Page 269 - DENG201_ENGLISH_II

Unit 19: Chitra by Rabindranath Tagore: Detailed Study

come to an end, he feels terribly tired. All this indicates that indulgence in physical and sensuous Notes
pleasures leaves a man unsatisfied, the more and more he partakes in them, Chitra suggests that such
pleasures should not be left unsatisfied, but should be pressed dry of their honey.
Arjuna is gradually losing interest in physical pleasures and is getting fed up with it. It is thus a
prelude to what is to take place subsequently. Again Chitra’s camparison to a bead of dew suggests
that she has no fixed destination, no name and that she is a mere wanderer. She has no connections
with the world. Having fully enjoyed life, she droops silently, without any regrets.
Scene VII
Interlude
Madana grants Chitra’s wish that her beauty shall flash brightest on that last night of the spring
season. He tells Vasanta that it was his last night. Vasanta says that the loveliness of Chitra’s body
would return to the inexhaustible stores of the spring, the next day. The red colour of her lips freed
from the memory of Arjuna’s kisses will blossom afresh as a pair of fresh Asoka leaves. The tender
white spark of her skin will be born again in a hundred sweet-scented Jasmine flowers.
Chitra requests Madana to grant her one more prayer (which is her last boon) that her beauty should
shine in its brightest on that night like the final glow of a dying flame. Her prayer is granted by
Madana.
Critical Remarks
This is the last scene where Madana and Vasanta make their appearance. The last night of her boon
of loveliness has arrived. The spirit of beauty is perennial and it has no death. It only changes shapes
like the ruddy colour of the lips of Chitra (freed from Arjuna’s lips) will flower afresh like the Asoka
leaves.
Moreover the soft white shining of her skin will be born again in several bunches of sweet-smelling
Jasmine flowers.
Scene VIII
The villagers are afraid of some prospective danger from some robbers. They ask Arjuna as to who
would protect them in such a situation. Then Arjuna asks them by what danger they were threatened.
The villagers inform him that the robbers were pouring from the northern hills like a mountain flood
to demolish their village. Arjuna then asks them if they had no warden (Protector) in that kingdom.
They reply that princess Chitra, the terror of evil-doers was their warden. As long as she was in that
land, they had absolutely nofearws, except natural deaths. But she has gone on a pilgrimage and
nobody knows where to find her.
Arjuna enquires of them whether the warden of that country was a woman. The villagers answer
with pleasure that she was both father and mother combined in one.
Soon after Chitra enters the scene and asks Arjuna why he is sitting alone. Arjuna tells her that he is
trying to imagine what kind of woman princess Chitra may be. He has heard several stories from all
sorts of men about her. Chitra wonders and states that Chitra (The other Chitra) is not at all beautiful.
She does not have those lovely dark eyes as she possesses. She is capable of penetrating any object,
but not the heart of their hero. Arjuna then points out that people say that she (the other Chitra) was
a man in prowess (strength) and a woman in tenderness.
Chitra emphasises that that feature has proved to be her greatest misfortune (bad luck). A woman
feels happy only when she lives the life of a woman simply. She feels really delighted when she
endears herself, round a man’s heart with her smiles, sobs, services and caresses Scholarship and
highest achievements are of no avail to her. If only he had met her yesterday in the inner yard of Lord
Shiva’s temple beside the forest path, he would have simply passed by without even caring to look at
her. But these days he has grown very tired of woman’s beauts’ that he seeks in her for the strength
of a man. Chitra continues to say that she has prepared their noon-day bed in a dense dark cave with
green leaves wet from the scattering showers of the foaming water fall. There the cooling sensation of
the soft green thick mosses on the black stone kisses his eyes to go to sound sleep. She offers her help
to take him to that spot.

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