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Subha 20250216 193805 0000

Subha, a story by Rabindranath Tagore, delves into the themes of loneliness and the challenges faced by women who are auditory and speech impaired, focusing on the titular character, Subha, who is unable to speak. Set in a small village in West Bengal, the narrative highlights Subha's emotional struggles as she grapples with societal expectations and her family's burden of marrying her off, ultimately leading to her forced separation from her cherished life and relationships. The story poignantly illustrates the isolation and lack of understanding faced by individuals with disabilities, as well as the impact of societal pressures on personal happiness.

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512 views2 pages

Subha 20250216 193805 0000

Subha, a story by Rabindranath Tagore, delves into the themes of loneliness and the challenges faced by women who are auditory and speech impaired, focusing on the titular character, Subha, who is unable to speak. Set in a small village in West Bengal, the narrative highlights Subha's emotional struggles as she grapples with societal expectations and her family's burden of marrying her off, ultimately leading to her forced separation from her cherished life and relationships. The story poignantly illustrates the isolation and lack of understanding faced by individuals with disabilities, as well as the impact of societal pressures on personal happiness.

Uploaded by

31051
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SUBHA

RABINDRANATH TAGORE

SUBHA WRITTEN BY RABINDRANATH TAGORE EXPLORES THE THEMES OF LONELINESS AND


LACK OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN WHO ARE BOTH AUDITORY AND SPEECH IMPAIRED.

THE STORY IS NAMES AFTER ITS CENTRAL CHARACTER “SUBHA” WHOSE FULL NAME IS
SUBHASINI MEANING ‘SOFT SPOKEN’ OR ‘ONE WHO CAN SPEAK’ WHICH IS IRONIC BECAUSE
SHE WAS BORN WITH THE INABILITY TO SPEAK. SUBHA WAS THE YOUNGEST OF THREE
SISTERS IN BANIKANTHA’S FAMILY. THEY HAD RHYMING NAMES - SEUKESINI, SUHASINI AND
SUBHASINI

THE STORY IS SET IN A SMALL VILLAGE CALLED CHANDIPUR BY THE RIVER SIDE WHICH IS
PRESENT DAY WEST BENGAL. BOTH OF HER SISTERS WERE MARRIED OFF LEAVING ONLY
SUBHA. THE STORY IS WOVEN AROUND THE FAMILY WHO IS FEELING BURDEN TO GET
SUBHA MARRIED AS SHE IS DUMB AND HENCE CANT ATTRACT ANY SUITORS.

TAGORE POINTS OUT HOW PEOPLE TEND TO FORGET THAT EVEN IF A PERSON CANT SPEAK,
THEY CAN STILL HEAR AND FEEL EMOTIONS. SUBHA’S INABILITY TO SPEAK MAKES HER
INVISIBLE IN HER SOCIETY AND PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HER AS IF SHE IS NOT PRESENT. SUBHA
KNEW FROM HER CHILDHOOD THAT HER BIRTH WAS A CURSE TO HER FAMILY. AS A RESULT
SHE ISOLATED HERSELF FROM THE PUBLIC AND THOUGHT ITD BE BETTER IF PEOPLE
FORGOT SHE EXISTED BUT SHE ALWAYS LAID IN THE BACK OF HER PARENTS MIND AS A
PAINFUL PROBLEM.

HER MOTHER ALWAYS CONSIDERED SUBHA TO BE A BURDEN AND HATED HER AS IF SHE
WAS A STAIN UPON HER CLOTH BUT HER FATHER LOVED HER AND HAD A SOFT SPOT FOR
SUBHA.

SUBHA’S LARGE DARK EYES WITH LONG LASHES AND LIPS THAT TREMBLED WITH THE
SLIGHTEST EMOTION WAS HER WAY OF COMMUNICATION BEYOND WORDS BUT NO ONE
FELT THE NEED TO UNDERSTAND HER EMOTIONS.

SUBHA HAD A SPECIAL BOND WITH NATURE AND WOULD SPEND TIME WITH IT WHENEVER
SHE WAS FREE BY SITTING ALONG THE RIVERSIDE AND ENJOYING THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
OF NATURE. SUBHA WASNT COMPLETLY FRIENDLESS, SHE HAD TWO COWS - SARBASHI AND
PARGULI AND A KITTEN WITH WHOM SHE FOUND THE SOLACE OF FRIENDSHIP. TAGORE
SHOWS THE ANTIPATHY OF HUMANS COMPARED TO ANIMALS.

ANOTHER RELATIONSHIP THIS STORY EXPLORES IS THE ONE WITH SUBHA AND A YOUNG
BOY NAMED PRATAP. HE LIKED FISHING AND LIKED THE SILENT COMPANIONSHIP WITH
SUBHA. HE CALLED ‘SU’ TO SHOW HIS AFFECTION AND THEY SPEND TIME TOGETHER WHILE
HE WAS FISHING.
MEANWHILE, HER PARENTS REALIZED IT WAS HIGHTIME TO GET SUBHA MARRIED AS THE
VILLAGERS WERE GOSSIPING AND IT WAS AFFECTING BANIKANTHA’S REPUTATION. THIS
SHOWS HOW THE PARENTS PUT THE SOCIETAL CONCERNS ABOVE THEIR OWN DAUGHTERS
NEEDS.

WHEN HER FATHER RETURNED FROM HIS TRIP TO CALCUTTA, HER MARRIAGE HAD BEEN
FIXED AND SHE WAS FORCED TO SAY GOOD BYE TO EVERYTHING SHE LOVED. HER COWS,
KITTEN AND THE WHOLE SHE LOVED THE MOST. SHE HELD BACK TEARS AS SHE SILENTLY
SAID GOODBYE TO PRATAP AS WELL WHOM SHE WISHED SHE COULD MARRY.

HER PARENTS DID NOT CARE ABOUT SUBHA’S FEELINGS AND SHE WAS MADE TO FOLLOW
HER PARENTS WISHES. SHE WASNT TREATED LIKE AN INDIVIDUAL THAT SHE IS AND HER LIFE
WAS ABOUT TO TAKE A DRAMATIC TURN. SHE CRIED TO MOTHER NATURE TO NOT LET HER
GO.

NEVERTHELESS, SUBHA HAD TO MARRY A STRANGER. HER MOTHER, FOR THE FIRST TIME,
TAKES TIME TO MAKE SUBHA LOOK PRETTY AND SCOLDS HER WHEN SHE CRIES. UPON
MEETING THE MAN, HER TEARS ARE ALSO MISINTERPRETED. THE END OF THE STORY IS
INTERESTING AS TAGORE FURTHER EXPLORES THE THEMES OF ISOLATION. NOT ONLY DOES
SUBHA HAVE TO LIVE WITH A MAN SHES NEVER MET BUT SHE ALSO HAS TO BE IN A CIT
WHERE SHE KNOWS NO ONE. SHES BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM HER FAMILY AND PRECIOUS
VILLAGE LIFE JUST BECAUSE OF HER PARENTS DECISION TO GET HER MARRIED. THUS, A
YOUNG AND INNOCENT GIRL WHO LONGED FOR SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE HAD HER LIFE
DESTROYED JUST BECAUSE OF HER PARENTS SELFISH NEEDS.

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