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="Punishment"=

Biographical Information
"Punishment" is a short story written by Rabindranath Tagore, an important Modern writer of India. Tagore was the youngest of fourteen children,all of whom were writers. His father, Debendranath Tagore, was the person who taught him the importance of his writing (See Historical Context). Tagore came from a middle-class family, which influenced his understanding of sociological struggles in his time.

Historical Context
"Punishment" was written as a part of Tagore's uprising against the Western influence on his country. His father, as mentioned above, helped to develop him as a Modernist writer, trying to fight to keep his Indian culture alive. His father was one of the first leaders of a major Hindu social reform organization, called Brahmo Samaj. This group came about to blend Western and Indian ideas. Tagore's main focus was to acquire Western principles and practices without diluting his Indian heritage. In "Punishment," the social problem addressed is the oppression of women.

Synopsis
"Punishment" begins in an Indian village, where brothers Dukhiram and Chidam work. They spend their entire day working too hard to even take a break for lunch. They return home to their two wives, Radha and Chandara (Radha is married to Dukhiram, and Chandara is married to Chidam). The two women had been fighting all day, and when Dukhiram asks his wife, Radha, to bring him food, she yells at him and a fight ensues. Dukhiram takes a knife and kills her. A few minutes later, the landlord stops by the house to remind the family that their rent is late. Chidam breaks down in tears and tells his landlord that his wife, Chandara, has killed Radha. This is a lie, but he tells it because he thinks it will be easier to save his wife than his brother from trouble. The police came and questioned the family. Chidam had asked Chandara to take the blame for the murder. Chandara is silent, and because Chidam and she had been fighting, she agrees. When the police question her, she tells them she murdered Radha. Her husband begins to interject at her responses to the police, but they quiet him. What Chandara tells the police is not what she was instructed to: she makes herself look like she had no reason to attack Radha, and she plays the part as if she deserves to be jailed and hanged. The police take her to jail, and the judge orders a formal trial. Witnesses come forth to try to tell the truth, but no story is as compelling as Chandara's. The judge finds her guilty. While she is on her way to be hanged, she tells the Civil Surgeon that she does not wish to see her husband. She instead asks to see her mother, and her last words to Chidam are, "To hell with him."



Interpretation
"Punishment" tells the tale of women being tired of their husbands' rule over them. When given orders, a woman tired of being bossed around snaps back, which ultimately gets her killed. This part of the story outlines the power Indian men had over women. Chandara's determination to die rather than have to be married to Chidam illustrates the freeing of Indian women from oppression. Tagore symbolizes the revolt with Chandara's death.

For Discussion
1. When thinking about the role of women in Tagore's lifetime, which character represents the "old" India? Which character represents the Eastern ideas that are coming into India?

2. Does the hard labor of the two husbands have any significance in the Brahmo Samaj? Why?

3. Does Chandara's reluctance to be found innocent show strength or weakness? Why?

4. Given the historical context, if Radha was found guilty of his own crime, how would the other three main characters be affected?

5. What is the significance of Chandara asking to see her mother instead of her husband before being hanged?