Product Description

Set on a Bengali noble's estate in 1908, this is both a love story and a novel of political awakening. The central character, Bimala, is torn between the duties owed to her husband, Nikhil, and the demands made on her by the radical leader, Sandip. Her attempts to resolve the irreconciliable pressures of the home and world reflect the conflict in India itself, and the tragic outcome foreshadows the unrest that accompanied Partition in 1947.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #65481 in Books
• Published on: 2005-04-26
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

About the Author
Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941), Nobel laureate for literature (1913), was one of the greatest writer in modern Indian literature.

Customer Reviews

A complex allegory in a changing landscape
A prolific Bengalese writer, Tagore structured this novel such that three main characters represent the turbulence of the Partition that was yet to come to India in 1947. Nikhil is married to Bimala, living in the traditional domestic manner; for herself, Bimala has no expectation of her life ever deviating from her wifely path. The concept of "Swadeshi", a renewed appreciation of everything Indian, and a denial of everything British, particularly British imported goods and grains, rages throughout the country.

The egocentric Sandip, a guest in Nikhil's home, is a fierce proponent of Swadeshi. Sandip finds himself passionately attracted to Bimala; he idealizes her as the epitome of "Mother" India, and pursues Bimala without reservation. Flattered by Sandip's attention, Bimala begins to question the nature of her marriage, and the three embark upon an emotional journey that will forever alter their lives, just as India begins a lengthy period of upheaval and unrest.

Of the three, Sandip is transparently shallow, while Nikhil thoughtfully considers every aspect before embarking on a course of action. Both men indulge in lengthy discourses, but the introduction by Anita Desai does much to frame this novel in the appropriate perspective. The allegorical nature of this tale is evident as the characters plunge headlong into the future. (pp)Luan Gaines/2005.

A good introduction to Tagore
The Home and the World has been variously praised and criticized for reasons having little to do with its literary merit. To my mind, the praise comes largely from reviewers' admiration for the author and the totality of his life and works, rather than this particular work. The criticism comes largely from reviewers' disagreement with his political views, or what they think were his political views.

It is, of course, always hard to judge the literary value of a work in translation. Many subtleties of language and reference are necessarily lost. Some reviewers have found the language ponderous. I did not. This is a short book and very readable. I would consider this book as a good introduction to Tagore's thought and style.

Some have said that the main character Nikhil is too good to be believable. I think it is true that Nikhil represents a philosophy of life more than a real flesh-and-blood person. However, a main point of the book is that Nikhil's "goodness" also appears to be weakness. Certainly his wife, Bimala, reacts that way to him at certain points. If Tagore wants to explore the relation between goodness and weakness, then creating a character such as Nikhil seems entirely appropriate, even if it makes the book more a novel of ideas than a novel about real people. There is room in this world for many types of novels.

There is no doubt that Tagore's life work as a whole is monumental. His religious poem, Gitanjali, is more widely recognized than this novel as an expression of his views and writing skill. But poetry is even harder to translate than prose and probably not as accessible to the average reader.

Regarding Tagore's political views, some critics felt that The Home and the World pandered to the British because he did not show support for all elements of the anti-British Swadeshi movement. Tagore was definitely not pro-British. But neither did he support intimidation or terrorism against fellow-Indians as means of fighting British dominance in India.

Tagore had a long and public debate with his friend Gandhi regarding India's future. This correspondence is available in book form (The Mahatma and the Poet: Letters and Debates between Gandhi and Tagore 1915-1941). Those who would judge a person for his political views should learn them first-hand and not just through the opinions of others.

Indelible Drama
Rabindranath Tagore did very well to choose the structure he did for this short dramatic novel. It is successfully written from the three points of view of the protaganists, the chapters interlocked as "Bimala's Story", "Nikhil's Story" and "Sandip's Story". It is a powerful drama of awakening, ideology, courage and tragedy. It would make a terrific opera!
The language has an unfamiliar, florid quality that takes a bit of adjustment but I quickly adapted to the Bengali lushness. It is a very poignant tale of three people enmeshed in the intolerable situation of the British partition of Bengal and foreign occupation. Written early in the 20th Century Tagore foreshadows the Indian independence movement that will come later in the century and the idea of the liberation of women.
The unintended consequenses that result from the relationship of the three main players is predictable and tumultuous and a suitable metaphor for the terrible circumstances that were tearing through Bengal and other parts of India at that time. I was deeply moved by the work in spite of the harsh criticism it received at the time of it's original publication.