Far From the Madding Crowd

Thomas Hardy
‘Far From the Madding Crowd’ by Thomas Hardy, grew up surrounded by the rural aspect of life. His tremendous love for the countryside is presented in the novel. The novel is revolves around a powerful and emotional woman named Bathsheba. Three men love the same woman. At first she marriage with third and then second killed him then she marry with first.
The novel open with the meeting of Bathsheba and Gabriel Oak, are the protagonist. Bathsheba inherits farm from his uncle. Gabriel Oak is shepherd but unfortunately his flock is drives by sheep-dog. He roams to find work. He found a farm and comes to know that it handle by Bathsheba. The farm is situated in Weatherbury. He starts worked as an employee of Bathsheba in farm. He ever becomes a loyal friend and protector of Bathsheba’s farm.

Boldwood got a love letter from Bathsheba and he falls in illusion that she loves him.
In-between, the story takes turn on another love. Bathsheba attract towards Sergeant Troy, is a handsome boy. He often flirts of Bathsheba and so she falls in love with him. She fails to recognize unrequited love. Troy used marriage as to establish him as a farmer and to get benefit of her money.
They met a girl in a way of Casterbridge Fanny Robin, who had an affair with Troy. They kept promise to meet in church and get married. Fanny waited for a long time and then went and somehow Troy couldn’t reach at time. Both still love but Troy started another affair with Bathsheba and here Fanny gets pregnant. Bathsheba fails to recognize the relation between Fanny and Troy.
After their marriage they often quarreling each other. Meanwhile they got news about the death of Fanny Robin. Suddenly Troy feels strange. Bathsheba ordered to arrange the funeral of Fanny. During this time Bathsheba comes to know about the affair of Troy with Fanny. She comes in depression. Troy went away and news spread as Troy is drowned but fortunately saved by sailor.
Bathsheba waits for a long time as six year for her husband. Meanwhile Troy returns to Weatherbury as a part of circus group. Troy force to carry her with him. Boldwood gets angered and shoot him therefore he surrender to the police.
Now both are out of the way. She keeps notice on Oak. When she proposes her she accept and get married.
The novel revolves around the love and vanity of a woman which leads her to fall down. She fails to recognize the real love of Oak. Hardy explains the conflict between artificial and real love. How a woman fail to choose a life partner. She believes that the flirt of Troy is not flirt but it is a fact. On the other side Troy only loves for the sake of establishing himself as farmer. It seems as Black Skin, White Mask; It means blacks wants to marriage with white not for love but for the sake of white skin or wants to come out from black world.
 Troy and Fanny intentionally loving and therefore there is no fault of anyone but because of circumstances they fail to get married. When Troy met Fanny after his marriage he should help her as a friend and also he has to tell her about the truth and may suggest her to marriage with someone if we want the happy ending.
The novel is tragedy about Bathsheba, Oak, Troy, Fanny and Boldwood. Because of Bathsheba’s vanity reject the love of Gabriel. She is just checking love of Boldwood and so he falls in love with her. She drowns in flirt of Troy and starts extremely loving him. The unrequited love leads all character to their tragic end.
The beginning and the end of the novel is happy but in-between we can see tragedy. We not only find the tragedy of character or the relation between character but also the tragedy of situation which take place in their life like Oak’s flock destroyed by dog, Bathsheba’s farm suffured from storm, fire etc.
Hardy also gave the description of city and rural life. He grew up in rural area so he covered at least one half of the novel in rural background. The people belong to rural area are truly love. They have care for the person rather than property. They want to live in their life style and they have real knowledge of agriculture.
Looking smart or handsome always leading towards the destroyed of himself or the feelings of other. Troy truly loves to Fanny then what is the need of entering in Bathsheba’s life. He has not only ruined the life of Bathsheba and Fanny but also himself.
Acting smart and fact is making the life beautiful. Gabriel Oak is rejected by Bathsheba and yet he always protecting or helping Bathsheba. He never thinks to impress Bathsheba. Even he agrees to make relationship of Bathsheba and Boldwood. He ever suggesting what is right and what is wrong to Bathsheba. He is always in favor of fact and so at the end he is accept by Bathsheba as a husband or life partner.

Ghashiram Kotwal

Ghashiram Kotwal

                    -Vijay Tendulkar

Vijay Tendulkar was a leading playwright, movie and TV. writer, literary essayist, political journalist and social commentator primarily I Marathi. He best known for his play

“Shantanu !  Court Chalu ahe”

“Ghashiram Kotwal”

“Sakharam Binder”

Many of Tendulkar’s plays derived inspirational from real life incidents.

He began his career from newspaper. He had written several plays but didn’t get response from audience therefore he took vow to not write but again breaking his vow in 1956 he wrote “Shrimant” which establish him as a good writer.

This play is satire on city or powerful people who are cheating with poor people for their own benefit. The lower classes are kind and honest but they change their attitude after the interaction with upper class (authority). The story is raise and fall of Kanaujian Brahmin. Ghashiram is a protagonist but yet he becomes antagonist in a way.

Ghashiram is a Kanaujian Brahmin. He comes to city with a dream of golden future. He caught as a thief on the first day in the city. He was arguing that he is not thief but police are not listening and then he took a vow

“I’ll make pig, pigs of all of you.

I will make this Poona a kingdom of pigs.

Then I’ll be Ghashiram again the son of Savaldas one more”.

He is a Brahmin come with a hope to Poona.  He is an honest and full of all good qualities but the police made mistake and s he decide to be a cruel.

“The thief is a simple thief,

The police are official thief”.

The official people don’t know the rules and regulation of their status. They are not dutiful towards their job but they are doing for the sake of power or money.

Nana asked Gaudi from Ghashiram. First he decline but later on agree with one condition that

“To shut people’s mouth makes me the Kotwal of Poona”

He surrender his daughter to Nana and he made such a trick rules for people like nothing do wrong without permit, nobody moves on road after 11pm, if any go against rule then he will give dangerous punishment.

For example: A man was not thief but Ghashiram pll out his nail and wash by lemon juice soap and a steel heated boll given in his hand.

While the authority of Ghashiram crime and prostitution are decrease where as prisoner and revenue are increase.

Gauri Oder Nana does Ghashiram rules”

He is totally in insanity of taking revenge. He fail to understand the true face of Nana. He becomes a toy of Nana’s hand and Poona’s people are not trust on him because e is an outsider. Everyone is anger on him. He has misused the power.

Nana Phadnavis is a lustful man. There are prostitution areas in his authority. He has power so no one can shake him. He is destroyed the life of poor girls. Once he offers any girl then any how he works to get her like Gauri.

How beautiful formed

What a lovely figured!

Did you see!

Whenever he look at new girl then ever some deeds grow up in his heart. He misused his power.

Early there was all permission for powerful people. Nana had six marriages and the seventh marriage displayed in the play.

“Peshawar’s chief minister is still young and his mustache not turn grey his teeth are not gone, look is not enough”

Here we find irony that Nana is old but still he is marriage. There doesn’t make age difference for Nana to marriage. Even he is not considering the life of bride. He is happy with his life and other side people are victim of his joy.

Later on, Ghashiram asked about his daughter but he doesn’t respond properly. He is in search of his daughter and found that she is no more. He starts regretting and feels guilty for his condition. He confused everything but what is the need of it because everything is done.

Again he goes to take revenge with Nana but Nana has power to make people relax. At first Nana afraid of Ghashiram but then he though the lesson of Bhagvat Geeta.

“This hand never kills even an insect”

“In this hand is only the flute of Krishna”.

He pretending as he is not sinner. He is pure man. He advice him that death is meaningless and body will not stay on earth only remain ass. He thinks that he is a knowledgeable and behaved as a God. He is giving the lesson of existentialism that meaningless life and meaningless death.

The people were not satisfied with the reign of Ghashiram so they raised voice against him. They gave one paper to Nana for sign and they success. They come to near the Ghashiram’s house and throw stone on Ghashiram. He is speaking as

“Hit me beat me

Beat me some more

Hit me”

He killed as an animal. To tie with an elephant leg and he die. The city, Poona becomes the symbol for his life that he had not only ruined his status and himself but also his family.

This play we can compare with “The Whit Tiger” by Arvind Adiga. Ghashiram and Balram belong to village and they transfer to city with the hope of achieving something. They are honest but after the connection with city people they changed their life. How the superior are looking at inferior or villager is a common thing in both. We get the idea of Hegel’s master – slave mentality in both.

One difference we can find in Ghashiram Kotwal that Ghashiram is victim and destroyed by people or boss where as in white tiger Balram Hawaii killed his boss, Ashok.

Madyabindu by Kajal Oza vaidya

‘Madhyabidu’ is a Gujarati novel by Kajal Oza Vaidya. It is a love story or faithless story of woman we can call whatever. There is not directly reason behind the title but it is a woman who loves two peple is a main point. The narrative technique is different from such novels. She has used flesh back and past present technique. She has given lots of description about situation place and thoughts of characters.

The story begins with the scene of Ahmadabad and then Boston, Where Aditya Bhagvat is studding. He has one friend named Mihir. They are rich and handsome. Aditya is clever and not more interested in girls. Mihir often says I am not here for study but as a bodyguard of you so he is interested in other things rather than study.

Then she has introduced the marriage of Durga with Akshay. Durga is a dutiful wife and mother. On the age of 38 she met with an accident and die. Aditya and father Akshay are passed their life in melancholy. After sometimes Akshay also die.

Aditya met a girl named Priyam and marriage. They are happy. Aditya is a businessman so he always out of his home. Priyam like to be free and love to live in forest so Aditya made a beautiful cottage for her in the forest.

One day she met to Shelrajsingh Rathod. He is a prince and researcher of wild animal specially Tiger. She falls in love with him. Now she is spending more time with him. She told him that she is wife of someone.

Whenever her husband came to home she goes there and spent time with him. She has two side and she always telling but Aditya never asked more about it.

She loves to drive and one day she met with an accident and die. Aditya comes in depression when he heard this news. He is not ready to believe. He felt strong which he never felt even after the death of his parent. He came out of this situation by Priyam’s one thought that I am always with you.

Shelraj got the news of death of Priyam after three days. He was also not ready to believe.

After few days Aditya comes to forest and start living in cottage. Shelraj came their and comes to know about Aditya so he fainted down. After that they compromise each other and depart. Adity went to Ahmadabad AND Shelraj start his life as usual.

Priyam is a faithful wife but because of his husband she kept affair with Shelraj. He is not speding much time with her. And another side Aditya has business so how can it possible to live together every time? Aditya had provided everything to Priyam and no doubt she had loved him till the end her life but she has no care for anyone and so she believes in happy life. She had broken the rules of society and also suggests that if a man can keep relation except his marriage then female also can. She indirectly informs the equality.

She proves marriage is not restriction for a male or female. The love is not possible with one person whom we have marriage but it can be with one or more person.

Generally male have two relations with female and female have to accept but in this novel situation is apposite.

‘Two states’ by Chetan Bhagat

‘Two states’ is a story of two lovers from two states, Punjab and Tamilnadu. In the beginning they are classmate and climax they fall in love and at the end they had marriage. The couple struggled a lot to convince their parents for marriage.

Krish is a protagonist of the story. He studied in Ahmadabad. Dr. Neeta is asking a story to Krish. Krish begin the story from he met to Ananya in IIM at Ahmadabad. First they just talk and then they get close. The time is arrived to depart so Annanya was worried. Krish told her if he gets a good job then he will tell about her future. Finally he gets a job in Citibank.  He is like all Indian as he wants money. He is only son of his parents.

They decide the meeting of both parents. They went to tour but Krish’s mother ever suspicious about Ananya’s family. She said that South Indian girl always trapped North Indian boy. Through her character we can see the mentality of people. She believes North Indian won’t have heart, they are black and they don’t know about manner. 

Annanya belongs to Tamilnadu. Krish applied his form to get job in Chennai. He wants to stay close with Annanya. He is an IITian. Ananya said if he becomes a tutor of her brother Manju then perhaps he won the heart of her parents. He has done same and her parents recognize about their love therefore Annanya’s father warn him to stay away from his daughter.

Krish still use to go to their house and try to help them. He made a presentation of her father. It was nice and praise by people so now he feels that he can able to win his heart. Krish tried to learn Cernitic music to impress Radha, Ananya’s mother. He brought some Cernitic music CD for her.  Once he invites her to perform. She performed well and gets fame. Now she likes Krish. In party Krish announced that they are love each other. At first Ananya’s parent shocked and then agree.

After that Krish has to convince his parent. He decides to take Ananya with him to Punjab. Kavita, Krish’s mother doesn’t like Madrasi (Ananaya). She often avoids Ananya. Ananya only like the cousin sister of Krish and now she wants to return to her home.

Again they arrange their parents meeting at Goa. Kavita, Krish’s mother often doubt on Ananya’s family and throw torn on them. Ananya and her family understand and so she dislikes her parent’s disreputation. She doesn’t like to keep relation with Krish because of his mother. She never called and Krish went to meet her at Chennai but she had not talked properly.

Krish needs support but without it he becomes hopeless. He thinks to be a saint. One side he has problem with Ananya and another side his family. He believes his father does not love him so he behaved unusual but after his break up he is paying attention towards his father.

Without telling his son his father went to Ananya’s house at Chennai to talk about his son’s marriage. He apologies for his wife in front of Ananya’s parent and he promise them that they will keep their daughter as our daughter therefore Ananya’s parent like and satisfied for marriage. Annanya called Krish and tell about the agreement of marriage.

Krish goes to Chennai with barat and finally they got married.

How the Indian young generation is suffering and the oldest is always responsible for that relation of both families is their problem then why they put family in-between two lovers. To get marriage we should keep good relation with that family also. Why old generation is interfering in younger’s life and younger wants to make happy to their parents in their decision.

Obviously the people belong to cool area are white and Ananya belong to hot still she is white. North Indian’s mind set about South India is backward and so on is it vice versa? Or one side is inferior and another side is superior.

India is incomplete without saint and respectable family. Faire skin people thought they are superior and that’s why they doubt on black people. Ananya and her family’ behave is far better than Punjabi (Krish’s family). They want money instead of respectable family.

I found the description of place, people and time is similar as in ‘The White Tiger’ by Arvind Adiga. It shows the Indian culture and tradition which is complicated. The love story is same in film ‘Ek Duje KE Liye’ but the end is different.

In reality people wants to marriage in their own cast and in ‘two states’ Kavita wants her son to marriage with Punjabi girl. Women want lots of things from girls’ side. The family problem is an obstacle of son to get marriage.

Chetan Bhagat has used an appropriate state as girl from Tamilnadu and boy from Punjab and breaks the geographical boundary. If he changed it then perhaps girls’ family is not ready to marriage with Tamil as same with Krish. Indirectly he present the inferiority and superiority of people which is not only about America and Europe towards South Asia, Africa and Australia but every where it is same.