Recurrent Death Motif and the Female Context in Select Short Stories of Tagore

Abstract

Tagore household in the wake of the Bengal Renaissance had emerged to be one of the centres of women’s emancipation. However, Tagore not only created emancipated women characters like Kalyani of “Aparichita” (The Woman Unknown) or Mrinal of “Streer Patra” (A Wife’s Letter) but also depicted the stark reality of the marginalised women of those times. The act that would probably qualify as ‘abuse’ in today’s times, was rampant. Aspects of mental and physical torture are actually still prevalent. Therefore, it becomes all the more relevant to understand the plots of select short stories of Tagore which reveal women in extreme situations in the household. They were sort of pushed towards the ultimate step of death. Death in these circumstances can also be looked at as a symbol of liberation and freedom from the shackles of turmoiled domesticity and life. In this light, the paper will discuss the short stories, “Haimanti”, “Jibito o Mrito” (Living and the Dead), “Dena Paona” (Debits and Credits) and “Shashti” (Punishment).