Critical Appreciation of the Play Chandalika:
Introduction:
“Chandalika” is one of the important plays of Tagore. It is a psychological drama of intense spiritual conflict. The play beautifully analyzes the thoughts and feelings experienced by Prakriti, the outcast girl, her mother and the Buddhist Monk Ananda. The theme of love and self – identity has been quite forcefully brought out by Tagore in short drama
Development of Thought:
Prakriti, a Chandal girl, is seen drawing water from a well allotted to her caste, by the upper – caste people. One day a Buddhist Monk, named Ananda, comes to the well to quench his thirst. Prakriti tells him that she is a Chandal girl and that the water of this well is not fit and pure for his drinking. But the Monk tells her that he does not mind. He also tells that she is as good. a human being as anyone else and that she should not think herself to be a low or degraded person. He would be happy to drink water from her hands. He also tells the girl that self – humiliation is a sin.
Inspired by the words of the Monk, Prakriti pours water into his cupped hands. He drinks water to his satisfaction and leaves. But his words have made powerful impression upon the mind of the untouchable girl. For the first time, she realizes that she is a human being like others. In fact, the Monk’s words bring an awakening in her. She begins to nurture feelings of love for him.
Next time, Ananda happens to pass that way alongwith a group of other Monks. But he pays no attention towards the well or the girl. Prakriti feels this indifference towards her as an insult to her. Her mother is a sorceress having magic powers at her command. With her magic spells, she can exercise powerful influence upon others. Driven by an intense desire to possess the Monk, Prakriti entreats her mother to chant her magic spells in order to bring Ananda to her door to seek her love. First, the mother is reluctant in the name of religion and morality, but finally agrees to do so for the sake of her daughter.
The mother gives Prakriti a mirror in which she would be able to see where Ananda is and how the magic spells are working on him. Prakriti notices in the mirror Ananda showing symptoms of a change in his looks and his behaviour. She also notices a conflict in Ananda between his sense of duty and his desire for a girl’s flesh. Ananda is seen trying to control and suppress his lustful desire. The mother feels exhausted and wants to stop her spells. But Prakriti insists upon her mother to continue with her chanting, no matter what happens. Gradually Ananda’s determination begins to weaken and he is compelled to come towards Prakriti’s house in order to seek her love. But Prakriti notices a frightening change on the face of Ananda. She notices ugliness and hideousness on his face instead of his native radiance and serenity. She had not longed to possess such a Monk. Hence, she is at one filled with a sense of repentance and remorse. She falls at the Monk’s feet and begs his forgiveness. At once she asks her mother to stop the spell. The mother feels glad to undo her spells even though in so doing she would lose her life. Finally, as per the condition of the magic, the mother dies. Prakriti feels repentant over her sin. The Buddhist Monk is released from magic and begins to chant song in honour of his Lord Buddha.
A Psychological Drama:
Chandalika is certainly a psychological drama. It beautifully unfolds the minds of the characters. In fact, in this play little external action takes place. A lot of mental action occurs here and it is this that holds the attention of the readers.
Most of all, the drama depicts the working of the mind of Prakriti the Chandal girl. As soon as she comes across the Buddhist Monk Ananda, she becomes uneasy. His brief exhortation to her not only gives her a sense of her own identity as a human being but it also opens new vistas to her. She begins to dream of the Monk and passionately wants to possess him. Her mother asks her to be contented with her lot as a slave girl because she is so destined.
In order to possess Ananda, Prakriti asks her mother to use her magic spell. First the mother objects and shows her reluctance on moral and religious grounds. She shudders at the very thoughts of using her magic against a Buddhist Monk. The mother tries from every angle to divert her daughter from her determination, but she fails. Prakriti puts forwards her own arguments.
When Prakriti still insists that magic spells be used against Ananda, the mother asks her if she has no respect for religion; and, to this, Prakriti replies that she respects only those who respect her, and that a religion which insults a human being is a false religion. She had, for a long time, been conforming to the traditional religion, but religion had only blinded her to the real facts, and had made it impossible for her to speak her mind, she says. But since her encounter with the Buddhist Monk, her attitude towards that religion has undergone a change. She then again urges her mother to chant her magic spells and bring the Monk to her side. She also says that there is no reason for her mother to feel afraid of using her magic because she would be chanting her magic spells not of her own free accord but under the pressure of her daughter.
The best of Prakriti’s working of mind is seen when she notices in the magic mirror the Monk undergoing the agony in the face of the onslaught of passion. She herself begins to feel the Monk’s predicament in the magic mirror. When she finds the Monk fighting hard against his sensual desire for her, she asks her mother to stop her spell. In short, her mind undergoes acute conflict which results in her transformation.
The drama also reveals the working of the mind of the Ananda. His state of mind is conveyed to us through Prakriti’s commentary upon him as she looks at his reflection in the magic mirror. Ananda’s spiritual conflict is beautifully depicted when he is shown to walk in the direction of Prakriti’s house in a state of bewilderment and semi – consciousness. Likewise, Prakriti’s mother also undergoes intense spiritual and psychological conflict in the drama.
Theme of Spiritual Rebirth:
Spiritual rebirth of Prakriti has been depicted in the drama. Prakriti, being an untouchable Chandal girl, experiences rebirth as a human being when the Buddhist Monk Ananda comes and demands water from her. When she tells him that she is Chandal girl and cannot offer water to him, he tells her that she is a human being like all others. He also exhorts her that she should not think herself to be an inferior creature unfit to offer water to a thirsty man of any upper caste. He teaches her that self – humiliation is a sin, worse than self – murder.
Then, Prakriti’s self – consciousness converts itself into extreme self – importance. She begins to love the Monk. She wants him to come back to her and again demand water. She asks her mother to work spells on him. On another occasion, the Monk happens. to pass by her place but pays no attention to her. She feels insulted. She says that he has shown no pity for her, and that now she would show no pity to him.
With the help of magic spells exercised by her mother, she longs to bring Ananda back to satisfy her lust. But he is able to resist the strange desire which has arisen in his heart. He tries – hard to fight the passion. In fact, Prakriti’s distress over the Monk’s predicament becomes greater and greater; and it seems to her to be having the better of her passion for him. Her distress becomes. so acute that she tells her mother that her heart is about to break because she is unable to bear the Monk’s agony which she can clearly perceive on his face as reflected in the magic mirror.
There is a painful conflict in the heart of Prakriti. She asks her mother to stop the spell. She now wants the Monk to go back to his life of spirituality and purity. A change begins to take place in Prakriti’s heart. She notices that the native glow on the Monk’s face has vanished. She realizes that a Monk of the highest rank would turn into a sinner only to get Prakriti to satisfy her animal desire. With great agony, she says, ” Nothing but me. Only this at the end of the weary, difficult road! Only me! “
This is Prakriti’s second birth. Finally, she falls at the feet of Ananda and begs forgiveness for the wrong done by her, saying, “Victory, Victory to thee, O Lord!”
Message Conveyed Through the Drama:
Tagore has conveyed unmistakable message through Chandalika. It has not been written for mere entertainment but for social and moral purpose. This play obviously teaches us that all human beings are equal. All class and caste distinctions are false. We notice how the poet and dramatist, through Ananda, said to the untouchable girl, “As I am a human being, so also are you and all water is clean and holy that cools our heat and satisfies our thirst.” He also said, “Don’t humiliate yourself, self – humiliation is a sin, worse than self – murder.”
The words of the Buddhist Monk work wonders upon the mind and heart of Prakriti. His exhortation creates in her feelings of self – consciousness. But at the same time, the play also gives the message of undesirability of this feeling of self – consciousness crossing the limits. When Prakriti’s self – consciousness crosses this limit, her predicament follows. In fact, out of her lust, she becomes too selfish. She forgets that she is bringing about the downfall of one who had made her shed her sense of inferiority and had made her believe herself to be a human being as good as any other.
Thus, the play conveys the message of self – control and self- restraint. A desire of lustful passion must be suppressed and crushed if it trespasses upon the rights of other human beings. Prakriti realizes all this towards the end of the play.
