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    The Serpent and The Rope

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    lrannapoorna_9533852
    summary and critical analysis

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    The Serpent and The Rope

    Uploaded by

    lrannapoorna_9533852
    33 views3 pages
    summary and critical analysis

    Original Title

    The Serpent and the Rope

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    summary and critical analysis

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    33 views3 pages

    The Serpent and The Rope

    Uploaded by

    lrannapoorna_9533852
    summary and critical analysis

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 3

    1

    The Serpent and the Rope

     This is a semi autobiographical novel. It describes Ramaswamy's search and quest for Truth
    and Self Knowledge.
     First published in 1960 and the recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1964. The book
    explores themes of reality, existence, and self-realization. Throughout the novel, protagonist
    Ramaswamy's thought process develops in line with Vedantic philosophy.

    Summary

    Ramaswamy is a kind young man. He is somewhat frail because of his tubercular lungs. While
    studying in France, he has married Madeleine, a French woman. Now Ramaswamy is looking to
    finish his thesis on Albigensian heresy and then move back to India. In the beginning, Ramaswamy
    gives hints that his relation with his wife is not going so well. Their married life has some concerns
    about their mutual understanding. Their first child, a son, has died just after seven months of its birth.
    Now, his father is on the verge to die. For this, he must return to India.

    He returns to India though his wife remains there in France. In India, he has a stepmother who has
    served his father till his death. He calls her as 'Little Mother'. He and his mother attend rituals and
    ceremonies. They go on a pilgrimage to holy places as part of it. Having performed all ceremonial
    duties of a son, He goes back to France to be with his wife.

    Ramaswamy is longing to understand himself and his life in a better way especially about his
    incompleteness within himself. During the trip to France, He meets Savithri, a Cambridge student.
    She is engaged to one of his friends. She confesses to him that she is not in love with the man. Initially,
    he considers her to be a modern sort of woman and does not think highly of her. Despite this fact, He
    is not able to keep her away from his thoughts. Reaching home, he feels himself to be more distant
    more his wife than ever. At their first dinner together after his return, Madeleine, too realizing a
    change in him, asks him if she has failed his gods somehow. He replies that she has not failed his gods,
    but she has failed him. His mother had given him the toe rings to be bestowed upon Madeleine as
    blessings. But now he feels so distant to her that he cannot give her the gift. He realizes that
    things have gone too far now. He no longer sees her as his beloved wife. One reason contributing to
    this situation is his desire for Savithri. Eventually his mind becomes so much obsessed with her
    thoughts that it starts to hurt his married life. His relation with his wife becomes even more tense and
    complicated as his own situation with introduction of Savithri in his life.

    Savithri visits him and Madeleine in France. Ramaswamy accompanies her to England in order to
    complete his research thesis. They spend time together and he realizes his deep love for her. At the
    same time, he is not able to express his love, provided the fact he is already married. He gives her
    those toes rings as a gift and she accepts. This marks a great significance in their relationship. On
    the other hand, Madeleine is pregnant with their second baby. But he has to leave for India for sister's
    wedding. Due to his declining health, He has to make an emergency visit to Bangalore. While he is
    there, he gets to know that Madeleine gave birth prematurely to a second son who has died. Later he
    also learns that Savithri has got married. Now he goes to back to France. Madeleine has become a
    Buddhist and draws herself completely away from her husband.
    2

    Ramaswamy goes to London for lung surgery. Savithri visits him. They accept it as their fate and
    resolve to part in their ways. They acknowledge that the true love is about rejoicing in one another’s
    happiness. Ramaswamy divorces Madeleine. He realizes that the answer he has been seeking lies in
    the journey to seek out his Guru and that all of the trials and tribulations of his life have led him to this
    realization.

    Detailed Analysis
    3

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