Assignment 201 - Indian English Literature - Pre Independence

 Name : Anjali M. Rathod

Enrollment no. : 4069206420220024

Roll no. : 02

Batch : M.A. Sem. 3 (2022-24)

Paper no. : 201 - Indian English Literature - Pre Independence 

Email Address: rathodanjali20022002ui@gmail.com

Submitted to : Smt. S.B. Gardi, Department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University, Bhavnagar - 364002

Narrative Technique of the Novel - The Home and The World 

Introduction of the Author:

 

Rabindranath Tagore was born in Calcutta, India, on May 7, 1861, to Debendranath Tagore, a notable philosopher. Despite disliking traditional schooling, Tagore, educated by tutors, wrote extensively during his childhood. He briefly studied law and English literature in England in 1877 but returned to India due to dissatisfaction with Western education.

Tagore, a versatile artist, wrote poetry, novels, plays, and more. His famous work, "Gitanjali: Song Offerings" (1912), earned him the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913, making him the first non-European and lyricist to win. He often wrote in Bengali first, translating his works to English. Notable Bengali publications include "Sonar Tari" (1894) and "Manasi" (1890).

Tagore pioneered the Bengali short story and published in both Bengali and English. Notable collections include "The Hungry Stones and Other Stories" (1916) and "The Glimpses of Bengal Life" (1913). His short stories drew inspiration from his years managing family estates in Shilaidah and Shazadpur, reflecting his compassion and belief in universal education.

Living on a houseboat on the Padma River during the 1890s, Tagore's interactions with villagers influenced his work and activism. His writings conveyed his views on Indian independence, the caste system, education, and other socio political issues.

Introduction of the Novel : 

  ‘The Home and The World is set against the backdrop of the Swadeshi Movement, a pivotal period in India's fight against British colonial rule. The novel unfolds in the early 20th century, primarily in the estate of the aristocratic landlord Nikhil, his wife Bimala, and Sandip, a charismatic and nationalistic friend.

         As the Swadeshi Movement gains momentum, the characters find themselves entangled in a web of conflicting ideologies, personal desires, and societal expectations.

    The narrative primarily revolves around Bimala, whose experiences and emotions serve as a lens through which the reader explores the broader socio-political landscape. The novel employs a multi-layered narrative structure, shifting perspectives among the three central characters of Nikhil, Bimala, and Sandip. Tagore's narrative technique involves a skillful interplay of first-person narratives, letters, and introspective passages, allowing readers to witness the story from multiple angles.

         The story begins with Bimala describing her relationship with Nikhil. She practically worships Nikhil, but she despises her sister-in-law, who often teases and insults her. Nikhil turns a blind eye to his sister’s treatment of Bimala. Rather, Nikhil wishes Bimala would see herself and him as equals and leave the home together occasionally. 

          Nikhil is loosely involved in the Swadeshi movement, often funding various projects to help the local economy. In addition, he funds Sandip Babu, an Indian nationalist speaker whom Bimala suspects of taking advantage of her husband.

            Bimala and Nikhil see Sandip speak, and she is deeply moved by his charisma. Sandip stays with Bimala and Nikhil, and during dinner, he and Nikhil argue about the extent to which nationalism will help India. Bimala, in an unusual display of autonomy, sides with Sandip and disagrees with her husband, believing that movements must sometimes be informed by passions rather than temperance. 

               

       Sandip compliments Bimala throughout the night and believes that she is the embodiment of India. After another argument with a similar outcome, Nikhil feels that he is becoming inadequate for his wife. Nikhil’s former school master and friend, Chandranath, arrives and encourages Nikhil to send Sandip away, but Sandip decides that Nikhil’s estate is the perfect place to do his business. Furthermore, he wants Bimala to be his Shakti, a woman to represent the Indian people.

Narrative Technique in the Home and the World : 

   The Home and the World comprises twelve chapters. Some chapters contain more than one self-narration. The total number of such narratives is twenty-three. Bimala is found to speak on ten occasions, while Nikhil and Sandip speak eight times and five times respectively. Of course, the opening and concluding narratives come from Bimala. Although set against the momentous freedom movement in India in 1905.

             The Home and the World is a psychology oriented novel. The basic advantage of the first person narrative is well exploited by the novelist in this respect. Each narrative well reveals the nature of the speaker concerned as also her or his attitude or angle of vision. The  events and situations, constituting the action or theme of the novel, are related in such narratives, but the most engrossing element of human psychology is well brought out particularly in these. It is not immaterial to mention here that in each first person narrative, the thematic situation is found less woven, while the speaker's mood of mind and personality are more expanded. 

      In fact, out of the thin texture of fictional setting and story, this has made a deep probe into the inner world and lightened the dark corridor of the individual mind. This has brought The Home and the World close not merely to the psychological but also to the stream of consciousness technique in novel writing.

 The novel employs various storytelling techniques, including the epic, epistolary, autobiographical, and first-person narrative. The first person narrative involves different characters sharing their experiences, feelings, and perspectives in their own words. Unlike autobiographical novels where a single speaker recounts the story, the first person narrative features multiple characters speaking.  In  the first person, offering diverse viewpoints on the same events. While this approach may lead to some repetition, it adds depth by exploring varied psychological aspects of the narrative. 

     Rabindranath Tagore's ‘ The Home and the World’ exemplifies this technique, as the story unfolds through the individual self-narrations of its three main characters Bimala, Nikhil, and Sandip each providing a unique angle of vision. 

     The speaker is single, mostly the novelist, who is also the hero of the story. He is the sole observer, scrutiniser and story-teller, and everything is viewed and presented from his particular view-point. He also speaks in the first person, but he is the only person to speak. But, in the first person narrative, the speaker is not one. Different characters speak, no doubt in the first person, but with difference in approach and assessment. 

     This is autobiographical revelations, quite unlike what is in the autobiographical novel, vary and show the varied aspects of the same matter. Of course, repetitions are not unlikely in, rather natural to, such a first person narrative. Bimala's opening story, no doubt, sets the entire background of her life, her conjugal happiness with Nikhil. Psychological twist is not much here and she speaks out as a simple happy wife of a highly aristocratic and wealthy family. This also bears out her great regard for her husband and fidelity to the rigidity of the family of her father in law.

Conclusion : 

   To sum up, the narrative technique of Tagor’s Novel goes beyond storytelling, creating a compelling exploration of identity, love, and nationalism. Through a blend of first-person narratives, letters, symbolism, and folk elements, Tagore's novel transcends its historical setting, offering timeless insights into the human condition. The transformative power of narrative technique is evident as readers navigate intricate relationships and ideologies, making the novel a profound examination of universal themes that transcend time and borders. 

      ‘The Home and The World’ stands as a testament to Tagore's literary prowess, using narrative technique to explore the profound depths of the human experience.

   Thank You… .   

Images : 2

words : 1258