The Home and The World

Hello Everyone, I'm Aarti Sarvaiya, a student of the Department of English,M.K.B.U. This blog is based on Rabindranath Tagor's one famous novel ' The Home And The World'. This blog is a part of thinking activity which  is given by Megha Ma'am.

Introduction :-

The Home and the World (in the original Bengali) 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, Nikhilesh, 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 the Bengal region and its contemporary problems.

The novel was translated into English by the author's nephew, Surendranath Tagore, with input from the author, in 1919. The Home and the World was among the contenders in a 2014 list by The Telegraph of the 10 all-time greatest Asian novels.

Characters of the novel :-

Nikhilesh :-

Nikhil is seen and described as an educated and gentle man. He is from kulin 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. He is a friend of Sandip and has allowed him to stay in his bungalow. In light of this, the police also suspect him of harbouring 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 the Swadeshi movement.

Bimala :-

Bimala is the wife of Nikhil. She 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, due to Sandip's radical influence.

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. 

Bara Rani :-

Bara Rani is Bimala's sister in law. Her relationship with Bimala is strained at best. She causes a lot of tension in the household. She 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.

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 symbolise the raw emotion and passion, yet lack of sympathy for others often encompassed by group or riot mentality. 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.

Writer's Introduction :- 

Rabindranath Tagore was an Indian poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer and painter. He reshaped Bengali literature and music as well as Indian art with Contextual Modernism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Author of the "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful" poetry of Gitanjali, he became  the first non-European and the first lyricist to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. Tagore's poetic songs were viewed as spiritual and mercurial; his elegant prose and magical poetry were popular in the Indian subcontinent. He was a fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society. Referred to as "the Bard of Bengal", Tagore was known by sobriquets: Gurudeb, Kobiguru, and Biswokobi.

His Notable works :- Gitanjali, Ghare-Baire, Bharoto- Bhagyo-Bidhata ,Gora ,Jana-Gana-Mana, Rabindra Sangeet ,Amar-Shonar-Bangla and other works.

Analysis of The Home and the World :- 

The setting of the novel can be identified with the home rule movement or swadeshi movement in Bengal. This novel was originally published in Bengali with the title Ghare Baire in 1915. It was further translated in English by Surendra Nath Tagore with some help from the author Rabindra Nath Tagore. When this novel was published it was praised by W.B.yeats.  It is allegorical in nature as the two characters Nikhil and Sandip stand for two different and opposing visions  for the whole nation. Bimala is a character who is not sure whom to follow ? It seems that she is torn between Nikhil and Sandip. She is in search of her guiding principle. Nikhil represents a global perspective of enlightenment. On the other hand Sandip’s view is radical. His dialogues are fierce and it represents an extreme form of nationalism which is a kind of threat for the nation. His visions can be kept under blind fanaticism. It is very unfortunate that Nikhil dies at the end of the novel. Bimala also understands the true colours of patriotism and she is back to her senses. She was infatuated with Sandip and his belligerent nationalism.  The condition of Bimala is like the condition of Bengal where there is a great lack of leadership. In the absence of leaders like Nikhil she is unable to take decisions. It seems that Bengal is also divided and tormented and further it becomes motionless.  Tagore’s pessimism regarding the future of Bengal can be seen here. Most of the characters in this novel are one dimensional and flat. Nikhil is the embodiment of goodness whereas Sandip is his opposite in all the senses. In the whole narrative we hardly see any change in the characteristic features of these characters. It is interesting to see that the honesty, idealism and altruism stands parallel to his friend’s cupidity, cunning and narcissistic behaviour. Thus Nikhil is the embodiment of divinity whereas Sandip shows diabolic traits.  Nikhil possesses all the traits of sattvic as mentioned in Bhagavad Gita. His element of dominance is lighter than Sandip. This is one of the reasons that he is wise and pure. He truly believes in serving society honestly.  Sandip is rajasik that is to say a person who has fallen fire inside his heart. So, he is destructive, greedy and violent. His character matches with a true Machiavellian character who can think only about his own benefits. 

He believes in the theory that –

“Every man has a natural right to possess, and therefore greed is natural…what my mind covets, my surrounding must supply”

His argument shows that he is highly selfish and he is often misunderstood by characters like Bimala. 

He says-

“We are the flesh-eaters of the world ; we have teeth and nails; we pursue and grab and tear. We are not satisfied with chewing in the evening the cud of grass we have eaten in the morning ... .In that case we shall steal or rob, for we must live.”

By such statements we are reminded about yahoos of Swift but we can’t deny that it is the morality of a modern materialist and capitalist society. It is highly allegorical in nature where one cannot understand the true colours of characters like Sandip. Apart from this we also find Sandip wooing his friend's wife while he lives under his roof. The youths of Nikhils village are provoked by him to follow the path of violence and finally Nikhil himself becomes a victim. 

Anita Desai has rightly said about Sandip that he,

“Resembles nothing so much as the conventional blackguard of the Indian stage or the Bombay cinema, stroking his handlebar moustache as he gloats over a bag of gold and a cowering maiden.”

Tagore and his character Nikhil reflects the ideology that everyone is part and parcel of Brahman that is to say everyone is like strings of the almighty or in other words microcosm is reflected through the macrocosm. We are like the petals of a flower attached to a central stem which can be humanity through the bond of love. So, human kind should work for a global society. It should be further based on the concepts of equality, mutuality and inclusiveness.  It should encompass all human beings and we should think beyond nationalism as it cultivates xenophobia, binarism and parochialism. It entraps people in egoism and trifle triumphalism. 

 In the Nobel prize acceptance speech Tagore advocates that-

“ I do not think that it is the spirit of India to reject anything, reject any race, reject any culture. The spirit of India has always proclaimed the ideal of unity ... .Now, when in the present time of political unrest the children of the same great India cry for rejection of the West I feel hurt…We must discover  the most profound unity, the spiritual unity between the different races. We must go deeper down to the spirit of man and find out the great bond of unity, which is to be found in all human races…. Man is not to fight with other human races, other human individuals, but his work is to bring about reconciliation and peace and restore the bonds of friendship and love.”

Conclusion :-

Throughout the novel similar sentiments have been expressed by Nikhil thus he is the spokesperson of Tagore. We find Sandip equating the nation with God whereas Nikhil tries to bring the entire human community together to search for God. Thus there are differences in thinking and approach.