Relationships (Jogajog) was serialized nearly eighty years ago, and is set in the nineteenth century; but its analysis of human relations and personalities is still relevant. The novel presents a critical evaluation of the Bengali bourgeoisie, an undertaking in which Tagore’s own emotional and ideological investments are critically involved. Tagore intended Relationships to be a family history of two families over three generations, though the design was never completed. The Ghoshals and the Chatterjees are locked in a bitter feud over trivial issues of pride and a deeper incompatibility of values. Madhusudan Ghoshal, whose family has lost its former social standing, becomes a wealthy man through his own efforts, buys up the Chatterjees’ debts, and sends a proposal for the hand of Kumudini, the last unmarried daughter of the Chatterjee family. The marriage tie, and Kumudini herself, become instruments used by Madhusudan to impress and insult the Chatterjees. The plot contrasts the social fortunes of a decaying aristocracy with those of a rising bourgeoisie, while focusing on the sexual and moral frustrations of domesticity.
There are no reviews yet.