I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Referred: ISSN: 2582-8002 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, VOL 1-ISSUE 4: JUNE 2021

Analyzing the positioning of ‘’ as a social, political and gendered trope used in ‘The Slaying of Meghnada’

Sneha Chakraborty Post Graduate Student, Department of Comparative Literature, Jadavpur University

Abstract

The paper will try to analyze the creative brilliance of Michael Madhusudan Dutta in his epic poem ‘The Slaying of Meghnada’ originally titled ‘Meghnad Badh Kavya’) and critically evaluate the usage of ‘sati’ (the act of self-immolation) as a social, political and gendered metaphor used in the poem. This would enable us to look at the poem from an alternative perspective and understand the cultural responsibility that it bestowed in creating the nationalistic discourse of . Indian Literature was looked at from the euro- centric lens of the colonizers. However, the unique metrical patterns, structure, thematic analysis used in ‘Meghnad Badh Kavya’ opened a new space for literary discourses and created a niche for itself. It did not only stand tall for its refined use of ornamentations, linguistic ramifications, and semiotic metaphors but set the literary yardsticks higher for the Indian literary discourse. The paper would also try to analyze Dutt’s deliberate attempt to subvert the characterizations of the characters in his poem, namely and Ravana which profused nationalistic impulses. It would try to understand how the usage of ‘sati’ ignited theories about the social significance of women in a society that experienced tremendous subjugation in the patriarchal land of India. The act of ‘sati’ itself proved that their identities were nothing but an extension of their husbands. However, through this paper, it will be analyzed whether Dutt’s usage of ‘sati’ as an Indian practice could be seen as an alteration of subjugation or just an extension of the age-old oppression that takes away the path of freedom and volition from women?

Keywords: sati, literary discourse, euro-centric, subjugation, metaphor

Introduction

India is a land of stories and storytellers. From time immemorial, stories have travelled through different parts of India and have continued to paint a colorful canvas on the minds of people. During the nineteenth century, when India was still under the colonial invasion, intellectual life experienced a reactivation that expressed itself in various socio-cultural movements and creative endeavours that have

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I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Referred: ISSN: 2582-8002 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala VOL 1-ISSUE 4: JUNE 2021 collected to be known as the Indian Renaissance. During this time, stalwarts of India, tried to re-formulate, collect, document, and re-modify its epic traditions and gave rise to certain literary texts that were unique and raised the benchmark of Indian artistry discourses and literary re-evaluations. (1824-73) was an extraordinary face of Indian Literature who was responsible for bringing the western forms of sonnets into the forefront of Indian Literature. Indian Renaissance witnessed the mesmerizing amalgamation of western literary traditions with the Indian artistry which was observed in Dutt’s* poetry. By 1861, he was already at the peak of his literary career and could be regarded as the ‘veritable comet’ in the scene of Indian Literature and the driving force of the Indian Renaissance. His grandeur epic poem, ‘Meghnad Badh Kavya’ (originally written in Bengali, a multifarious language in the Eastern part of India) was meticulously translated into English by Clinton B. Seely. The paper would draw references from the translated text for juxtaposing textual references.

The paper will revolve around exploring the imagery of an infamous Hindu tradition, ‘Sati’, and how it became an important part of his epic poem. We will observe how it became an important aspect that disclosed the status of the nineteenth century (India) and gradually became an important motif that gave rise to nationalistic discourses under a colonized rule. The paper will have an in-depth analysis of this tradition and reflect on the plausible reasons that may have enabled Dutt in using ‘sati’ even after its demolition in his poem. This paper will also look at an overview of the prevalent social situation and have an objective gaze by raising certain perspectives, which may have never been explored before.

Significance and Backdrop

‘Meghnad Badh Kavya’ (1861) deals with an important episode that took place in the Indian epic ‘The ’ which talks about the immoral strategy adopted by (the brother of the male protagonist, Rama) that gradually resulted in the demise of one the greatest warriors, Meghnada (the son of Ravana). ‘Meghnad Badh Kavya’, “on the whole the most valuable work in modern Bengali literature” (Wikipedia.org) as Bankim Chandra has called it, is a ballad in nine different ‘sargas’ or parts modeled on Milton’s Paradise Lost. It can be looked at as a decisive encounter between Ravana’s son and Rama’s forces. The readers can deduce that it exhibited the essence of ‘Ramayana’ throughout the narrative but there is a complex interpolation of narratorial discourse, to subvert the central narrative purport, i.e – ‘the aggrandizement of Rama.’ The death gradually weakened the strength of the Ravana clan and ultimately resulted in his defeat with his long battle with Rama. Rama/Ram is the ultimate moral being (even regarded as an incarnation of Lord ) who fought with his will to bring his wife () back from the captivity of Ravana. However, Dutt, with his opus, raised the question of delving deeper into this specific episode that remained untapped in ‘The Ramayana’ by arguing the credibility of this victory and proposing a unique

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I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Referred: ISSN: 2582-8002 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala VOL 1-ISSUE 4: JUNE 2021 reception of the epic. He mastered his poem with the unconventional portrayal of the characters from the Hindu mythologies and scriptures. This gave alternations of perspective which portrayed Ravana (a character from the who was always seen in a negative light) the place of a protagonist by bringing an important episode from ‘The Ramayana’ as the central theme of the entire epic poem. Here, Ravana is not shown to be the cruel, malicious man who is devoted to wickedness or crime but a man with integrity and human emotions, capable of being vulnerable after hearing the demise of his son by ‘unfair’ means. Apart from the unconventional portrayal of the characters from Hindu mythology and scriptures, the epic poem ended with the celebratory practice of ‘Sati’. Despite its abolition from the land of India, during the nineteenth century, Dutt intended to end his epic poem with this infamous tradition of Hindu culture.

The literary figures during the nineteenth century tried to bring several perspectives regarding the colonial invasion through their artistry. Some of them tried to defend colonialism or regard it as the highest form of advancement and growth for the country. Others tried to break the shackles of the colonial legacy that was forcibly bestowed on their motherland with their creative brilliance by holding tightly to their original cultures and values. There are specific observations that would elaborately be discussed and evaluated through the course of the paper. It would be interesting to find that how a ‘tradition’ becomes a powerful weapon to promote the essence of an entire culture despite its horrendous consequences to the masses. By having an observation of the socio-cultural condition of the concerned space in that specific time, ‘Meghnad Badh Kavya’ can be regarded as one of the grandeur poems which completely changed the place of literary discourses in India.

New emergent ideas of Bengal Renaissance

In the nineteenth century, India (especially its eastern parts) witnessed the “Renaissance” or the enlightenment which opened multiple doors and widened the horizon of people for self-growth and development. It included granting equal rights to women by opening the doors of opportunities in educational institutions. However, the fundamental duty of the women remained to devote themselves to the betterment of her husband and become a perfect representation of a ‘dutiful’ wife. She may be successful in achieving greater heights for herself in the outer world, but her creditability is determined by the amount of sacrifice she can devour for her husband. Women had no right to sustain their lives after the death of their married partners, who were considered to be their soul mates. Therefore ‘Sati’ allowed them to make the sacrifice on their husband’s pyre so that they can reunite with each other, once again. This sounds irrational and a threat to the right of women, but it was accorded with great applause and was practiced ritually. Education was a medium through which women were moulded into more ‘qualified’ wives.

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I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Referred: ISSN: 2582-8002 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala VOL 1-ISSUE 4: JUNE 2021

‘Calcutta Female School’ was built to make the women more qualified which would eventually turn them worthy of their male partners. In the essay, “Hindu Female” *, it was stated that, “The happiness of a man who has an enlightened partner is quite complete”. This was further supported by the statement made by Young Bengal which says, “In India, I may say in all the Orientalist countries, women are looked upon as created merely to contribute to the gratification of the animal appetites of man. The people of this country do not know the pleasure of domestic life”. One of the reasons that compelled Dutt to incorporate ‘Sati’ in his kaleidoscopic spectrum as the celebratory practice despite its abolition must have been to elucidate a definitive and insightful dive to the real society which saw women just as a complimentary ‘entity’ of her male partner. Therefore, she is bound to perform the tradition despite its horrific consequences. This lifts the status of the woman heroically despite taking the valuable life away from her. It was believed to be the pre-destined fate of the women who were never considered to be at par with the male community of the society. ‘Meghnad Badh Kavya’, portrayed strong female characters from the Indian scriptures but ultimately could not rise above the unfortunate fate that was destined for them. Despite being the strong- headed driving force of their households, they could not fight to overcome their struggles. Despite the abolition, ‘Sati’ remained afresh in the mind of people who supported it and became an inseparable cultural aspect in the society. Dutt tried to give a glimpse of the society that blended the tradition as their strength, giving rise to an immense portrayal of societal culture in his poem. It became a glowing gem in his repertoire of works.

The History of Sati

‘Sati’ can be regarded as an ancient Hindu tradition wherein a widow was burnt alive on her husband’s pyre. This was considered to be a heroic and courageous act from the side of the woman which would uphold her valor and integrity. However, this soon turned out to be a forced tradition but was still considered to be the greatest form of devotion by a woman for her husband. This tradition turned out to be gruesome which took away the lives of hundreds of young girls. Huge protests were carried out to abolish this troublesome tradition permanently. The brutality of the tradition was often compared with the infamous witch- in the west, which validated the burning of women on the grounds of being inappropriate for the functioning of a balanced society. This was often decided on illogical and immoral grounds which took away the lives of thousands of innocent women without any valid charges of being guilty.

By the time ‘Meghnad Badh Kavya’ was originally published (1861), the practice of ‘Sati’, as the gruesome Hindu tradition was already abolished in colonial India. Dutt always tried to raise the yardstick for the traditional literary system by creating strong female characters who were capable to fight their own battles against the stereotypes that transcended gender and cultural norms. He ends his epic poem with the

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I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Referred: ISSN: 2582-8002 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala VOL 1-ISSUE 4: JUNE 2021 celebratory practice of Sati by Prameela (the wife of Meghnada) after Lakshmana brutally attacked Meghanada during his prayers in the royal temple of . Meghanada asked Lakshmana not to fight with him as he was unarmed, which would ultimately rebuke him as a coward; but Lakshmana did not hear him. Meghanada is regarded as one of the greatest warriors who endangered the lives of Rama and Lakshmana twice on the battlefield but could not sustain himself during this unfair attack.

Sati as a metaphor to infuse domestic values and nationalistic impulses

“The hero smiled, Joyously flung his arms round lotus-faced Pramila. ‘Alas, lord,’ She said, ‘I thought I would go with you to the place of Sacrifice- that I would then dress you for battle

What can I do? My mother-in-law insists on confining me to her palace. But I could not stay without one more sight of your feet!” (Bk. V, 542-49)

It can also be seen as a deliberate attempt made to create an “ideal woman” through the portrayal of Prameela who would be the epitome of an ideal wife responsible for the “pleasure of the domestic life”, as mentioned in the aforesaid essay. It can be seen to be the strategic and calculated plan made by the litterateurs in India to create the image of an ideal woman in the nation-state through literature. It would encourage other women to take her as the role model and mark her presence to validate ‘Sati’ even after its extermination. To establish the image of the women which rightfully captures the collective psychology of the middle-class readers and compeer to their attitude towards the stature of women in the society, Dutt incorporated the tradition in his magnum opus. It was a deliberate move to attract his target readership who would relate to the celebratory practice of ‘Sati’ as the epitome of the ultimate devotion. Prameela who was married to Meghnada depicts the character of a strong, independent woman who performs ‘Sati’ after the passing away of Meghnada. This image in the poem becomes a way to socially acclaim the ritual by presenting a prototype before them.

This can also exhibit anti-colonial charges where Prameela mounts to the funeral pyre of her husband by following the tradition of a ‘decaying’ Hindu culture. The culture was exploited by the colonizers unjustly, just like the way Meghnada was defeated.

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The values of Prameela

“Look at Pramila’s strength, look outside, my lord! I do not know who, in battle, could match these women, Awesome as when she fought against Raktabij!’ Ram replied, ‘When I saw how the messenger looked I qualified in my heart, Great Rakshas! I gave up the fight forthwith! To stir up such a tigress would be madness; Come, my friend, let us see the wife of your nephew.” (Bk. III, 355-63)

Therefore, literature becomes a weapon to shape minds that would acknowledge this gruesome tradition as a part of their society and a tool to influence women to take a part in this practice even after its demolition. Prameela becomes an icon for sacrificing herself to the common masses. She eventually becomes an example of great valor and a true representation of the “ideal woman” in the community.

One of the observations that I have made after having a close-reading of the text is that Dutt as a literary genius tried to glorify the enormous sacrifice made by a woman by putting the practice upon the pedestal more than ‘celebrating’ it as the part of the Hindu tradition. The character of Prameela got compared to Sita who was considered to be the epitome of encapsulating the image of a perfect woman known in Indian epics. She was known for her sacrifice (Agnipariskha*) for her husband. The presentation of women was done in a manner that would showcase her as the upholder of ethical norms and make her capable of performing the duties as a wife (stree-*).

Dutt’s creative manifestations

Dutt reshaped his epic poem by using ‘unconventional’ ways to describe the characters from Hindu scriptures and mythologies. The characters are portrayed in a humanized form where the elevated supreme characters are shown to possess basic human values and emotions. The characters are shown to perform common, everyday actions which become a technique to make the text relatable to the common readers. It has much to do with the deception which is not always concealed in the upfront of the narrative but trotted out subtly. Dutt writes in a letter to a friend, “People here grumble that the sympathy of the Poet in Meghnad is with Rakshasaas*. And that is the real truth. I despise Ram and his rabble while the idea of Ravan elevates and kindles my imagination; he was a grand fellow.” There is no doubt that the poem precisely conveys those sentiments. He presented a common, human-like image of Ravana who gets reprimanded by his wife, often doubtful of his action. Similarly, the fragile heroism of Rama is a completely new palette of representation that was uncanny to read about. Dutt tried to equate the Rakhshaas clan at par with the heroes of the Hindu scriptures by uniquely altering their mode of representation. He made sure to show their grievances which were often unnoticed and untapped. Dutt became a devil’s advocate by showcasing the grievances of the father who was portrayed in a negative light in an Indian epic. The part of the epic which

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I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Referred: ISSN: 2582-8002 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala VOL 1-ISSUE 4: JUNE 2021 was never explored beyond a particular perspective got a newer meaning of its own. It was further reinforced by incorporating ‘Sati’ as a social practice of the Hindu woman. With the portrayal of this practice at the end of this poem, the Rakhshaas clan was compared with any ‘normal’ Hindu household, who would carry out the rituals prescribed to them. This became a way to hold on to the collective identity of nationhood at the time of ruthless imperialistic rule.

Conclusion

Pamela's sacrifice became a demarcation of unbound love for her husband which compelled her (even the daughter-in-law from a monster clan) to perform an age-old ritualistic tradition for her husband. She became the embodiment of an ‘ideal’ wife. She was neither forced nor manipulated to perform it but it was done as a response of sheer love and respect for the unfortunate death of her husband. This contained a specific historical relevance that demanded to be remembered from the trip down to the memory land. ‘Meghnadh Badh Kavya’ became no less than a revolution at its time which raised the benchmark of the entire literary tradition with its magnificent ornamentations of words, metaphors, and themes. It became an original creation with a completely different reception of Indian epics where ‘Sati’ became a trope to influence and confirm the roots of Indian values. It also became a metaphor to elevate the status of a clan by glorifying the boundless courage of a wife. The wife, despite his stature and position in society, showcased the collective identity of India.

India which gave rise to a tradition like ‘Sati’ abolished it after humongous riots but could not erase it from their minds as a part of their history. This tradition was a metaphor used by Dutt, to re-shape, mold, and influence people to hold onto their values during the invasion of the colonial invasion. Surprisingly, it got demolished when the poem got published that would legally obstruct its occurrence in any public space. However, this was just a motif to remind people of the values of their land. It did not promote ‘Sati’ as the forceful, self-destructive practice of the Hindu tradition but a part of the social custom and the symbol of sacrifice that was required in the land (India) to inculcate anti-colonial charge against the British Empire. The people were expected to roar against the imperialistic rule by voicing their opinions in various platforms. The invaders tried to forcibly establish a legacy without creating a linear identification with the people of India. It became a reminder to build a nation that stands tall for its sacrifice, valor, courage, and integrity by imbibing the true spirit of its culture.

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Footnotes

*Dutt – the word gas been used by the poet Michael Madhusudan to form an anglicized spelling of his surname.

*Hindu Female- Michael Madhusudan Dutt wrote an essay during his days in Hindu College, named ‘Hindu Female’(1965) in Madhusudan Rachanabali , An Essay : on the importance of educating Hindu Females , where he talked about enlightening womenfolk of the state.

*Agnipariksha- Sita is known for undergoing into an ordeal of fire or ‘Agnipariksha’ which proves her chastity before she is accepted by Rama after her abduction.

*Stree Dharma- The duties expected from a wife. In Hindu mythology, there had been a great influence on the concept of Dharma(deeds) where each section of the society were expected to perform certain duties in order to free themselves from the cycle of Dharma. The people performing good deeds were expected to bear good results from the ‘cycle of Dharma’.

*Rakshasaas - monster clan, here Ravana and his clan members.

Bibliography

Dutta Michael Madhusudan ‘The Slaying of Meghnada: A Ramayana from Colonial Bengal’ (trans. Clinton B. Seely); Oxford University Press, Oxford, Newyork Copyright 2004.

Cyzewski, Julie. “Heroic in “Paradise Lost” and Michael Madhusudan Datta’s “Meghnadavadga Kavya”: The Reception of Milton’s Satan in Colonial India.” Milton Quarterly 48,no.4 (2014) : 207- 24

Bandopadhyay, Nirmal, and Nirmal Bandyopadhyay. “NINETEENTH CENTURY BENGALI THEATRE AND MICHAEL MADHUSUDAN DUTTA: Assessment as a Playwright.” Proceedings of the Indian History Congress 58 (1997): 653-57

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