Name : Latta J. Baraiya
Roll no : 11
Paper : Indian English Literature post-independence
Semester : M.A sem 3
Topic : Comparison of Final Solution and Gora
Submitted to : Department of English Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University.
Introduction
In the 21st century we become more liberal in the comparison of early time. We are thinking more critically now. Our view of looking at others is changing. But because of some people the relation between Hindu and Muslim become controversial. People are provoked by political persons and group leaders. They take help from religion for their so-called vote. And people also derived in that direction also. So that religious matters are very important to study as a student of literature.
Here I'm going to compare the two works. One is play "Final Solution" by Mahesh Dattani and the second is novel "Gora" by Rabindranath Tagore. Final Solution we have studied and when I read the summary of Gora, I feel like, there is some similarities between these two works. So let's see what the similarities are between them.
Final solution
This is the play written by Mahesh Dattani. In the realism of Indian English drama, the theme of communal violence has successfully been presented by two eminent dramatists – Asif Currimbhoy in Refugee (1971) and Mahesh Dattani in Final Solutions (2005). In Final Solutions, Dattani uses his pen to present the insecurity and mental crisis of the victims of partition. In this play, his intention is not to construct the dark pages of Indian history like that of Karnad’s Tuglaq but to deconstruct the lingering effect of the communal prejudices on the survivors of both the communities, Hindus and Muslims. He explores the psyche of discontent, exile, contempt, homelessness and alienation often affecting the sensibility of Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims. The communal animosity between the Hindus and Muslims have turned into the fatal disease affecting the peaceful existence of individuals in the Indian subcontinent.
In her analysis of the play, Deepali Agarwal observes:
"Mahesh Dattani puts the eternal question with his play Final Solutions that every now and then rankles our consciousness – are the human beings real humane. It propels us to perennial problems as to what’s that we should have priorities – our religion, our perennial ideals or our compassion for other human beings".
(Agarwal, Deepali : 81)
In the play Final Solutions, Dattani represents the three female characters – Hardika, Smita and Aruna.
Gora
Now let's see a brief introduction of "Gora". This novel is written by Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore’s creativity makes one think of the Himalayan range stretching its immense bulk wall above the snow-line and, from that elevation, thrusting peak after peak. As in poetry, so in fiction also Tagore’s creativity reached great tall peaks. Gora is a novel of ideas. A good pool of it is filled with Polemics. The polemics in GORA seems inevitable in view of the time of its composition.
Dr.Isola Rajagopalan observes, as a creative writing Gora has secured and assured an indelible place in literature. Its real purpose lies not in the pages of brilliant dialectic, but in the penetrating projection of ideas in the form of living images. Gora is contemporary and yet timeless; it is set in a certain social class, a picturesque rendering of their life and mind, and yet it reaches out towards the Universal. Two prominent questions occupied the thoughts of the intellectual and enlightened citizens of Bengal in those days – the Hindu – Brahmo controversy and the need for political freedom. In his presentation and portrayal of the characters Tagore exposes whatever was ridiculous or false not only in the old religious system but also in the orthodoxy of the new and the enlightened. Let's jump on the character of
Comparison
If we compare both the works we find many similarities between them. So let's compare and contrast these two works. We see the two women characters are similar.
Religious Conflict
If we look at the religious conflict in both the works we find that in "Final Solution" and "Gora" the conflict between two communities. These two community people have their own biases and arguments also for their religion. As we seen Final Solution is play about conflict between
Hindu - Muslim
And this "Gora" have religious conflict between two religion
Hindu - Brahmo community
In the "Final Solution" Ramanik Gandhi, his wife Aruna, mother Hardika and daughter Smita belong to Hindu religion. And Javed, Bobby, Tasnim and Zarin and her family members are Muslim. So in the play we see Ramanik Gandhi have liberal thoughts, his daughter also thinks in that way. They respect other religion. At that time Hindu Muslim Riots were going on. They both are ready to kill eachother ! But the main point is the communal devine and communal riots.
The same way we can see that in the "Gora" Hindu community and Brahmo community have conflict with eachother. Characters like Krishan Dayal, his wife Anandamoyi and their childrens are Hindu and Paresh Babu, his wife Baroda Sundari and their childrens are follwer of Brahmo community. Both community have conflict with eachother. Family leaders restricted to talk with eachother also. So here also we see religious conflicts.
Characters
Aruna and Anandamayi
Aruna :-
Aruna is wife of Ramanik Gandhi and mother of Smita Gandhi. As Suman Sigroha said, Aruna makes a Hindu counterpart to Javed. Like him she has confidence in her faith. She is a strong believer, takes pride in her religion and inheritance and finds protection therein. She is neither confused nor wavers till her daughter Smita attacks her faith. Daksha/ Hardika had once questioned the blind faith held by her mother in an idol God because that God had failed to protect her father. Smita and Aruna reflect Daksha/Hardika’s own situation, though in two separate characters. The former resents the blind idol worship being practiced by the latter, and shatters her own perfect world when she gets the opportunity to vocalize what she has always wanted to in front of her mother Aruna. At Smita’s telling her the falsity and hollowness of her faith, Aruna does take a stand before crumbling in the face of opposition,
And I will not have it all perish to
accommodate someone else’s faith. I have enough faith and pride to see that it doesn’t happen. I shall uphold what I believe is the truth...because I will not accept that from someone who is not proud of her inheritance. You cannot criticize what you are running away from. You will be prejudiced...I have always taken pride in my religion. I was so happy knowing that I was protected.
(Dattani 2000: 210, 211)
Despite this Aruna still has a conception of identity and holds on to it though a little tenuously. Javed acknowledges the similarities between himself and her when he says,
What I told Babban, you told her...you wouldn’t listen to her criticism because she was not proud of her–what did you call it?– inheritance. I said religion. Same thing I suppose. We are not very different. You and me. We both feel pride.
(Dattani 2000: 214)
It means Javed and Aruna are somehow similar. Both think that they are right, but they were very much religious or we can say blind followers of religion. But at the end she accepts boby and Javed. She thinks that humanity is the thing that we have to keep in mind.
Anandamayi :-
She is mother of Gora and wife of Krishan Dayal. In the beginning she was a very religious person. Gora is her adopted child. Her family gave refuge to one Irish woman, the real mother of Gora. Anandamayi and her husband are strictly followers of hindu religion. They do not even believe in the Brahmo community. They had fought several times with them. Anandamayi is portrayed as a mother India in the novel. She is women
"When she travels she keeps fast, not to eat anything from anyone"
But in the end she changed. As she accepts Gora as her son. She also respects the other community people.
So we see that both women characters are very strict towards their religion, but at the end they understand that we have to be liberal. We have to respect other religions also. And we have to respect their choice also.
Ramanik and Paresh Babu
If we look at the character of Ramanik Gandhi in "Final Solution" we find he is more liberal than other characters. He respect all religions and he has helping nature also. So we can say that he is very kind person in the novel.
If we talk about Paresh Babu in the novel, we find he is also liberal man in compare to others in the novel. He also respect other community and their peoples.
So here we see these two characters also have similarities in the context of liberality. Ramanik Gandhi helps to muslim boys and gave them refuge. So we find this similarity in both works.
Ending
Both the works ended with some kind of acceptance. We see that, in "Final Solution" at the end Aruna accept Javed and Bobby. She understands the similarities between her and Javed. How they blindly follow their religion and also force others to follow them. But at least she behaves nicely with Javed and Bobby.
In "Gora", in the beginning Anandamayi was very strict towards her religion but at the end she also respect the Brahmo community. She behaves nicely with them. She became liberal at the end.
Conclusion
So at the end we can say that there are similarities between these two works. We also see that the theme of cast, community and race were portrayed very well in both works. If we look around, there is no place who haven't any conflict with other religion. Because, people now days provoked easily by group leaders and politicians. It becomes hard to think critically by our own. So if someone is telling us to join any religious activity we supposed to think critically about it. Then and then to join them.
References
Agarwal, Deepali. “Fair, Faith for a Final Solution”. The Dramatic World of Mahesh Dattani: A Critical Exploration. New Delhi: Sarup Books Publishers, New Delhi, 2009.
Dattani, Mahesh. Collected Plays. New Delhi: Penguin Books, 2000.
Kumari, Dr. Pankaj. “Final Solutions by Mahesh Dattani, a Post-Feminist Analysis: Ashvamegh.” Ashvamegh Indian Journal of English Literature, Ashvamegh.net, 15 Aug. 2016, https://ashvamegh.net/post-feminist-analysis-final-solutions-mahesh-dattani/.
Rajagopalan, Dr.Isola. “A Study of 'GORA' .” A Study of 'GORA' , vol. 1, Apr. 2013, http://www.shanlaxjournals.in/pdf/ENG/V1N2/ENG_V1_N2_003.pdf.
Sigroha, Suman. ROLE OF MEMORY IN SHAPING CHARACTERS’ IDENTITY IN MAHESH DATTANI’S FINAL SOLUTIONS, vol. 13, Dec. 2013, pp. 227–238., http://journal.unika.ac.id/index.php/celt/article/download/26/pdf
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