Predicament of Women in Tagore's the Punishment and Debits and Credits Ravi K*, Dr. Mahalakshmi S N** *Ph. D. Research Scholar, Department of Science and Humanities (English), Anna University Regional Campus, Coimbatore, India **Assistant Professor, Department of Science and Humanities (English), Anna University Regional Campus, Coimbatore, India Online published on 3 May, 2016. Abstract The paper focuses on the plight of women in India who are oppressed and treated as an object of ridicule and contempt in the family set up as well as in the society. The problem highlighted in Tagore's short stories are mainly joint family system, the oppression of women, the patriarchal setup and the hopes and aspirations of women being shattered by the world at large. It has been the problem of Indian scenario for several years but still the solution is out of our reach. In “Punishment”, Chandara is the protagonist of the story; her husband Chidam suspects her fidelity because she used to visit the ghat and meet her cousin to have palavers. He even suspects that she may have an ill-legal relationship with her cousin. He picks up a quarrel often with her and sometime warns her. Meanwhile, Chidam and Dukhiram return home after completing work in zamin's land. Dukhiram asks Radha, his wife to serve food and she replies adversely instead of giving food. Dukhiram kills his wife for her indifferent behaviour. But Chidam helps his brother to escape from this case and he even gives a cruel suggestion to his wife Chandara. Chandara reluctantly takes up the blame of murdering Radha even though she is not a party to it. Finally, to everyone's surprise she is sentenced. Several Indian Women like Chandara struggles for their rights, identity and dignity. In “Debits and Credits” Nirupama is the main character in the story, married to the son of a grand Raybahadur. Her husband knows very well the cruel feudal attitudes of his parents, yet he leaves his helpless wife at their mercy. Raybahadur is so inhuman and he fails call the doctor at the right time. Her death is only negligible in tear eyes. He spends a fraction for the funeral as a kind of ceremony. The story is a reminder of the wretched dowry system which is a canker of our society. Top Keywords Dignity, tyranny, injustice, rights and sympathy. Top |