Page 35 - DENG202_ELECTIVE_ENGLISH_III

Elective English—III

Notes are over and the time has come for her being discarded. The sense of satiety brings with it the
desire for change. Arjuna yearns to see Chitra in her manly self-riding on the horse and
“dispensing glad hope all round her”. The same Arjuna, who has spurned her youth when it was
devoid of the softness of the woman, kneels before her when by the boon of a God she becomes
beautiful. We are thus amused at the contrariness in man and woman when Arjuna is found
fickle and Chitra steady, in her feelings. The intensity of pathos overwhelms us when each of
them passes through the inner struggle in trying to understand the other. The figurative language
and evasive answers of the princess set the mind of Arjuna a-thinking. However, all the while
her heart is on edge doubting much the strength of Arjuna to retain a steady glow. The battle of
wits, so naturally following on a flat refusal from Arjuna for further dalliance, is finely depicted.
The keenness of disappointment has none of the soul-killing depression of spirit on Chitra.
She earns fresh glory for having suppressed her ego and offering to her Lord the abiding proof
of her great devotion to him, a child in the womb, whom, if born a man, she wishes to rear into
a second Arjuna.
Overall, the character of Chitra satisfies the tests of an ideal woman. To fully appreciate the
purpose of Tagore’s introduction in this play of an incident not found in, the Mahabharata,
namely Chitra’s metamorphosis into a lovelier being by the grace of a God. The readers should
have the imagination to accredit it to the happy device of the poet to illustrate how the artificial
is attractive, while the real and the permanent do not immediately appeal to us. The idea in
making Chitra superior to Arjuna in her aims and activities is the reflection of the opinion of the
poet that the true woman of India has always a nobler function to perform than submissively
following her Lord. She is a saviour to many a frail forlorn being, whose soul would have
weltered in abject complacency of material prosperity, but for the helping hand of a devoted
wife to lead him on to sublime altitudes. Such a woman is a priceless possession to her husband
and acts as his best friend, perfecting his nature by her constant attendance, born of gentility of
service and sweetness of disposition.
The last speech of the princess ends with the words “I offer you Chitra, the daughter of a king”.
The same dignity as at the beginning, but now made doubly worthy of her by the magnanimity
of her heart, that persists in self-abnegation compels us to honour her for all that she stands
for – faith, purity, love and sacrifice.

3.5 Feminism in ‘Chitra’, ‘Natirpuja’ and ‘Chandalika’

Modern age is considered the age of feminism. The women in the modern period have crossed
the barriers of society. They have proved their equality to their male counterparts. The modern
women are not Feminism is a kind of revolt of women against social conventions. Feminine
consciousness is, of course, consciousness of females for equality with males.
An attempt has been made to focus on the feminism reflected in Tagore’s ‘Chitra’, ‘NatirPuja’
and ‘Chandalika’ in this paper. In good olden days, a woman was considered as sub ordinate and
parasite. She was not independent to lead her life. The rights of woman were completely
neglected. Rabindranath Tagore has brought out his women out of the kitchen and placed them
in the active stream of life.
Feminism in Rabindranath Tagore challenges the traditional view of woman as the weaker sex.
Tagore’s Chitra is as strong as man is. She is expert in riding, hunting, duel and war. She is a type
of terror for the evildoers in the state. She had ambition to challenge Arjuna in single combat.
When Arjuna in the forest rejects her, she does not go home weeping. She tries to show her
strength and power by gaining perfect beauty from Madana. She seeks revenge against her
insult of rejection by making him to surrender before her borrowed beauty. Chitra lived in a
good olden days but she had a sense of feminism as a modern woman.

30 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY