The Weed by Amrita Pritam - Essay Example

Module Module ID: The Weed The present paper aims to make a critical appreciation of the short story the Weed by renowned Indian fiction-writer Amrita Pritam. Originally created in Punjab language, the story was later translated by Raj Gill in English language, which contains the explicit elements of feminist perspective attributed to the authoress. The story elucidates the cultural traits had been in vogue in the Indian rural areas for centuries, predominantly in respect of the exploitation of women at the hands of male dominant society. In the traditional Indian villages, the women do not have the right to choose the spouse of their choice. Instead, they have to submit to the will and commands of their father in order to enter into matrimonial relationship. Consequently, the majority of the woman folk has to spend the entire life with a person with whom they do not any record of meetings altogether. The same is also applied to Angoori, the protagonist of the story under examination. The short-story revolves round the life and activities of the only protagonist, who has recently got married in the street where the narrator/authoress resides. Her strict observing the veil, as per the traditions of the Hindu women of India, portrays her to be a conventional wife, who does not have any concern with the outer world consists of strangers belonging to both the genders. Hence, the protagonist appears to be a shy and cowardly young girl confined to her husband as well as the domestic chores and responsibilities without taking any notice of the developments being made in her social environment. Since Angoori has not entered into interaction with the outer world, she is taken to be a secluded type of girl by the narrator. Angoori had developed the habit of sitting under the neem tree at noon by the well, where the narrator also used to sit with some reading material. Her refusal to learn reading and writing, and declaring reading as a sin for the rural women was taken as a surprise for the narrator, though she got the point that Angoori was just refusing her offer of teaching her because of her indifference to the same. Hence, she appeared to be in internal conflict between her desire to learn reading and the traditions she had been imitating since her childhood, applying restrictions on the females’ seeking education. However, her inner desire to learn the same at the end of the story, where she expressed her inner longings to learn how to read and write before the narrator. The protagonist views the female desire of seeking union with male of her choice to be an outcome of the weed consumption, which the males keep with them and craftily make the girls eat the same by secretly putting it in betel. Since betel is traditionally consumed in Indian cultures, it is very popular among the males and females alike. Somehow, simplicity demonstrated by Angoori is really startling for the narrator, which could not be expected by any grown-up individual of urban area altogether. Thus, Angoori’s s presenting her to be an extremely simple girl is the rising point, which has been supported with her description of the arranging of marriages at villages by the father, elder brother or guardian of the brides. Somehow, her description of the elopement of girls after consuming weed by some male contradicts her previous statement about marriage phenomenon. Sitting idly and in a gloomy mood is quite unexpected for the narrator, who has always found her in a jovial disposition and smiling face. In addition, her silver ornaments have also been disappeared from her body along with her giggling from her lips. Thus, her disclosure about the departure of Ram Tara, the night watchman, is the climax of the story, which has not only snatched her jubilance and joys, but also created an urge in her to sing sad songs depicting lamentation on the departure of someone most desired. Her hidden longings for learning reading and writing also reflects her previous displeasure for the same by declaring the same as sin for women to be just a certain contradiction between her words and inner feelings. Consequently, she unconsciously and partly submits to the fact that learning could not be stated as perversion or deviation altogether. Angoori’s informing the narrator regarding her sitting idle without taking meal even depicts her unconscious love and affection for the watchman. Though she would not admit the very fact, as a married woman’s entering into a love affair with the man other than her spouse is considered to be a serious offence and heinous sin in the eyes of society. Thus, she falsely declares it to be an outcome of her consuming the weed secretly kept in tea by Ram Tara. Thus, the girl deceitfully pleads guilty that since she has never taken betel from the watchman, she is not responsible for her misery and pathetic condition at all. There is irony in the story, where the author ridicules the changing attitude of the protagonist towards life. Since the protagonist has flatly declined the author’s offer of teaching her, now she herself makes requests to the author for the same. In addition, Angoori was well aware of the reality that it is not actually the weed that leaves its impact on the girls. On the contrary, it is the deep feelings of love between the members of opposite genders that spark the flame of passion for each other. Thus, the weed could not be blamed for the ignition two young hearts experience for each other. Though the story represents the traits prevailing one specific one specific region i.e. India, yet it maintains universality in its nature and scope. Not only this that love is a universal phenomenon that exists in each and every culture and society of the world without discrimination, but also exploitation of women at the hands of male dominant societies also carries universality of theme within its vast scope. The western short stories, novels and fiction also narrate the same state of affairs they undergo in their respective cultures, as Allison (2005) describes the sorrowful incidents of her rapes at the hands of her stepfather for the six long years in her early childhood. Thus, though the level and intensity of exploitation could be far higher in the South Asian culture than the Western societies, yet exploitation of females exists everywhere in the world. Hence, the story under-examination successfully portrays the pathetic state of affairs the women undergo in one way or the other. Work Cited Allison, Dorothy. Survival is Least of My Desires An Extract from “Skin: Talking about Sex”, Class & Literature. Firebrand Books 2005 Print Pritam, Amrita. The Weed Translated by Raj Gill The Daily Star Volume 4 Number 248 2004 Retrieved from http://www.thedailystar.net/2004/02/07/d402072101111.htm Accessed on 02-25-2013 Read More