Chandara
is the protagonist in the story “Punishment” written by Rabindranath Tagore. In
most of his short stories, dramas and novels, the protagonist is a female character.
For instance, Ratan in “The Postmaster”, Nirupama in “Dena Paona”, and Binodini
in “Chokher Bali” are a few to name among the most famous protagonists created
by the Bard of Bengal. In the story “Punishment”, the plot of the story
revolves around Chandara and her intentional acceptance of punishment.
The
character of Chandara is an embodiment of self esteem, a true characteristic of
human beings. In rural backwaters, women depend on their men in all aspects. They
take their duty for husbands and children as the only reason to live on. Unlike
those rural women, Chandara is conscious of her existence as an independent
being.
She does not let her husband control her. She does not hesitate to
quarrel with husband’s sister-in-law; she does not mind the unjust restrictions
imposed on her by her husband; she does not forget her own self in service to
her husband and his family. To her utter astonishment, Chandara realizes that
she does not mean anything to Chidam, when the latter accuses her of the murder
in order to save his elder brother from the clutches of law.
When the police arrest
her and present her in court for trial, she does not beg her husband or the
judge for her life. For her self-respect, she chooses death sentence from the
judge over the humiliation of being with Chidam who does not value her. She
embraces her fate with resilience and in silence. It bears out to her strength
of character, an identity of Rabindranath Tagore’s most women characters. This
is what makes me like Chandara, the life and soul of the story “Punishment.”
