Page 199 - DENG503_INDIAN_WRITINGS_IN_LITERATURE

Unit 23: Premchand: Godan -Theme

the lower caste villagers with his various religious sanctions. Hori [peasant], Bhola [cowherd] Notes
, Selia [a cobbler’s daughter] represent the various hierarchies of lower castes in the caste
system that existed in India.
2. Exploitation of the lower class——Premchand has drawn a realistic picture of the poor peasants
exploited by the village zamindar and the greedy moneylenders. The zamindars collected the
revenue and imposed fine. Here, Rai Saheb fined Hori for the death of the cow, though he did
not kill it. The peasants are unable to pay the debts in time and it gets multiplied with the
passage of time. They are caught in a debt trap and they suffer, like Hori, until their end. The
author is advocating the need to end the feudal system that existed in the country.
3. Exploitation of Women—the women characters Dhaniya, Jhunia, Seliya and Rupa are exploited
by the men they love and are dedicated to.
4. Problems due to industrialization—growth of capitalistic greedy industrialist who exploit the
labour class. Migration of youngsters from the villages to cities, conflicts and tensions in cities
are some of the problems.
5. Interpersonal relationships, Love, and marriage—— Premchand as a progressive writer
envisages a modern India where love and intercaste marriages would thrive. We have the
intercaste marriages of Gobar and Jhunia, Matadin and Seliya and that of the educated pair,
Rudra Pratap and Saroj. The marital relationship of Mr. Khanna and his wife is strained as he
lacks love and respect for her. Mr. Mehta and Miss Malathi have serious thought provoking
discussions on the issues of love, the institution of marriage, the relation of man and woman
and womanhood. They represent the voice of modern India and mutually decide to live as
friends serving society in their respective capacities.
6. Political scenario of the period— the country was fighting for its liberation from colonial
powers. It was the period for the growth and development of different parties and ideologies..
Premchand, through the novel, expresses his stand as a socialist. Socialism is a panacea for all
kinds of discrimination and exploitation.
The narrative represents the average Indian farmer’s existence under colonial rule, with the
protagonist facing cultural and feudal exploitation. It shows how the life of these characters takes
shape.
The act of donating a cow in charity, or Godan, is considered to be an important Hindu ritual, as
it helps in absolving one of sin, and incurring divine blessings. It is nevertheless, not essential. The
word dharma has been used 34 times in the novel in different context and by different Characters.
The word connotes as religion, moral principles and values, conscience and duty. It means
differently to each character.
Self-Assessment
1. Write True or False against the following statements:
(i) Hori's son Gobar flirts with a girl from another village.
(ii) No horses means no Plough.
(iii) Hori represents the section of Rural India.
(iv) Miss Malti is of the modern school of thought.
(v) Mr. Mehta says that men are far more superior than women.

23.3 Summary

• Godan, which means “the gift of a cow”, is a novel that takes you through the lives of Hori
and his wife Dhania. A peasant by profession, Hori pays for carrying a noble and pure heart
inside him.

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