Paper 14; Module 25; E Text (A) Personal Details Role Name Affiliation Principal Investigator Prof. Tutun University of Hyderabad Mukherjee Paper Coordinator Prof. Asha Kuthari Guwahati University Chaudhuri, Content Writer/Author Ananya Guwahati University (CW) Bhattacharjee Content Reviewer (CR) Dr. Farddina Dept. of English, Guwahati Hussain University Language Editor (LE) Dr. Dolikajyoti Assistant Professor, Guwahati Sharma, University (B) Description of Module Item Description of module Subject Name English Paper name Indian Writing in English Module title Rabindranath Tagore: Gora Module ID MODULE 25 Module 25 Rabindranath Tagore-Gora Introducing the Author Rabindranath Tagore is a major presence when one thinks of Bengal and its culture; a paramount figure in Bengali literature. A collection of poems, Gitanjali (Song Offerings), secured for him the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. He excelled in various genres of art and culture and became renowned as a poet, dramatist, novelist, composer, actor, singer, editor of the Bengali literary journal (Sadhana). He composed more than 2000 poems and 3000 songs. As a literary genius he had deep knowledge of the society of his days and was a staunch lover of nature. Tagore founded Shantiniketan in a natural surrounding thereby giving vent to his passion for nature and a new education system. It is common knowledge that Tagore was absorbed in the world of words and his imaginative world resulted in the production of a great number of novellas, songs, poetry and plays. During pre–independence times, Tagore travelled to various places to perform and collect funds for the establishment of his university (Vishvabharati). It was during those days that his troupe staged a dance-drama, Notir Puja, based on a story he had written and it was later filmed in 1932 by New Theatres. Tagore is one of the most versatile writers and artists who has innumerable number of works credited to his name. Some of his most memorable volumes of poetry are Manasi (1890), Sonar Tari (1894), Gitanjali (1910), Gitimalya (1914) and Balaka (1916). Tagore’s major plays are Raja (1910), Dakghar (1912), Achalayatan (1912), Muktadhara (1922) and Raktakaravi (1926). He is the author of several volumes of short stories and a number of novels; among them are Chokher Bali (1903), Gora (1910), Ghare-Baire (1916), and Yogayog (1929). Tagore had also composed a number of dance dramas, musical dramas; he also wrote travel diaries and autobiographies. Besides these he also took interest in paintings and drawings. Rabindranath Tagore died on August 7 in 1941. The novel Gora (1910) deals with the period of colonial Bengal that is marked as the Bengal Renaissance. It is an age of awakening in Bengal in the various fields of philosophy, literature, economics, science and politics. The Bengal Renaissance initially was confined within the elite Bengali society but later spread out to all socio-cultural classes including the residential Muslims. This period began with the emergence of Raja Rammohan Roy and lasted through the nineteenth century. Rabindranath Tagore was one of the important leaders of the Renaissance. Two prominent features of the Renaissance in Calcutta were: the formation of associations, societies and organizations; and emergence of innumerable newspapers and magazines. Another important aspect of the Bengal Renaissance movement was the formation of reform movements in both religious and socio-cultural fields. Western ideals and principles influenced this Renaissance movement in Bengal considerably. Thoughts about nationalism and independent ruling derived from the west were disseminated by the educated Bengali elite to all the masses through the various organisations, movements, and magazines. Introducing the Novel Gora is one of the most ambitious works of Rabindranath Tagore that deals with an individual’s search of his own self. The novel is set in the colonial Bengal society in Kolkata which was characterised by distinctly two varied forms of religious groups; one was the orthodox Hindus and the other was the modernised and liberal Brahmos. Both these groups were in conflict with each other having their own unique principles and customs and such a scenario is represented in the novel Gora. The protagonist of the novel, Gour Mohan or Gora belongs to an orthodox Hindu family. His father had been killed during the Sepoy Mutiny and his mother, who was originally Irish, died the next day following the death of his father. Gora’s foster parents are Krishnadayal and Anandamayi who look after Gora with much love and sympathy. As a boy, Gora was high-spirited, energetic and confident but he was also an orthodox Hindu and a staunch Indian patriot. He cautioned his friend, Binoy Bhushan Chatterjee, not to mix with the Brahmos but not only did he become intimate with a Brahmo family, he also married a Brahmo girl named Lolita much to Gora’s disappointment who was strictly against inter-community marriages. Binoy was initially in love with Sucharita, foster daughter of Paresh Chandra Bhattacharjee, a Brahmo, who was a matured and sober man respected by all the members of his family and also supports Sucharita whenever she faces any problem. Binoy as he was attracted towards Sucharita started visiting Paresh babu’s house pretending to meet his new friend, Satish who was Sucharita’s brother. When he becomes close with the members of the family, his infatuation for Sucharita fades away. Binoy becomes friends with Baroda, Sucharita’s foster mother, who tries to initiate Binoy into the Brahmo Samaj. Baroda changed Sucharita real name which was Radharani. Haran is a family friend and has close acquaintance with the family of Paresh babu. He is also unofficially engaged to Sucharita. Haran feels sceptical about Hindu customs and scriptures and wanted to remain aloof from the ideas and beliefs favoured by the orthodox Hindus. Gora resented Binoy’s interaction with the Brahmo household and persuaded him to stop his relation with the family. But Binoy continued his visit to Paresh babu’s house and eventually fell in love with Paresh babu’s daughter, Lolita and Lolita also reciprocated his feelings for her. Gora, on the other hand, had pledged Brahmacharya in order to sacrifice for the cause of his religion and country. Although Gora tries to prevent Binoy from mixing with the Brahmos, he himself feels for Sucharita and is drawn towards her. The conservative views that Gora valued all his life was gradually losing its hold when his father Krishnadayal died. A number of events changed Gora’s perception towards life. The realisation of his newly born feelings towards Sucharita, the shock that he derived after the revelation about his birth, his resentment of the Brahmo society and finally the negligence that he showed towards his mother in his own pursuit. By losing all the rigidness of his life, he achieved all the happiness that he wanted. Binoy and Lolita; Gora and Sucharita are united in marriage and Gora hails his mother Anandamayi as the image of Mother India. Characterisation in the Novel Gora-He is the central character in the novel. He is an orphan who was raised by an orthodox Hindu couple. His main motive in life is to work for his country and his Hindu society. As an orthodox Hindu, he is strongly against any kind of communion with the Brahmo society. Krishnadayal-He is Gora’s father who was a liberal and modern man in his early days but gradually returned to orthodoxy in his old days. Anandamayi-Gora’s mother, Anandamayi, brought up Gora with lots of love and affection. She retained her liberal and noble spirit throughout her life. Paresh Babu-He is a liberal Brahmo and as the head of his family, he is respected and honoured by all. He is the foster father of Sucharita, daughter of his late Hindu friend. Baroda-She is Sucharita’s foster mother who changed her real name Radharani to Sucharita. She is a conservative Brahmo. Sucharita-She was born to a Hindu family and later adopted by Paresh babu. She is young and intelligent lady. She is drawn towards Gora due to his strong nationalistic zeal and loves him in spite of his anti-Brahmo feelings. Lolita-She is the younger daughter of Paresh babu who is rebellious and does not conform to any social beliefs and dogmas. Satish-He is Sucharita and Lolita’s brother. Binoy-He is Gora’s friend but does not share Gora’s conservative views on society. He values personal relationship more than orthodoxy. Harimohini-She is a widow of the orthodox Hindu Community who takes shelter in Paresh Babu’s house. Panu Babu-He is a hypocrite of the Brahmo Samaj who is inclined to the whites of the colonial India. Abhinash-He is an active member of the Hindu community as well as great patriot. Nanda-He is a young and energetic follower of Gora, son of a carpenter and a good cricketer. Themes and Issues in the Novel Towards a New Indian Culture: The Creation of a Nationalist Self The strife towards the creation of a ‘new nation’ went hand and hand with the construction of a ‘new self’. The main motif was to put an end to the British Raj and the formation of a modern nation-state. Many biographies and autobiographies that were published during the colonial period are testaments of the fact that the creation of a ‘new nation’ should be seen as the manifestation of the creation of a ‘new individual’. Sibnath Sastri’s Ramtanu Lahiri O Tatkalin Bangasamaj is a socio-historical book of the nineteenth century Bengal and Surendranath Banerjee, one of the strongest political leaders of his times in Bengal, wrote his autobiography called A Nation in Making. Both these books and many others showcase the unique merging of the idea of Nation and Self in the pre-independence times of India.