Joseph Andrews by Henry Fielding | Characters, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. Henry Fielding was one of the most influential dramatists and novelists of the 18^th century. Fielding chose a pseudonym H. Scriblerus Secundus as he was a Tory supporter and continued to criticize and ridicule the corrupt government of Prime Minister Robert Walpole. Ideally, he linked himself with the Scriblerus Club of literary satirists founded by Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, and John Gay. He also contributed several works to journals including the periodical The Craftsman criticising the policies of Robert Walpole. Just like the members of the Scribelerus Club, Henry Fielding not only satirized the corrupt political system of his time, but he also satirized the literary trends of his time and this was evident in his first novel Shamela which was published in 1741. He continued to satirize the the sexual hypocrisy, corruption, and pretentious writing style of Samuel Richardson’s popular novel Pamela and wrote another full-length novel titled Joseph Andrews which was published in 1742. The full title of the novel was ‘The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews and his Friend Mr. Abraham Adams.’ The subject of Joseph Andrews, as of all of Fielding’s novels, is human nature, which he considered fallible but perfectible. The mode is comical or satirical and the novel is written similar in style to Cervantes’s Don Quixote, as the main characters embark on a journey full of slapstick comedy and meet several upper- and lower-class characters along the way. The novel is divided into four books.

Characters of Joseph Andrews:

Joseph Andrews is the protagonist of the novel. He is a young, handsome, but poor man who works as a footman in the household of Sir Thomas Booby, a nobleman. Joseph is an honest virtuous man who is noticed by Mr. Abraham Adams, a benevolent, absent-minded, impecunious, and somewhat vain curate in Lady Booby’s country parish. Abraham wishes to teach Latin to Joseph however, the Booby family moves to London before Joseph’s education could begin. Fanny Goodwill is a young milkmaid, an orphan poor but virtuous girl whom Joseph loves. Being a poor orphan, she faces many sexual predators but continues to safeguard herself. Sir Thomas Booby is a decent man but he is not very strongly virtuous and may compromise in his favor. He dies at an early age. Lady Booby is the widowed wife of Thomas Booby. She is a lascivious character who copes with the death of her husband by playing cards and propositioning servants. Mrs. Slipslop is an upper maid of Booby's household. She is hideous and sexually voracious and lusts for Joseph. Peter Pounce is another upper servant of Booby Hall who is very greedy but comes out for the rescue of Joseph and Fanny. Mr. Booby is a nephew of Thomas Booby. Mr. Booby is based on Samuel Richardson’s Mr. B from Pamela. He is a snobbish squire who marries his servant girl, Pamela Andrews. Pamela is Joseph’s virtuous and beautiful sister, from whom he derives inspiration for his resistance to Lady Booby’s sexual advances. She used to work for Mr. Booby who tried to sexually exploit her but she maintained her virtue and finally married her lascivious master. Fielding has adapted this character from the heroine of Samuel Richardson’s Pamela. Mr. Two-wouse is the owner of an inn where Joseph takes a rest. Mrs. Two-wouse is his nagging greedy wife. Betty is a chambermaid in the inn of Mr. Two-wouse who is benevolent but lustful and tries to exploit Joseph. Leonora is a reclusive, frustrated girl who lives in a grand house. She once rejected the love proposal of Horatio, an honest, hardworking, industrious lawyer because he was poor. Bellarmine is a rich French businessman who is infatuated with Leonora. He impressed her with his wealth and made her reject Horatio but later, he got bored of Leonora and rejected her because Leonora’s greedy father declined to give a huge dowry in marriage. Mr. Wilson is an old man who used to be a rake during his turbulent youth. He fell in love with a beautiful woman and changed his ways to become a virtuous man. Beau Didapper is a corrupt official who tries to corrupt Fanny many times.

Summary of Joseph Andrews:

Book 1) The novel begins as the narrator introduces Joseph Andrews. He is the younger brother of Pamela Andrews, the character of Samuel Richardson’s Pamela. He belongs to a poor family and at the age of 10, he begins working as a cattle grazer in the Booby estate owned by Sir Thomas Booby who is a decent man. Joseph meets Fanny Goodwill at the Booby estate and is attracted to her. She is a virtuous, beautiful but poor orphan girl living with an old farmer near the Booby estate. Joseph is healthy and he is growing into a young handsome man. Soon he attracts the erotic interest of Lady Booby, the lascivious wife of Thomas Booby. Lady Boob insists that Joseph should be working at her behest and thus, he becomes the footman of Booby household. The parson of the estate parish Mr. Abraham Adams notices Joseph and is impressed by his moral and intellectual potential. He decides to teach Joseph but before he could start a course in Latin instruction, Lady Booby and Thomas Booby move to London and Lady B insists that Joseph should come along with them. Joseph doesn’t wish to go as he has plans to marry Fanny but ParsonAbraham insists that they postpone marriage until they have the means to live comfortably. In London, Joseph meets other urban Footmen who try to influence him in corrupt ways. Lady Booby too continues trying to seduce him but Joseph remains adamant. He misses Fanny and feels that he loves her and would safeguard his virtue to return and marry her. After around a year, Thomas Booby dies of illness and after his death, Lady Booby becomes more demanding and libidinous. However, Joseph's Christian commitment to pre-marital chastity remains intact. This frustrates Lady Booby. Furthermore, Mrs. Slipslop, the higher maid of the Booby house too gets sexually attracted to Joseph but he elegantly avoids her too. Mrs. Slipslop fails to accept his rejection and to take revenge, she tells lies against him and complains to Lady Booby. Lady Booby knows that Mrs Slipslop is lying but she tries to take advantage of that complaint and tries to seduce Joseph again under the duress of complaining against him. Joseph maintains his innocent and his commitment to chastity and thus, Lady Booby dismisses him both from his job and lodging.

Joseph returns to London and on his way, he gets robbed by two ruffians who beat, strip, and rob him and leave him in a ditch to die. A stage-coach soon arrives there and though none of the passengers is willing to help Joseph, a lawyer among them suggests that they should take him to the nearby inn. The stage-coach leaves Joseph at an inn owned by Mr. Two-wouse who is a benevolent man. At the inn, chambermaid Betty takes good care of Joseph, and a surgeon visits to take care of his wounds. Joseph reunites with Parson Abraham who is going to London to sell three volumes of his sermons. The thief gets caught and is brought to the inn and thus Joseph gets back his belongings. Betty who took good care of Joseph falls for Joseph and tries to seduce her but he rejects her, claiming his love for Fanny the milkmaid. Betty feels heartbroken. Abraham has very little money which he gives to Joseph for his return journey while he decides to go to London to sell his sermons. However, he finds that his wife removed most of the books from his bag and replaced them with clothes, and thus decides to return with Joseph. Meanwhile, Mr. Tow-wouse who has been pursuing Betty silently for a long, tries to take his chance and enters her bed chamber. However, his wife Mrs. Two-wouse catches him red-handed and throws Betty out of her job and and the inn. Mr. Abraham somehow manages to calm down Mrs. Two-wouse who agrees to make peace with Mr. Two-wouse.

Book 2)

On their way back home, Adam gets a ride in a stagecoach in which an anonymous high-class lady is traveling along with Mrs. Slipslod, the high maid of Booby Hall. Joseph rides on Adam’s horse, following the stagecoach. The stagecoach passes beside a grand house that reminds the anonymous lady of a young girl Leonora who lives in that house and she begins to tell the story of Leonora ("The History of Leonora, or the Unfortunate Jilt").

After traveling for a long, they decide to take some rest at an inn. However, the inn-keeper and his wife are very quarrelsome and soon they decide to take the road again. This time, Joseph sits in the stagecoach while Abraham is supposed to take the horseback. But Abraham is so absent-minded that he forgets the horse and starts walking alone. The stagecoach runs forward while he keeps walking. After some time, he meets a hunter who is out to hunt some partridge. He boasts of his shooting capabilities and bravery. They hear some loud voices of a lady in distress asking for help. Soon they discover that a ruffian has attacked a young girl and is trying to rob her. The hunter gets frightened and runs away but Abraham bravely fights against the ruffian and saves the girl. Soon a group of travellers comes there and the ruffian starts blaming the girl and Abraham are thieves who are trying to rob him. The travelers catch Abraham and the girl and take them to the Justice of the Peace, hoping to get a reward for turning them in. Abraham notices that the girl he saved is not a stranger but she is Fanny Goodwill who came there in the hope of searching for Joseph who, she heard was attacked by ruffians. The Justice is a careless man who doesn’t hear what Abraham and Fanny say and decides to send them to prison. However, a bystander supporter of the justice recognizes Abraham and informs the Justice that he is a clergyman. The justice soon reverses his decision and sets Abraham and Fanny free but by that time, the actual ruffian had already fled the scene. Abraham and Fanny then travel towards the next inn where they hope to meet Joseph. Joseph, the anonymous Lady, and Mrs. Slipslop are taking a rest at the inn where Joseph and Fanny have a joyous reunion. Mrs. Slipslop still believes that she could seduce Joseph anyhow but when she sees the two young lovers meet, she gets too jealous and leaves them in a hurry. The next day, Adam, Fanny, and Joseph decide to leave the inn for their home but they still have to pay the inn bill while they have no money. Abraham goes out to meet a wealthy clergyman Parson Trulliber to take a loan. However, Parson Trullber insults Abraham and denies any loan. A local Peddler then comes to help and gives a loan to Abraham so that they may pay the bill and go to their home.

Book 3)

Abraham, Fanny, and Joseph continue to walk on the road for a few miles when a gregarious Squire sees them and offers them a ride in his stagecoach only to retract his offer and make fun of the three. They reach the next inn where they learn that the Squire is known for making such false promises and fun of people. After resting for a while, the three decide to walk again after the nightfall. Abraham notices some strange lights dancing in the dark and gets worried that these must be the ghosts. Fanny overhears approaching voices agree on "the murder of anyone they meet" and they realize that the lights must be the lanterns of ruffians. The three flee away from the spot and reach a local house to seek safety. The house owner is Mr. Wilson who welcomes them. Mr. Wilson and his family offer food for the three. Mr. Wilson used to be a rake himself but he met a girl and fell in love and decided to change his ways. Redeemed by the love of a good woman, he married her and came to the countryside to lead a virtuous life. Mr. Wilson informs that he and his wife have lost their eldest son to a gypsy abduction.

The three leave Mr. Wilson’s house in the morning and after walking for a distance, they decide to rest and take the meal that Mrs. Wilson packed for them. As they are taking their meal, a pack of hunting dogs attack them. Somehow, they fight back and save themselves but a few dogs are killed. These dogs were owned by a wealthy, corrupt, and sadistic Squire who was infamous as the ‘Hunter of Men’ in that area. He comes to know about the damage to his dogs and gets very angry. But when he sees beautiful Fanny with the two novice men, he sets his lustful eyes on her and invites the three to his mansion for dinner.

At his mansion, the Squire sends Joseph and Fanny to work in the kitchen while he takes dinner with Abraham. His servants and henchmen continue to tease and ridicule Abraham to the point that he gets offended and calls Fanny and Joseph out of the kitchen so that they may leave immediately. The Squire sends his hooligans behind them with instructions to abduct Fanny whom he wishes to rape. His men succeed in abducting Fanny while they leave Abraham and Joseph tied to a bedpost in the room of an inn. The Squire then visits the inn and blames Abraham and Joseph for abducting the beautiful innocent girl. Fortunately, Peter Pounce, the head servant of Mrs. Booby was on a tour to the Squire’s estate along with his men. He sees some hooligans taking away a girl forcefully and recognizes the girl as Fanny, the orphan milkmaid. He rescues Fanny with the help of his men and then he goes to the inn to rescue Joseph and Abraham. The Squire’s plan fails when Fanny reaches the inn and accuses him and his men of trying to abduct her. Peter Pounce, Joseph, Abraham, and Fanny complete the remainder of the journey to Booby Hall together.

Book 4) After returning to the Booby estate, Abraham announces the wedding banns of Joseph and Fanny. Mrs. Booby isn’t happy about that and she tries everything possible to stop the marriage. She takes the help of a lawyer to stop the marriage because both Fanny and Joseph are destitute and they will give birth to beggars. The Justice of Peace takes a bribe for helping Lady Booby. However, Mr. B and his newlywed wife Pamela Andrews arrive at the same time and stop the legal proceeding. Lady Booby tries to persuade Abraham to stop the marriage but he doesn’t agree. Then Lady Booby takes the help of a debauched official Beau Didapper who tries to rape Fanny before her marriage. But the same peddler who gave a loan to Abraham earlier arrives at the scene and saves Fanny. Later on, he meets Lady Booby and informs him that Fanny and Joseph cannot marry because Fanny is the daughter of Mr and Mrs. Andrews, parents of Pamela and Joseph who lost their daughter at the time of her birth. Thus, lady Booby stalls the marriage because Fanny and Joseph are siblings. The Justice of Peace then calls for Mr and Mrs. Andrews to attest. Joseph and Fanny commit that if they really are siblings, they will remain celibate throughout their lives. However, when Mr. and Mrs. Andrws arrive, they inform that though Fanny is actually their long lost daughter, Joseph is not their son, rather, he was a changeling baby whom they got when they lost their daughter just after her birth. When the Peddlar listens to this, it reminds him of the lost son of Mr. Wilson who was taken away by ruffians. That lost baby had a distinct birthmark on his chest. When Joseph’s chest is checked, it comes out that he is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson. This clears the way for the marriage of Fanny and Joseph. After their marriage, Mr. B and Pamela ask them to come with them to Mr. B’s estate which is near to the house of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, his real parents. Mr. B- offers a decent dowry for Fanny and gives a respectable clerical job to Joseph. The newlywed couple start living happily with Mr. and Mrs. Wilson and the novel ends.

So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of English literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards!

Shamela by Henry Fielding | Characters, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. Henry Fielding was an English author, dramatist, and Magistrate born on November 22, 1707, and died on October 8, 1754. He is considered one of the founders of traditional English novels, the other being Samuel Richardson whose works Fielding caricatured and ridiculed. Fielding is known for his three major novels, Shamela, Joseph Andrews, and Tom Jones.

Shamela was his first novel which was published in April 1741. The full title of the short novel was ‘An Apology for the Life of Mrs. Shamela Andrews.’ It was a satirical burlesque, picaresque, and epistolatory novel that parodied three major works of that period. A burlesque literary work is intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of other serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects or characters.

Henry Fielding wrote this novel with the pseudonym Conny Keyber which resembles Colley Ciber, the poet laureate who published his memoir during the same year. Fielding also parodied Conyers Middleton’s Life of Cicero, which was dedicated to the British Prime Minister to curry favor. However, the major subject of the satire that Shamela was, was Samuel Richardson’s moralistic novel Pamela published in 1740, and his epistolatory writing style.

Pamela told in epistolary fashion, is the story of a young country maid whose master continually makes many improper advances on her. We see her attempts to ward off his advances and her virtue is eventually rewarded by her marriage to her master. We also see her transformation to an upper-class wife. Throughout the work, Pamela is seen as completely innocent, and utterly naive in the ways of the world. Pamela was extolled as an account of how virtuous young ladies should deport themselves. The Master, Mr B-- in Pamela is depicted as a near rapist exploiting his position of power to abuse Pamela. Other than his money, he seems a completely despicable person. One of the major accusations against Pamela is that the novel suggests that women are simply commodities who lose their value when they lose their virginity. Shamela is a short novel written in sixty pages that highlights the sexual hypocrisy, corruption, and pretentious writing styles of other authors. Eliza Haywood published a similar novel to Shamela in 1741 and named it The Anti-Pamela: or Feigned Innocence Detached.

Characters of Shamela:

Shamela is the titular character of the novel. Unlike Samuel Richardson’s Pamela, Shamela is wily and manipulative. Fielding transforms Richardson’s virtuous servant girl into a predatory fortune hunter who cold-bloodedly lures her lustful wealthy master into matrimony. She is petulant and childish and treats others poorly even when they give her what she wants. Henrietta Maria Honora Andrews is Shamela’s mother who once was as lascivious as Shamela is. She encourages Shamela to be smart in her own dalliances and to make sure that the squire marries her. Mrs. Lucretia Jervis is an old servant of the squire who helps Shamela in seducing and blackmailing the Squire. Parson Arthur Williams is a local clergyman whose family the Squire's family supported years back. He is just as manipulative as Shamela. He enjoys having a sexual relationship with her and doesn’t care for the duties of a clergyman. Squire Booby (Mr. B-- of Pamela) is Pamela’s employer whom she seduces and makes him pursue her. Mrs. Jewkes is a servant of the squire who first helped Shamela in seducing the Parson and then helps her in seducing Squire Booby. Parson Tickletext is a clergyman who is very impressed by the virtues of Pamela as he reads her biography in the novel Pamela. However, Parson Oliver informs him that the true name of Pamela is Shamela and tells him about the true colors of Shamela. John Puff is a lawyer who writes an encomiastic letter about Shamela, which is included as a preface.

Summary of Shamela:

The novel begins as Parson Tickletext writes a letter to his friend Parson Oliver while praising the book Pamela and how impressed he is by the virtuous character of this young lady Pamela. He really believes the novel’s emphasis on chastity and righteous living would make a good read for young women throughout England. Parson Oliver gets the letter and answers it back, informing that he knows Pamela personally, and her actual name is not Pamela; but Shamela Andrews, the daughter of a notorious unwed woman Henrietta Maria Honora Andrews. Parson Oliver mentions that Shamela’s father was a Scottish drummer in the army but he was an irresponsible alcoholic who lost all his money in gambling and pimped his beloved Henrietta. Oliver further informs that Shamela deserves no praise as she has never been virtuous, and all the things mentioned in the book Pamela are farce. The rest of the story is told in letters between the major characters, such as Shamela, her mother, Henrietta Maria Honora Andrews, Master Booby, Mrs. Jeweks, Mrs. Jervis, and Rev. Arthur Williams, much like in Pamela.

Henrietta and Shamela both work at the estate Booby Hall owned by Squire Booby who is a preposterous foolish man. Shamela writes a letter to her mother, informing her that Master Booby has grown a keen interest in her. She mentions how the squire held her hand and she pretended to be exceedingly shy and when Mr. Booby kissed her, she pretended to be angry. Henrietta praises the proceedings and guides Shamela to be cautious. She instructs her to collect as much money as she can before Squire Booby kisses her again.

Another housemaid Mrs. Jewkes is assisting Shamela in trapping Squire Booby and making him marry Shamela. The local clergyman Parson Arthur Williams notices something is going off in the Booby Hall and he reprimands Shamela for her conspiring tricks. But Shamela seduces him with her youthful tactics. Parson Arthur Williams realizes that helping Shamela get married to Squire Williams may help him attain a higher social status. He not only sexually exploits Shamela being his lover, but also helps her in her schemes.

Shamela also takes the help of another maid Mrs. Jervis whom Squire Booby trusts. Shamela flaunts her “virtue” in front of Squire Booby. When they both know that he can overhear them talking, Shamela tells Mrs. Jervis that though she finds Squire Booby to be a charming gentleman, she will resist all of his romantic inclinations to protect her “vartue.” She recalls all of the strong, moral lessons her mother taught her about the willful ways of men, how they can zap your “vartue” by the day and then flee into the night forever. Mrs. Jervis melodramatically praises the virtuous Shamela.

Shamela continues to excite Squire Booby in such a way by wearing figure-hugging clothes and is overtly flirtatious and coquettish so that he is persuaded to take advantage of her while she sleeps. As he sneaks into her room and puts a hand on her breast, she leans into him in her "sleep" pushing him to go further until she "wakes" begging him to not destroy her "virtue" before they are married. After several such encounters, Squire Booby is now convinced that Shamela can be a good virtuous, and voluptuous wife for him.

Shamela sends her mother the letter that Squire Booby sent to her praising her behavior, declaring his love, and implying that together they can live a life of “Honor.” Her mother is overjoyed by the news and notes that Shamela shouldn’t be too sad about “ending” her relationship with Parson Williams as they can still see each other on the side.

Parson Williams performs the marriage of Shamela and Squire Booby, who helped Parson Williams’ family financially, many years back. Initially, Squire Booby feels something is wrong between Shamela and Parson Williams but Shamela’s protestations that she is innocent win him over. She is thus able to carry on her affair with the parson under her husband's nose.

The series of letters ends with a postscript to Tickletext saying that the Squire found Shamela in bed with Williams and kicked her out and is trying to prosecute the Parson. Squire Williams has already informed the church about Parson William’s indiscretions. Parson Tickletext is startled and horrified after examining all these letters and evidence and is grateful that he now knows the truth.

As one can see, Shamela is the antithesis of Samuel Richardson’s Pamela.

So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of English literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards!

The Dark Holds No Terrors by Shashi Deshpande | Characters, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. The Dark Holds No Terrors was the first novel written by Shashi Deshpande that was published in 1980. This novel explores the trauma of a middle-class working woman trapped in a male-dominated society. Deshpande picturizes her men and women characters as the victims of modern society. The author explores and exposes the long smothered wail of the incarcerated psyche of her female protagonist imprisoned within the four walls of domesticity and sandwiched between tradition and modernity. The novel has two parts with eight chapters each.

Characters of The Dark Holds No Terror:

Sarita or Saru is the protagonist of the novel. She wasn’t a beautiful and attractive girl during her youth. She realized that to attain the respect of others, either one has to be pretty (for Saru, this is impossible) or become something respectable like a doctor. She devotes herself to studies and gets admission to a medical college. Baba is Sarita’s father. During her childhood, he remained indifferent to her but he is a responsible sane man. Sarita’s mother was a traditional woman who preferred the patriarchial ways of society. Her mother always gave more importance to Dhruva, Sarita’s younger brother. Dhruva was an attractive teen boy who died during an accident in which Sarita was involved. Her mother blames Sarita for Dhruva’s death. Manohar is the husband of Sarita. They met during the college. Manohar was an attractive young man and a poet. Manohar belongs to a lower caste but Sarita goes against her family and marries him. However, marrying Manohar haunts her because of Manu’s sadism and savage treatment of Saru that stems out of his frustration at seeing Saru’s success as a doctor while he works as a school teacher. In his frustration, Manohar turns a sadist and makes Sarita suffer, while enjoying it. Madhav is a young man who is studying accounts. He lives with Saru’s father as a tenant. He is a young attractive man with a good nature who accompanies Saru’s father after her mother’s death and takes care of the old man. Renu and Abhi are young children of Sarita and Manohar.

Summary of The Dark Holds No Terrors:

The title of the novel suggests its theme. “The dark holds no terrors, that the terrors are inside us all the time. We carry them within us, and like traitors, they spring out when we least expect them to scratch and maul.”

The novel begins as Sarita knocks at the door of her parental house. She is returning to her father’s house after fifteen long years of her marriage during which, she never visited her parents. Sarita is a successful respected doctor working and living in Bombay. She visits her maternal home to see and serve her ill father. She tells herself it is only to check how her father was coping after the death of his wife. There is no personal agenda for this visit. Saru’s mother died some time ago. She came to know about her demise through one of her colleagues (Prof. Kulkarni) of her mother’s death due to cancer. Fifteen years ago, before leaving her house and getting married to Manohar, an attractive man belonging to a lower caste she met in her college, she vowed that she would never return to her home. However, now her marriage is on the rocks. She finds her husband an extremely sadist aggressive person and it becomes unbearable for her to suffer the humiliation and pain of it. As a recluse, she visits her father’s home. Her father opens the door and is surprised at seeing her but shows no emotions. He invites her in and offers her water. Her father still feels so distant and indifferent towards her. “The familiar irritation, the familiar exasperation. To meet after fifteen years and feel only that!” Saru thinks.

Saru comes to know that her father is not living alone. A young man named Madhav is accompanying him. Madhav is a college student learning account. Saru realizes that he has a good rapport with her father. Madhav reminds her of Dhruva, her younger brother who died in an accident. The way her father tells his name, comfortably and with ease, leaves her unsettled. He has yet to call her by her name since she walked through his door. She meets Madhav and notices the affection her father seems to have for the boy. She had always believed he was a man incapable of having strong feelings but now she realizes that all his indifference was a sham, or was meant only for her. Saru goes on to try to get her father’s attention. She shows him pictures of her children. Her eldest, Renu, as Madhav points out, resembles her mother. Saru vehemently disagrees. It scares her that Renu could be like her mother. But somewhere she knows there is a similarity. Not in their looks but rather in their personality. The second picture she pulls out is that of her son, Abhi. They tip-toe past the fact that he resembles her dead brother, Dhruva.

Saru spends some days at her father’s house and soon the news that Saru is in town reaches the ears of everyone. People start visiting her. They eagerly seek her professional assistance. Occasionally, her kids write to her. So does Manu. She writes back to the kids. Life seems to be good. Yet, at her heart, she is disturbed. To her, grief seems to have the ability to stay with you for years, whereas happiness seems more like an illusion. She wanted to share it with someone, but she did not have that kind of relationship with anyone. Not her old friends. And definitely not her father.

One day, while resting on her bed, she remembers the day when her brother Dhruva died. She was with him then. She remembers how distraught her mother was at the loss of her son and shouted at her, “What are you alive and he dead?” Her mother was a tyrant who influenced Saru’s perception of herself. Growing up, she wanted to be pretty. But she knew she was far from it at least going by what her mother said. Saru was of average looks but her mother believed she was ugly.

One day, a lady doctor visited their home. As a child, Saru found her elegant with an air of superiority, she concluded that it was because she was a doctor. For one to walk around, seemingly detached, either one had to be pretty (for Saru, this is impossible) or become something respectable like a doctor. Saru decided she also wanted to be a doctor. It was not easy for her as She had to get past her mother and get her Baba to agree to send her to Bombay for college. Her mother was not at all interested in supporting her higher studies but her father supported her. She went to college and became a successful doctor but now she seems to have lost pride in her profession. She calls her profession a ventriloquist, giving her a voice, telling her what lines to tell her patients, and what faces to make. She fears, without it, she is just a lifeless puppet.

At college, she made some new friends who introduced her to Manohar, an aspiring poet and an English teacher. She fell in love with him and they decided to marry. However, Manohar was of a lower caste. Saru fought with her parents and married him despite not getting their blessing. Her mother had made it clear that she could not come running back to them if her marriage to ‘that man’ (he belonged to a lower caste) ever went sour. Saru, at that time, promised that she would never look back. She was happy with Manu. Her married life was not easy at the beginning. She passed her MBBS but wasn’t earning enough and Manu was working at a small college. However, one of her lecturers, Boozie took interest in her and helped her in getting a degree of M.D. Soon, Saru started earning much more than Manu. And she observed that her success and Manu’s own failure frustrated him.

Meanwhile, Madhav decides to visit his parental house as his younger brother runs away. It was Dhruva’s birthday. Saru and her father were alone and the silence between them became burdensome. She dared to ask him if like her mother, she too believed that she was the reason for her brother’s death? Her father says nothing and she weeps heavily. The next day, her father comforts her and talks to her with compassion. This fatherly love melts Saru and she confesses her current problems. She informs him that her husband is a sadist. He is a violent stranger at night, and she is a terrified animal. He rapes her without a second thought, while she lies there unsure of where her reality ends and the nightmare begins. Yet she doesn’t say a word to him because the very next morning, he always becomes the caring husband he is. She mentions that it has not been like this since the start. After their marriage, they were financially struggling but were a happy couple. After her MD, she continued to gain success as a doctor while Manu pursued M. A. Saru mentions, “A wife should always be a few feet behind her husband. If he is an MA you should be a BA. If he is 5'4'tall you shouldn’t be more than 5'3'tall. If he is earning five hundred rupees you should never earn more than four hundred and ninety-nine rupees. That’s the only rule to follow if you want a happy marriage…No partnership can ever be equal. It will always be unequal, but take care it is unequal in favor of the husband. If the scales tilt in your favor, God, help you, both of you.”
One day, a girl visited their home to interview the working women. She interviewed Manu too and asked him “How does it feel when your wife earns not only the butter but most of the bread as well?” Manu smiled at the question but didn’t answer.

He had attacked her ruthlessly that night. And she endured, unable to fight against his strength. And she had continued to endure well after that. Saru knows that another reason for Manu’s anger is Boozie’s excessive interest in her. While Saru always respected Boozie as her senior colleague and teacher, Boozie had an interest in her as a woman. He would often help her during her time of need, offering her loans or helping her get admission to college for her MD. Manu never asked her the reason for Boozie’s help, but he had his own conclusions.

Baba listens to Saru’s struggles patiently and comforts her. He asks her, “Aren’t you sufficient for yourself?” He reminds her that her mother is dead, offering her a choice, that if she decides, she can remain at her father’s house forever.

Saru receives a letter from Manu, informing her that he is visiting her. Saru remembers her first holiday with her family. While shopping for a suitcase with her husband, Manu for their holiday, Saru and Manu meet a colleague of Manu’s and his wife. The couple asks Manu if he is going somewhere to which he replies that he with his family is going to Ooty on a small holiday. The wife of Manu’s colleague then remarks that had her husband married a doctor (like Manu did) he too would have had the good fortune to go to Ooty. Saru says that the observation of the wife is enough to arouse the savage and sadist in Manu in the bed with her. But then again, in the morning Manu becomes a normal, kind husband who leaves Saru to take a rest in the hotel while he takes the children for an outing. Sitting alone in the hotel, Saru recalls the times when her mother would treat her harshly while plaiting her hair. Saru relives the pain of being harshly treated by her mother and begins to sob.

Saru is yet to decide what she really wants from her life, will she return with Manu and try to help him get rid of his depression, will she return with him and continue to suffer the humiliation, or will she decide to say no to him and stay with her father? The novel ends inconclusively.

So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of Indian English literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards!

Hope is the Thing with Feathers by Emily Dickinson | Structure, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. “Hope” is the Thing with Feathers is a short metaphorically driven poem written by Emily Dickinson which was posthumously published in 1891. The poem appears in Fascicle 13 of her handwritten manuscript and is believed to be written around 1861. Emily Dickinson wrote this poem aphoristically, compressing lengthy details into some words. Emily Dickinson hardly ever published her massive stock of 1800 poems. Only her sister stumbled upon the prolific collection and took the liberty to publish the massive literary work. The poem was published in 1891 in a collection of her works under the title Poems, which was edited and published by Thomas Wentworth Higginson and Mabel Loomis Todd.

Structure of ‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers:

As the title suggests, it is a metaphorical poem. When abstract concepts are under study such as death, love, and hope, they are often represented by an object from nature. The small bird represents hope in this poem. The poem is written in 12 lines composed in Three quatrains following a hymnal meter, which maintains the rhythm of alternating between four beats (iambic tetrameter) and three beats (iambic trimeter) during each stanza. The poem follows a loose rhyme scheme of ABCB, conforming to the expected pattern of a ballad. Dickinson used the Repetition of the words, 'that’ and ‘and’ several times in the poem. Using Enjambment, she cuts off a line before its natural stopping point in many instances. For example, the transition between lines three and four of the second stanza. Dickinson used extended metaphor to transform hope into a bird that rests within the human soul. As part of this metaphor, the poem draws a symbolic link between birdsong and the indomitable (undefeatable) power of hope. Dickinson used Anaphora in lines 7, and 8 of the poem, and the polysyndeton ‘and’ has also been used several times.

The main theme of the poem is ‘Hope.’ Dickinson wrote this poem as a hymn of praise, written to honor the human capacity for hope. The poem calls upon the imagery of seafaring adventures with the use of the words "Sea" and "Gale." Dickinson uses the metaphor of "Hope" being likened to a bird that does not disappear when it encounters hardships or "storms."

Summary of ‘Hope is the thing with feathers:

Stanza 1 lines 1-4

“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –

Dickinson offers an extended definition of a particular simple word ‘Hope’ and casts it in a new, surprising light using metaphor. She takes the abstract concept of Hope and applies a concrete idea or image of a bird to it. Dickinson wrote this poem without any title and the opening line was thus chosen as the title. The title or the opening line clearly expresses the motive of the poem which is to explain how hope is like a bird, and why that connection is important in the first place.

The poetess feels that hope can be deemed as a bird with feathers, singing in its own tune merrily. It may not speak any specific language, yet it’s certainly present within human souls. The poet uses the verb ‘perches’ which is almost exclusively used for birds, and as a noun, the word has a connotation of signifying the bird's home or the place where it is at rest.

Just as importantly, Emily Dickinson voices that hope is an eternal spring that never stops, as it’s a vital constituent of human beings, enabling us to conquer unchartered territories.

Stanza 2 Lines 4-8

And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –
And sore must be the storm –
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm –

In the second stanza, the poetess extends her metaphors elucidating the expansive power hope wields over us. It gets merrier and sweeter as the storm gets mightier and relentless. The poetess deems that no storm can sway hope and its adamant attitude. Hope is always singing, but it sounds the sweetest when the wind gets rougher. The storm rages and the song sweetens. When life gets tough, it is hoped that serves as a ray of light in the storm of darkness. When everything turns somber, hope is all one holds onto. It is what keeps one moving forward. Hope provides a safe haven for many people. It would take a lot for a storm to weaken hope. In line 7, the poetess directly mentions hope as a bird for the first time.

Stanza 3 Lines 9-12

I’ve heard it in the chillest land –
And on the strangest Sea –
Yet – never – in Extremity,
It asked a crumb – of me.

In the third and the last quatrain, the poetess concludes her poem by stressing that hope retains its clarity and tensile strength in the harshest of conditions, yet it never demands in return for its valiant services. The poetess says that she has witnessed hope in the most adverse events, and yet it has never asked for even a tiny part of a person’s self. Everything in life comes with a price, except hope. It comes from within. Hope strengthens one against all extremities of life and acts as an unsung hero.

Dickinson used the personal pronoun ‘I’ in line 9, suggesting the personal connection of her or an individual with ‘hope.’

So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of American English literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards!

Cannery Row by John Steinbeck | Characters, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. Cannery Row is a novel by John Steinbeck that was published in 1945. The novel tells about the experiences of people down on their luck, living in Monterey, California, on a street lined with sardine canneries that is known as Cannery Row. The novel is set in the period of the Great Depression and expresses the frustrations and struggles of common men during that period.

The novel is based on the theme of camaraderie and community values. Despite their hard situations and struggles, the characters of the novel strive to do better to make each other happier. The novel suggests that the desire to survive and to find happiness within one's immediate environment is the most adorable kind of ambition. The novel is about the Everyman, the common man. The characters in the novel are prostitutes, bums, Chinese grocers, married couples who live in boilers, and socially awkward youths. Another important theme of the novel is domesticity, the desire of human beings to have a safe space, a home of their own. Another theme of the novel is contentment which brings peace.

Characters of Cannery Row:

Mac is an intelligent young guy, the leader of a group of bums called ‘the boys.’ he is a good-hearted philosophically intended person. He is a poor man suffering bad luck during the period of economic depression. Horace Abbeville was a resident of Cannery Row who owned a building there. He suffers great losses in business and sells his building to Lee Chong to pay his debts. He then commits suicide. Lee Chong is a Chinese grover. He is a benevolent helping man. He allows Mac and his friends to stay at the building he bought from Horace Abbeville. Lee Chong faces trouble from Chinese goons. Doc is a scientist and the most beloved person living on Cannery Row. He is erudite and cerebral, but he also loves beer and gets along with everyone. He has women around but does not enter into serious relationships. He is deeply curious and enthusiastic about life. He owns Western Biological, a laboratory where he experiments. Dora is the madam at the Bear Flag Restaurant, Cannery Row's local brothel. Dora is friendly, kind, compassionate, and a superb businesswoman. Alfred is the watchman of the brothel, he is a friendly, calm guy. Hazel is 26 years old and one of Mack's boys. He helps Doc at his laboratory. Eddie is a member of Mack's gang, as well. He is a fill-in bartender at La Ida. Hughie and Jones are the other two members of Mac’s boys. Gay is an experienced mechanic. He is married but continues to fight with his wife. Often he spends time in jail for petty crimes. Mac invites Gay to stay with him at the Palace Flophouse. Frankie is a teenage boy who stopped going to school because he has trouble learning and coordination.

Summary of Cannery Row:

The story is about a group of broken, down-on-luck people who are suffering the tumultuous years of the Great Depression. They maintain their humanity and find ways to make each other happy during the difficult period. Mac and his friends are unemployed drifters and they do not have any place to live. They ask help from Lee Chong a local grocer who just bought a building from Horace Abbeville, a despondent bankrupt businessman. Abbeville committed suicide after paying his debts.  Mack asks Lee if he and his friends can move into the storehouse, pointing out that if the building is unoccupied, teenagers might break the windows or set it on fire. Lee realizes he has no choice but to allow these men to move in since he knows that if he refuses, they will break the windows themselves to prove that he should let them live there. Lee Chong agrees to let Mack and his friends stay at the building which used to be a fishmeal store but sets a rent of five dollars. Mack and his boys move in and christen their new place the Palace Flophouse and Grill. They fix it up and feel proud of their home.

There is a brothel named Bear Flag Restaurant near the Palace Flophouse. It is owned and run by Dora. The watchman at Dora’s is Alfred, who took over after the last watchman committed suicide in a fit of despair. Across the street from Dora's brothel is Western Biological, the laboratory belonging to Doc, a wiry and bearded scientist. Everyone on Cannery Row likes Doc and thinks about doing nice things for him. Doc and one of Mack’s boys, Hazel, collect specimens in a tide pool. Hazel tells Doc that another man is coming to stay at the Palace Flophouse – Gay, who fights with his wife and goes in and out of prison. Back at the Palace, the boys discuss doing something nice for Doc and light upon the idea of throwing him a party.

Mack realizes that he has no money to arrange the party so he asks Doc if he has some work for them. Doc is wary, knowing that Mack can’t be trusted, but he needs frogs to fulfill an order. He tells Mack that he will pay him a nickel per frog. However, Mack and his boys will need to drive to find the frogs, so he asks Lee Chong for his truck. Lee Chong agrees to let Mack borrow the truck after Mack promises that Gay, who is a gifted mechanic, will fix it up.

A teenage boy Frankie hangs around Doc’s lab. Frankie no longer goes to school because he has trouble learning and coordinating. He takes a liking to Doc, who lets him help out around the lab. Frankie grows to love and respect Doc and is always eager to impress his mentor but he is clumsy and often ruins things.

Gay fixes up Lee Chong's truck and they start on their journey. At one point, the truck breaks down and Gay leaves to find a part for it, but he does not return. It turns out that he ended up in a Salinas jail after a random and unlucky series of events. After some time, another member of the gang, Eddie, manages to find the part, and the journey continues.

On the night of their frog hunt, Mack and the boys camp out on a piece of land. However, a man approaches them and tells them that they must leave immediately. Mack, a seasoned sweet-talker, befriends the man, whom they call "the Captain." The Captain invites the boys in for a drink and then permits them to gather frogs on his pond. He also gives Mack a puppy to take home. While Mack and the boys are on the frog-collecting trip, Doc drives down to La Jolla to collect baby octopi. He stops many times along the way for food and drink, picks up a hitchhiker, and then discards him when he says Doc ought not to drive drunk. Doc then goes to a diner and orders a beer milkshake from a surprised waitress just to see what it tastes like. He proceeds to the tide pools and gathers his specimens, but is disturbed when he peers off the edge of the reef and sees the floating body of a dead girl in the water. He cannot get her face out of his head. Back in town, Mack and the boys trade frogs for party supplies at Lee Chong’s, telling Lee that he can sell the frogs to Doc for money. They have planned to throw Doc's party that night, as they are expecting Doc to return. The boys gather at Doc's laboratory and the festivities begin. However, Doc does not return until the following morning, by which time the party is over. Furthermore, all of the frogs have escaped. When Doc gets back to his lab, it is utterly destroyed. His precious records are smashed, windows are broken, and greasy dishes are piled high.

Mack meekly apologizes, but Doc pummels him in anger. Mack refuses to fight back, knowing that he deserves it, and Doc relents. He pours Mac a beer and, with a sigh, asks him what happened. Mack and the boys become outcasts after the party debacle, and all of Cannery Row sinks into a malaise. Everyone is miserable, tired, and prone to fighting or issues with their businesses. The boys' beloved puppy, whom they have named Darling, falls ill. They have to ask Doc to help her out, which he does coolly but willingly. Doc does not hold a grudge against Mack and the boys and muses to his friend that they are the most philosophical men in Cannery Row. Doc's advice proves to be helpful and Darling quickly recovers. After that, things slowly begin to improve around the Row. Mack asks Dora what he should do to make it up to Doc, so she suggests throwing a party that Doc can actually attend. Mack once asked Doc’s birthday and Doc gave him a false date. Mack plans to arrange Doc’s birthday party. All of Cannery Row knows about the party except for Doc, who forgets that he gave Mack a made-up birthday. Everyone comes up with heartfelt and homemade presents for Doc. Frankie loves Doc so much that he tries to steal an expensive clock to give him, but in the process, he is captured by the police and sent to a mental institution because it is assumed that his lack of intelligence and criminal proclivities will make him a danger to society once he hits puberty. Doc does eventually hear about the planned party from a random drunk at a bar, and he decides to forestall some of the problems from the first celebration by buying alcohol and food and locking up his cherished and/or breakable possessions. The night of the party arrives, and it begins slowly but then it soon blossoms into a lively, fun, and boisterous affair with fights and food and dancing. Doc even reads a poem to the crowd that renders them pensive and nostalgic for lost loves. The next morning, Doc cleans up, hearing music in his head and reciting lines from the poem again.

So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the History of American English literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards!

The Female Quixote by Charlotte Lennox Ramsay | Characters, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. Charlotte Ramsay was a Scottish-English novelist, playwright, and poet who was born in 1729 and died in 1804. She was a contemporary author associated with other notable authors of the time, including Samuel Johnson, Henry Fielding, and others. During her career, she was a prominent and popular writer. She is known for her novel The Female Quixote which was published in 1752. The full title of the novel was The Female Quixote or The Adventures of Arabella. Ramsay was inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’ work, Don Quixote. Ramsay’s work was considered to be a discourse as well as an impersonation of Cervantes’ book. The Female Quixote is regarded as an investigation of Cervantes’ optimism and a valuation of his humor and his incongruity. Although The Female Quixote has been popularly read as a parody of historical romances, it was by a long shot the most mainstream and continuing of its kind.

Characters of The Female Quixote:

Arabella is the major character and heroin of the novel. She is the daughter of a disillusioned widowed nobleman. Her mother died during her pregnancy and her father raised her up in his castle. Being a motherless child with a delusional father coping with the loss of his wife, Arabella spends her secluded childhood and teenage while reading reading the books of her dead mother which are ‘badly translated French romances.’ While these books were mere entertainment for her mother, Arabella learns from them and creates an idea of the world and how to behave in the world. She is also influenced by Cassandra and Pharamond to dictate the terms of her marriage. Arabella holds the Melisintha (of Pharamond) of La Calprenède as a model woman. She also learns the Roman history and takes inspiration from Cloelia (Clelie), the legendary woman from Ancient Rome. Sir Charles Glanville is her cousin who is a young rational person. He cares for Arabella loves her and treats her patiently. Sir George Bellmour is a friend of Sir Charles. Like Arabella, Sir George too loves to read romances gluttonously and tries to imitate them by being a false knight. Countess Charlotte is the elder sister of Sir George Bellamour. She is a sane intelligent person who tries to help Arabella come out of her fantasies and understand the real world. The Doctor is an educated well-meaning person who realises the delusions of Arabella and explains to her the difference between literature and reality.

Summary of The Female Quixote:

Arabella’s mother was a beautiful woman who was married to an English nobleman. She was an avid reader and used to read romantic French novels. During her pregnancy, she suffered some issues and died while giving birth to her daughter. Her husband was deeply shocked and sad by her death and lost interest in life. However, he had the responsibility of his daughter whom he named Arabella. She is brought up by her widowed father in a remote castle in England. Arabella’s life is governed by the semi-historical seventeenth-century French romances which constitute ‘history’ for her. She doesn’t understand the difference between history and fiction. Arabella’s retreat into the world of historical French romances influences her perception of ‘truth’ and ‘reality.’ Arabella, being the daughter of a disillusioned marquis leads a secluded life in her father’s estate which is far away from the actuality of the world, and therefore, has a poor idea of the reality of an English society. She grows up reading the books of her dead mother which are ‘badly translated French romances.’ Her interpretations of the books that she reads can be understood as her reaction to the submissive and passive lifestyle in her father’s estate. Much similar to her mother, Arabella reads these books to pass her time, but unlike her mother, Arabella creates an ‘alternate reality’ for herself by withdrawing into the world of these romances. She also read Ancient history and models her behavior based on women like Statira, Thalestris, Cleopatra, and Media.

The romances that Arabella reads are replete with the chivalric codes of conduct and these goals progress towards becoming Arabella’s own.

As she grows old, her delusions continue to become stronger. As her father grows old, he decides to marry her to her cousin Sir Glanville. Arabella responds with indignation to her father’s statement. She refuses to marry her cousin against her will, but promises at least to make an effort to accept Mr. Glanville and see where circumstances are taking her. But, Mr. Glanville proves to make her unhappy with his misunderstanding of romance conventions. This causes Arabella to ‘banish’ him, and he actually leaves the estate, which sends Arabella’s father to a state of fury because his patriarchal authority is challenged and thwarted. Arabella raises valid questions, Why should she marry someone based merely on relationships? Mr. Glanville has not done anything to deserve her love. These seem like perfectly fair and reasonable oppositions to her father’s design, and perhaps he realizes this.

He declares that she would lose part of her estate if she did not marry her cousin Glanville. Arabella believes that the more miserable and wretched a male suitor is, the better he proves himself worthy to perhaps eventually kiss his beloved’s hand. In the meantime, anything less than at least ten years of devoted service, in which either he kills thousands of enemies for her sake, or lives in a pastoral, hermitic retreat, is considered insufficient. Sir Glanville loves Arabella but is not ready to fulfill her demands which he assumes preposterous. Glanville’s sister Charlotte tries to reason with Arabella pointing out, rather inconveniently, that ten years of service will make both parties “old” when they finally begin courting; Arabella responds with horror and disgust at Miss Glanville’s vulgarity, since of course the consequences of the passage of time are never dwelt upon in heroic romance.

She rejects Glanville’s advances and requests him to leave the manor. Additionally, she commands Mr. Glanville to keep a conscious and respectful distance from her for a while. Arabella has an absolute belief in her own righteousness. She berates a man for his insolence in following her, and the equally strong belief, in the society in which she lives, that women simply do not have a right to privacy. Meanwhile, Glanville’s friend, Sir George Bellmour meets Arabella and finds her interesting and pursues her. He attempts to court her in the same chivalric language and high-flown style as in the novels. Arabella makes him suffer to extremes but directs Sir George, who plays alongside Arabella’s extravaganza, to live as well.

One day, while walking alone, she is stalked by some horsemen whom she mistakes as ravishers. Imitating Clelie, she throws herself into the Thames in an attempt to flee from horsemen. She is later saved by the same horsemen but this leads to Arabella falling ill, upon which a doctor is called to take care of her. It is then that the doctor learns of Arabella's delusions concerning romance, and explains to her the difference between literature and reality. As a result, she finally decides to accept Glanville's hand in marriage.
So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of English literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards!

It Was The Nightingale by Shashi Deshpande | Characters, Summary, Analysis

Hello and welcome to the Discourse. Shashi Deshpande is an Indian novelist who won the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Padma Shri Award in 1990 and 2009 respectively. She is known for her four children’s books, six novels, various travelogues, and essays. Shashi Deshpande is also one of the prominent short story writers. Deshpande's short stories have, like those of Jane Austen‟s, a narrow range. Her stories are written by keeping in frame the socio-literary themes and institutions such as family, home, and middle-class society in India. They are more or less a fictionalization of personal experiences. They had been collected in five volumes: The Legacy and Other Stories (1978), It Was Dark and Other Stories (1986), It Was the Nightingale and Other Stories (1986), The Miracle and Other Stories (1986) and The Intrusion and Other Stories (1993). They had also been reorganized into two collections: Collected Short Stories I (2003) and Collected Short Stories II (2004).

Her short story collection titled It Was the Nightingale and Other Stories was published in 1986 and the cover story of that collection was It Was the Nightingale. Her short stories deal with the problems of women in the society. The primary focus of her works is the world of women, and the struggle of women in the context of modern Indian society. The novels of Shashi Deshpande depict the woman’s search for self, a vivid picture of the female psyche, and the place of females in society. She puts forth the problems which a woman faces in day-to-day life.

Characters of It Was the Nightingale:

Jayu is the main character of the story. She is a young married housewife living with her husband. While her in-laws and her husband expect her to become a mother, Jayu avoids becoming a mother because she is ambitious and wishes to explore ways to improve the family’s financial situation. She decides to work in any one of the foreign countries to get a high salary. For that, she has to leave her family in India. Jayu’s husband is a traditional calm guy who is not violent and doesn’t impose his will over Jayu. Jayu loves her husband but her will and ambition to attain better financial status is stronger than her husband’s. While Jayu expects assistance and support from her husband in her decision to leave the family for the job for two years, her husband doesn’t support her emotionally and calls her stubborn and obstinate. Jayu’s mother-in-law is a traditional woman who spent her life taking care of her husband and son. Jayu’s mother too is a traditional woman who sacrificed her ambitions just to take care of her family and kids. Jayu is tom between her ambition and love for her husband. She sacrifices her conjugal bliss to preserve her identity.

Summary of It Was the Nightingale:

The story highlights the dilemma of working women in the middle class of India. Jayu, the protagonist of the story, is confined to the household work. Presently she has to accomplish the economic problem faced by her family and this crisis cannot be taken over by one person’s income. She acclimatizes to give big hands to eradicate this problem. Hence, she decides to work in any one of the foreign countries to get a high salary. For that, she leaves her family in India. In order to indulge her identity in her family, she has to acquire a job with a decent salary. She feels that securing a job is a way of gaining respect from others too. However, it is very difficult to carry out both the responsibilities at home and at the job, especially for mothers of young children.

Jayu is an educated working woman. She decides to search for a job but finds it difficult to get any job with a good enough salary for which she may give away her comforts as a housewife. Then she gets an opportunity to go abroad and get skilled training for two years that will allow her to secure a nice high salary paying job in India. Jayu is in two minds. While she is expected to be with her husband and be a mother, she wishes to have a better financial status.

She discusses with her husband who doesn’t support her openly but does not oppose her too. He leaves the decision to herself. She thinks about her mother. Her mother was a scapegoat. She hid all her desires for the ingratitude family and vehemently felt for the loss of her identity. Her life was dilapidated for her family and finally outraged for not having an ambition in her life. By now, Jayu frankly expresses her disgust to pursue her mother’s life. She feels that her stay with her husband is a pleasure to her and that she should sacrifice in order to attain a better future.

Her husband suggests that if she decides to go, he will call his mother, or Jayu’s mother-in-law to live with him during those two years. While Jayu loves her husband and enjoys living with him, she doesn’t share those warm feelings with her in-laws. As she hears that her mother-in-law is about to arrive, she decides that she is going abroad for her career for two years. She has to get a bigger salary for her family on her return.

Her husband argues that they should think of developing a family but she shows such a revolt against her husband, “Now the child will have to wait. We will not let it born yet.” She has to fight against her family members to bring out her identity. The next day, Jayu goes to the firm for an interview and to offer her application for going abroad. She feels guilty of her decision and she sees her husband waiting for her arrival. When she reaches her home, her husband has prepared food for both which they eat together and go to bed. The whole night they keep on talking about practical deals, business matters, and different things. Jayu loves her husband very much. She is unwilling to leave her husband. Her love for her husband makes her feel that he should not have accepted her request to work in a foreign country.

Her husband sorrowfully hurries her to prepare for her journey. She hesitates to separate her husband and reluctantly reaches the airport along with her husband. She immediately requests her husband to forgive her leaving her husband alone in India. Her husband returns to their home alone. During the flight, she remembers how she neglected to meet her relatives (Sumi, Jayu’s sister) who came to send her off. She rather chose to have her privacy with her husband to fight and discuss before her departure. She will have with her all the memories from the house. Even she carries bundles of guilt and walks towards the life of a professional woman.

During those two years, she really struggles hard to put away her longing and even puts off her pregnancy for the sake of working in a sector to earn more money. She thinks that her life will be pleasant after returning to her husband after two years. Consequently, she cannot share her experience with her husband during those two years. This becomes a barrier between the couple. She is exhausted by the office work and returning home late, as usual, due to her bundle of work. Uncompromisingly, she struggles with her inner desires and regains her stamina. By this, she cannot sleep. She feels guilty of her decision and she sees her husband waiting for her arrival.

Jayu alleviates to be independent and to contribute to the family expenses. By earning, she almost enriches her family with the needed repository. Ultimately, she surrenders her marital happiness for the sake of preserving her identity. She bestows her energy on the family by indulging them in the unruffled life. But she has failed to receive love and care from her husband and is also betrayed. She repeatedly and happily imagines that her husband affectionately calls her Jayu. She might be struck by this unforgettable incident. On sticking with the prestigious career, she leaves her husband and relatives in India. She assumes that her husband does not encourage her constant decisions. She also feels that he is not a perfect match for her, and she puts it in her own words that he is “understanding but not caring”

The adamant and determined attitude of Jayu has formed a gap between herself and her husband without having quarrels among them. It remains an unbreakable wall and smashes the marriage. She will be away for two years and she will have to live alone but with those experiences. She inquires in pain to have aspersion from society, “Can we stand two years of separateness?”

So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of Indian English literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards.