This story tests the boundaries of the union of
marriage. It stretches and twists it to the point where a 9 year marriage is nearly destroyed
simply because of a raw temptation. In addition to the idea of romantic love, there is a sense
of love of owns country depicted throughout the novel. Questions such as, is it best to love
ones country through action, perhaps even violence, or by passive tolerance are posed in the
arguments of Nikhil and Sandip. While love and worship seem parallel in marriage, Nikhil
believes these feelings cannot apply to ones country. "To worship my country as a god is to
bring a curse upon it"(29).

[edit] The Role of Women

Throughout the novel as stated earlier a strong sense of devotion is seen in the relationship
between Bimala and Nikhil. It is key to notice that an indirect evaluation of the role of
women is seen in this novel also, in a very subtle manner. In the society described, Bimala,
like most women, blindly worships her husband. This can be seen when, Bimala is described,
"taking the dust of my husband's feet without waking him," and when she is caught doing this
act of kindness, her reaction is, "That had nothing to do with merit. It was a woman's heart,
which must worship in order to love." (18). This seen shows the average woman in this
society who believes love will happen and worship is a given in a marriage. She blindly
respects her husband without understanding or having a grasp of who he is. Another one of
the many scenes that alludes to a woman's place in this society is when Nikhil and Sandip
Babu argue and Bimala is asked her opinion, which she finds unusual, in addition to "Never
before had I [Bimala] had an opportunity of being present at a discussion between my
husband and his men friends" (38). This line shows how there is a strong disconnect and there
is no place, usually, for a woman in real world conversations. To further prove this,in Nikhil's
story, the role of a woman is seen clearly,"Up till now Bimala was my home-made Bimala,
the product of the confined space and the daily routine of small duties" (42). The indirect
references and descriptions are quite frequent throughout the novel and clearly allows the
reader to get a sense of what women were subject to and their overall role in the society.

[edit] Religion versus Nationalism

One major theme in the novel is the importance of religion and on the other hand nationalism.
In this novel, religion can be seen as the more “spiritual view” while nationalism can be seen
more as the “worldly view.” Nikhil’s main perspective in life is by the moral and intangible
while Sandip is more concerned about the tangible things, which to him is reality. Sandip
believes that this outlook on life, living in a way where one may follow his or her passions
and seek immediate gratification, is what gives strength and portrays reality, which is linked
to his strong belief in nationalism. From Sandip’s point of view, “when reality has to meet the
unreal, deception is its principal weapon; for its enemies always try to shame Reality by
calling it gross, and so it needs must hide itself, or else put on some disguise” (Tagore 55). To
Sandip, reality consists of being “gross,” “true,” “flesh,” “passion,” “hunger, unashamed and
cruel” (Tagore 55). On the other hand, Nikhi’s view is more concerned with controlling one’s
passions and living life in a moral way. He believes that it is, “a part of human nature to try
and rise superior to itself,” rather than living recklessly by acting on instinct and fleshly
desires (Tagore 57). Nikhil argues that a person must learn to control their passions and
“recognize the truth of restraint” and that “by pressing what we want to see right into our
eyes we only injure them: we do not see” (Tagore 60). All these moral precepts tie in with his
faith. Nikhil also speaks from a more religious perspective when he speaks of how “all at
once my heart was full with the thought that my Eternal Love was steadfastly waiting for me
through the ages, behind the veil of material things” (Tagore 66). This shows that Nikhil does
not live morally just for the sake of trying to be good but that it is grounded in his religious
views. Sandip reiterates the fact that in their country, they have both “religion and also our
nationalism” and that “the result is that both of them suffer” (Tagore 80).

[edit] Film, TV or theatrical adaptations


Ghare Baire was first released at the Cannes Film Festival in France on May 22, 1984, under
the direction of Satyajit Ray. It was also nominated for the Golden Palm award, one of the
highest awards received at the Cannes Film Festival. It was later released in the United States
on June 21, 1985. The scriptwriters were Satyajit Ray (writer) and Rabindranath Tagore
(novel). Sandip was played by Soumitra Chatterjee, Nikhilesh was played by Victor Banerjee
and Bimala was played by Swatilekha Chatterjee. At the beginning of the movie a woman
tells the story of the events in her life and how they changed her perspective on the world.
She recalls how her husband challenged traditions by providing her with education and
letting her, a married woman, out of seclusion. Her husband’s friend is a leader in the
rebellion against the British when they come to visit and the movie takes off from there.

[edit] Historical Context


The story of The Home and the World takes place in 1916 in the Bangladesh Region. From
the period of 1858 to 1947, the British Empire ruled 8 major provinces throughout the region
of India. These regions include Pakistan, Bangladesh, Singapore, and Burma. Drawn to
region for trading purposes, the British soon had set up an expansive empire most noteworthy
the East India Trading Company. Not only was it one of the biggest trading powers in the
world, it also allowed Britain to enlarge its already huge Navy. The majority of the local
people in India did not like being under Colonial Rule resulting in many rebellions. These
uprising became known as the Indian Independence Movement. This movement included a
variety of political parties, ideas, and movements that all strived to end British rule. Perhaps
the greatest influence on the people of India came from the ideas and beliefs of Mohandas
Gandhi who stressed that non violence was the ultimate tool to opposing foreign rule.

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