Book Review: 'Devdas' by S.C. Chattopadhyay 'Devdas' is a fiction novel originally written in Bengali by Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay, and translated into English by Sreejata Guha. It was published in 1917, and is set in the same time frame. Over the years, the novel has gained the reputation of a classic. Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay has 135 books on Goodreads with 49780 ratings. Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s most popular book is Devdas.
'Devdas' is a fiction novel originally written in Bengali by Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay, and translated into English by Sreejata Guha. It was published in 1917, and is set in the same time frame. Over the years, the novel has gained the reputation of a classic.
The main protagonist, Devdas, is a boy born into a very rich Brahmin family from Bengal. His childhood is spent playing with Paro, the neighbours' daughter. Paro's family belongs to the caste of traders, and a marriage between her and Devdas is unlikely. Paro's mother does approach Devdas's mother with a proposal, but is bluntly refused. Paro is then arranged to be married to a rich widower in another village. She cannot imagine life without her Dev-da, and approaches him in the night to ask him to marry her. He is undetermined, but talks to his father about it. When he refuses, Devdas accepts his decision, leaving Paro heartbroken. She then marries the widower.
Devdas then realizes that what he truly wanted was Paro, but also that it was too late to do anything about it. He becomes an alcoholic, and tries to drown his pain and sorrow in alcohol. He meets Chandramukhi, a tawaif [see note below], in Calcutta, and is very repulsed by her because of her profession. She is very surprised by his eccentric behavior and immediately falls in love with him. Her love is almost devotional love, stongly reminiscent of the relationship Mirabai had with Krishna. She worships Devdas, and treats him like a deity. His acknowledgment of her presence is in itself a fulfilling experience for her.
The story explores the age-old dichotomy between social norms and human desires. 'Devdas' is, in essence, a social commentary - a reflection on the social norms of the day. Through the story of the unfulfilled love between Devdas and Paro, Sharat Chandra brings out the adverse impact that class hierarchy and social behavioral norms have on people's natural desires, and chain them to a life of sacrifice and suffering. Had Devdas and Paro belonged to the same caste, they could have been happily married. Had Chandramukhi not been a tawaif, she could have married Devdas. These social boundaries are not trespassed by any of the characters, and that leads them to lives of sorrow, even though it saves them from ridicule.
Chashi Nazrul Islam
'Devdas' is a beautiful novel - unfulfilled love at its very best. The characters are very life-like, very believable, and each one of them has their own charms and fallacies. In a sense, Sharat Chandra has retold the story of Lord Krishna, Radha and Mirabai through Devdas, setting it into the modern scenario and leading it to its logical conclusion based on the character traits of Devdas, Paro and Chandramukhi, and the prevailing social norms of the time.Devdas Book In English Pdf Format
Devdas is not a likeable character - not only is he an alcoholic, but he seems to hold himself in high regard by virtue of being a Brahmin, and consequently treats Chandramukhi very badly. He is violent, and hits Paro whenever he sees fit. He is generally unsure of himself, and does not understand his own love for Paro until too late. Paro is an average rural girl, good looking, and completely in love with Devdas since her childhood days. She cannot think of anyone but him as her lover and best friend, but never crosses the line of decency in her attempt to marry him. Chandramukhi is a woman who loves Devdas simply because she has never seen anyone like him. He is full of spite for her, and doesn't even talk to her when sober. She adores him, and he is no less than a god for her. Devdas is uncertain who he loves more - Paro or Chandramukhi. Both dominate his thoughts at different times. But he is never truly able to fulfil his love for either one, and wastes away his life - even though he appears to have it all.Devdas 1955
The story is very believable - except perhaps some of the actions of Chandramukhi which
Devdas Novel In English Pdf
seem a tad too far-fetched. For instance, she rents a room in Calcutta and keeps looking out the window day in and day out, expecting to see Devdas (and eventually does see him after a couple of months). At any rate, the novel achieves its purpose - it gets the reader to think about the contradictory relationship that social norms and human desires have, the reasons for this relationship, and what a person should do in case of a dilemma between the two. Sharat Chandra depicts social bindings as adverse restrictions on individuals, showing that adhering to them will lead to no fulfillment in life.
Note:A tawaifwas a courtesan who catered to the nobility of South Asia, particularly during the era of the Mughal Empire. The tawaifs excelled and contributed to music, dance (mujra), theater, film, and the Urdu literary tradition, were considered an authority on etiquette. While sex was often incidental, it was not guaranteed contractually (source: Wikipedia).
Hindi
'Tawaif' is often also used interchangeably with 'prostitute', and is most likely the sense in which it is used to describe Chandramukhi.
Devdas is a young man from a wealthy Bengali Brahmin family in India in the early 1900s. Paro (Parvati) is a young woman from a middle class Bengali family belonging to the “merchant” caste. The two families lived in a village in Bengal, and Devdas and Paro were childhood friends. Devdas goes away for thirteen years to live and study in a boarding school in the city of Calcutta (now Kolkata). When, after finishing school, he returns to his village, Paro looks forward to their childhood love blossoming into their lifelong journey together in marriage. Of course, according to the prevailing social custom, Paro's parents would have to approach Devdas' parents and propose marriage of Paro to Devdas as Paro longed for. When Paro's mother makes the proposal to Devdas' mother, the latter insults her, plainly saying that the marriage is not possible in view of her own higher caste and financial status. To demonstrate her own social status, Paro's mother then finds an even richer husband for Paro. When Paro learns of her planned marriage, she stealthily meets Devdas at night, desperately believing that Devdas will quickly accept her hand in marriage. Devdas meekly seeks his parents' permission to marry Paro, but Devdas' father agrees with his wife. In a weak-minded state, Devdas then flees to Calcutta, and from there, he writes a letter to Paro, saying that they were only friends. Within days, however, he realizes that he should have been bolder. He goes back to his village and tells Paro that he is ready to do anything needed to save their love. By now, Paro's marriage plans are in an advanced stage, and she declines going back to Devdas and chides him for his cowardice and vacillation. She makes, however, one request to Devdas that he would return to her before he dies. Devdas vows to do so. Devdas goes back to Calcutta and Paro is married off to the betrothed widower with children, who is still in love with his previous wife and is therefore not interested in an amatory relationship with Paro.
In Calcutta, Devdas' carousing friend, Chunnilal, introduces him to a courtesan named Chandramukhi. Devdas takes to heavy drinking at Chandramukhi's place, but the courtesan falls in love with him, and looks after him. His health deteriorates because of a combination of excessive drinking and despair of life—a drawn-out form of suicide. Within him, he frequently compares Paro and Chandramukhi, remaining ambivalent as to whom he really loves. Sensing his fast-approaching death, Devdas returns to meet Paro to fulfill his vow. He dies at her doorstep on a dark, cold night. On hearing of the death of Devdas, Paro runs towards the door, but her family members prevent her from stepping out of the door.
The novella powerfully depicts the prevailing societal customs in Bengal in the early 1900s, which are largely responsible for preventing the happy ending of a genuine love story.
Every society has such some true love stories that dies due to social injustice, racism, social discrimination and religious objection. Due to French revolution, Scientific advances, and globalization, all those social deformation, bigotry and delinquencies are subject to justification. Don't you think that this is the right time to raise your voice against those discriminations for future humanity?
- Suman Kanti Chowdhury
In Calcutta, Devdas' carousing friend, Chunnilal, introduces him to a courtesan named Chandramukhi. Devdas takes to heavy drinking at Chandramukhi's place, but the courtesan falls in love with him, and looks after him. His health deteriorates because of a combination of excessive drinking and despair of life—a drawn-out form of suicide. Within him, he frequently compares Paro and Chandramukhi, remaining ambivalent as to whom he really loves. Sensing his fast-approaching death, Devdas returns to meet Paro to fulfill his vow. He dies at her doorstep on a dark, cold night. On hearing of the death of Devdas, Paro runs towards the door, but her family members prevent her from stepping out of the door.
The novella powerfully depicts the prevailing societal customs in Bengal in the early 1900s, which are largely responsible for preventing the happy ending of a genuine love story.
Every society has such some true love stories that dies due to social injustice, racism, social discrimination and religious objection. Due to French revolution, Scientific advances, and globalization, all those social deformation, bigotry and delinquencies are subject to justification. Don't you think that this is the right time to raise your voice against those discriminations for future humanity?
- Suman Kanti Chowdhury