REASSESSING THE INTERPLAY OF POLITICS, GENDER, AND MODERNITY: UNVEILING NEW DIMENSIONS IN RABINDRANATH TAGORE'S ‘CHOKHER BALI’

Abstract:
"Chokher Bali" by Rabindranath Tagore is a significant contemporary novel from India that
explores the concept of the 'territory' and women's liberation. The novel begins with a married
couple named Mahendra and Asha, disrupted by a widowed woman named Binodini. Binodini
experiences introspection and emotional upheaval, ultimately leading to her liberation. Tagore's
discourse is linked to colonial modernity, which is influenced by the evolving nature of human
civilization. The female characters in Tagore's novels reflect the process of modernization and
societal norms that limit women's lives. The Vedic era in Indian history was known for its
advancements in women's status and empowerment, earning the title of the "Golden Age of Women
in India." However, the importance of ancestor veneration, child marriage, and inter-caste
marriages grew, leading to a decline in women's social status. The "dark age" of women during the
early Muslim dynasty saw an increased prevalence of purdah and child marriage, leading to a lack
of critical examination of underlying norms and attitudes. The concept of the "New Woman"
emerged as a feminist ideology in the 19th century, referring to women who challenged societal
constraints imposed by patriarchal norms. Tagore's works, such as "Chokher Bali," focus on female
characters undergoing a complex journey of isolation, repression, humiliation, guilt, and ego. The
characters Rajlakshmi and Asha's aunt Annapurna highlight the concept of regressive contemporary
gender politics in Indian society during the nineteenth century. Rabindranath Tagore's portrayal of
Binodini is a groundbreaking example of the Indian "new woman" and an antecedent to the feminist
movement.

摘要：罗宾德拉纳特·泰戈尔（Rabindranath Tagore）所作《眼中沙》（Chokher Bali）是印度一部重要的当代小说，围绕“领地”概念与女性解放议题展开深度探讨。小说以马赫德拉（Mahendra）与阿莎（Asha）一对已婚夫妇的生活开篇，寡妇宾杜ini（Binodini）的到来打破了二人的平静日常。宾杜ini历经内心自省与情感剧变，最终实现自我解放。泰戈尔的叙事逻辑与殖民现代性紧密相连，而殖民现代性又受到人类文明不断演进的特质影响。其小说中的女性角色，映射了印度现代化进程与束缚女性生存的社会规范。印度历史上的吠陀时代以女性地位提升与赋权著称，被誉为“印度女性的黄金时代”。然而，随着祖先崇拜、童婚与跨种姓婚姻的影响力日益增强，女性的社会地位逐渐下滑。早期穆斯林王朝统治时期被称为女性的“黑暗时代”，这一时期女性遮面习俗（purdah）与童婚愈发盛行，导致社会对深层规范与观念缺乏批判性审视。19世纪，作为女性主义意识形态的“新女性”（New Woman）概念应运而生，指代那些挑战父权规范强加的社会桎梏的女性。泰戈尔的《眼中沙》等作品，聚焦于经历孤立、压抑、羞辱、愧疚与自我纠葛复杂历程的女性角色。拉杰拉克什米（Rajlakshmi）与阿莎的姨妈安娜普尔纳（Annapurna）这两个角色，凸显了19世纪印度社会中倒退的当代性别政治观念。罗宾德拉纳特·泰戈尔对宾杜ini的塑造，是印度“新女性”形象的突破性范例，亦是女权运动的先声。