Home and the World Book

A 1916 novel by Rabindranath Tagore, the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. Written in Bengali and translated into English in 1919 by the author's nephew. I think of poetry as almost impossible to translate well, but the beauty of his language does come across. I'm glad that read Tagore.

On one level, the story is a love triangle. It's a shame that Bimala didn't have a friend to talk her out of having anything to do with Sandip. She had that guy sized up before she ever met him.

I had seen Sandip Badu's photograph before. There was something in his features which I did not quite like. Not that he was bad-looking'far from it" he had a splendidly handsome face. Yet, I know not why, it seemed to me, in spite of all its brilliance, that too much of base alloy had gone into its making. The light in his eyes somehow did not shine true. That was why I did not like it when my husband unquestioningly gave in to all his demands. I could bear the waste of money; but it vexed me to think that he was imposing on my husband, taking advantage of friendship. His bearing was not that of an ascetic, nor even of a person of moderate means but foppish all over. Love of comfort seemed to…any number of such reflections come back to me today, but let them be.
But no, her only confidant was her husband. And, well… There she is stealing from her loving husband because her boyfriend asked her to do so. It's like a knife in her guilty heart when loyal household members bring their small treasures to protect from the thief. "I got these at your wedding," said the milk-woman, while handing her a box with a Benares sari and some other valued things.

On another level, this is a morality play about the Swadeshi movement for Indian independence. Husband, Nikhil is an educated, aristocratic landlord. He is nonviolent and politically moderate. He is too practical for revolutionaries to burn foreign products He is willing to import Indian made yarn to sell in his market, but to practical to boycott foreign imports. He is also, aware that independence should not mean isolation. Boyfriend, Sandip is a charismatic pro-independence professional revolution. He lobbies for the boycott of British goods and burning of western products. His instigations generate an awfully lot of violence for a non-violent movement. And, I couldn't help but notice that he skivvied off when things went horribly wrong. Bimala is the colonized home country that they compete for.

With that as a reference, Sandip thinks of Bimala as fruit to be taken.

It is only too clear how she wants me, and so I look on her as quite legitimately mine. The fruit hangs on the branch by the stem, but that is no reason why the claim of the stem should be eternal. Ripe fruit cannot for ever swear by its slackening stem-hold. All its sweetness has been accumulated for me; to surrender itself to my hand is the reason of its existence, its very nature, its true morality. So I must pluck it, for it becomes me to make it futile.
While devoted and caring husband, Nikhil encourages her to learn and to experience the world within the protection of their marriage. Bimala chooses the corrupting thief. She repents her choice and crime, but retribution falls. I can see why he won a prize from colonial Europe.

There may be other levels, but those are the most obvious. There's a lot here for a slim little volume. I thought Kavita Daswani was exaggerating in For Matrimonial Purposes, but here it is again. Everyone considers Bimala ugly solely because she's dark skinned.