The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore
Download 467.3 Kb. Pdf ko'rish
|
The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore (Ashgate World Philosophies Series) (Ashgate World Philosophies Series) by Kalyan Sen Gupta (z-lib.org)
Society, Marriage and Education
27 something that Tagore calls into question. First, he makes fun of the idea that married Hindus seek complete union with their partners. For what we find in actual practice is not identification but the subordination of one sex to the other – where all power and privilege belong only to the male. In fact we hear in him the voice of John Stuart Mill: The principle which regulates the existing social relations between the two sexes – the legal subordination of one sex to the other – is wrong in itself, and now are among the chief hindrances to human improvement; … it ought to be replaced by the principle of perfect equality, admitting no power or privilege on the one side, nor disability on the other. 37 Secondly, Tagore points out if marriage has really any noble purpose, it can be achieved only by a properly educated and enlightened wife who, as Mill again remarked, can be the best friend of her husband and inspire him with her exalted sense of truth and right, and who knows how to make a happy conjugal relationship based on mutual love, admiration and sacrifice. 38 If so, this does not augur well for child-marriage, for it is uncertain how the child- wife will take shape in the future. Another of Tagore’s objections to child-marriage is that it increases the number of widows. The longer the age-gap between husband and wife, the greater the possibility of the wife’s widowhood. As he puts it: If by marriage, eight years is associated with twenty four years [as Basu prescribed, following Manu Samhita], there will be nothing to prevent their fatal and inevitable dissociation from one another. Such a long age-gap will no doubt alarmingly increase the number of widows. Chandra Nath has indeed great admiration for the widow and her stern practices. But if he is really a well-wisher of both men and women, he must have to admit that a married woman’s widowhood is not at all desirable. 39 Tagore further argues that the telos of marriage is to build up a sound family, so that strong and healthy children are essential to its purpose. This constitutes a reason that weighs against early marriage, given the evidence that the child of an immature mother is more likely than other children to be both mentally and physically less healthy. Rabindranath’s criticisms reflect his earnest desire for the harmony of conjugal life. That is why he rejects the prevalent Neo-Hindu thinking of his time, which, he thinks, is an obstacle to this harmony. He correctly realizes that the problem is one of blind addiction to traditional thought and perceptions. At the same time, however, one should note a later observation: ‘Prohibition of widow-marriage and acceptance of the system of child- marriage may be harmful in many respects; but he who understands the social structure of the Hindus cannot condemn them as mere barbarism.’ 40 This seems quite at odds with his earlier stance against traditional Hindu 28 The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore practices. Does it mean that he eventually agreed with Chandra Nath and his allies? The answer is no. Rabindranath does not speak in favour of these practices, let alone glorify them like Basu. He continues to believe that one cannot reasonably think of introducing these practices in the changed conditions of a more humane and open society. So the force of his contention lies elsewhere, and coheres with his wider attitude. Surely if certain practices could continue for a long period of time (like the prohibition of widow-marriage and the acceptance of child-marriage), they must have some reason behind them that is embedded in the social milieu in which they were situated. It is unfair to condemn social practices as barbaric merely because they do not tally with our present beliefs and practices. Blind adherence to them is certainly undesirable; but this does not entitle us to show disrespect to them, for they at one time served some useful purpose and contributed to the integration of society. What is therefore needed is to understand the point and logic of traditional Hindu practices in the context of the social tradition of which they formed part, and only then to start a debate as to whether and how far they are adequate to the modern situation. Download 467.3 Kb. Do'stlaringiz bilan baham: |
Ma'lumotlar bazasi mualliflik huquqi bilan himoyalangan ©fayllar.org 2024
ma'muriyatiga murojaat qiling
ma'muriyatiga murojaat qiling