Book review

The Novel is full of different feelings of life like hypocrisy, deception, kindness and desperation. All of these are present in their full glory with colourful as well as shades of the characters. It also includes

their morality and their situations. This tragedy of domestic life gets a clear vision in Narayan`s write-up. – Try 2 use this line

The Dark room offers a feminist view of the contemporary South Indian society. The very essence of the autobiographical tone is not there in the dark room. The story of a middle class female set against the backdrop of South India, the dark room echoes the frustration of a tormented wife. The main female character Savitri retires to the dark room which is there at house whenever the frustration, disgust, pain and torment becomes somewhat too much to bear. The dark room here acts as the catharsis whilst aiding the main character to vent out her frustration; Ideally the title therefore matches with the symbolism of the novel.

Story

The story entails the tale of a tormented wife. The Dark Room is a superb examination of a patriarchal Society and also reflects the injustices that this type of society causes to woman and children. This is regarded as an impressive as well as controlled novel, which eventually moves and hits the society.

The Dark room tells a poignant tale of dutiful women Savitri (a� typical devoted Indian house wife of those ages 1935) and her domineering husband Ramani (a typical arrogant Indian husband of those ages 1935). R.K. Narayan portrays that being a submissive housewife. As an outcome of their marriage, they have three children Babu, Kamala and Sumati. Ramani is such a bossy chap, who expects every aspect of perfection in his household and failing to meet that will only reinforce his bad temper . Unable to bear his tantrums and her inability do anything against him, sometimes Savitri would shut herself in a dark room in their house until her will fails her. As the story progressed in certain distance her husband got engaged with another woman and in order to set up her place he shifted many of their furniture from home. These include one of her favorite furniture also. While shocked by the news of his relation Savitri tries to win back her husband but cannot do so because of Ramani`s adamant nature. During the course one day she fights back and leaves home without thinking anything. Things get complicated when a Shanta Bai comes in to picture. Shanta bai gets employed in the English Insurance company, for which Ramani is a senior officer. Soon an intimacy develops between Ramani and Shanta that strains the relationship between Savitri and Ramani. Incapable to swallow the infidelity, Savitri venture to leave her husband and childrens. Even her absence never provoked fatheaded Ramani to search for Savitri and extend a grain of sympathy to her. When Savitri is about to drown in river sarayu, she is rescued and sheltered by Mari (a blacksmith & a burglar) and her wife Ponni. Resolved to live independent, Savitri finds a petty job in a temple with the aid of Mari. Soon reality hits her and remembrance of her childrens and her pitiful condition melts her determination (as usual) and makes

her find way to home.

Though the story sounds gloomy, RK Narayan retains the brightness through his elegant narration and witty humor. None of the characters would fail to remind Indianism or I must emphasize south Indiansim. It is a delight to read his characters. At the end of the book, when Savitri muttered to Ramani “A part of me is dead†�, RK Narayan touches the futility of matrimony. It is a profound statement.

Will the Gals of present generations be able to lead a life like Savitri?. With the considerable progress in women’s emancipation since this book has written, I only presume Women’s might have weakened in their morality and have improved to wring their Men’s neck (guys! no offence meant) in the same circumstances now.But who knows !!!

The ’’ Dark room’’ is one of the rare RK Narayan novels, which deals with social consciousness. Narayan generally writes on the lives of the inhabitants of Malgudi, their hopes, and fears, successes and failures. By and large, his novels exude optimism and are cheerful in nature, however the ’’ Dark Room’’ is an exception to this fact.

The novel is about Savitri, a typical Indian housewife whom her husband Ramani, being a pompous and insensitive man ill-treats her in very subtle ways. The marriage slowly descends into being a living hell from which there is no return for Savitri. The steady deterioration of the marriage is movingly described. The book is a tribute to the servile Indian woman who swallows all humiliations, slights to just keep the marriage afloat and keep up pretences in the society. Narayan brings the pressures of married life out well. This book raises a lot of disturbing questions regarding the institution of marriage. It is possibly one of the earliest books upon the question of woman’s rights, gender equality etc. Readers might well remember that this book was published around forty years back when these issues were not even considered important. This book is a standing testimony to farsightedness and social vision of the author.

The question as to whether the personality of the individuals in the marriage should be submerged in the larger interest of the marriage is one, which has been partially answered. Narayan believes in the old school of thought, which believes that a woman has to discharge the duties of a wife and a mother for her role in life to be self-fulfilling. Notwithstanding, this belief of his, he is quite harsh on the insensitiveness of the husband who treats his wife with indifference and contempt. These actions of Ramani forces Savitri to withdraw herself into a cocoon, literally so. She retreats to a dark room when she is deeply hurt. The dark room is the room used to store the junk of the house. This is a very significant fact as Savitri’s self worth is deeply wounded, she identifies herself with junk, something which has outlived its utility and biding time before it is thrown away. The room is dark and she feels that there is no light waiting at the end of the

tunnel. The reason for her patience is due to her two children, for whom she has a lot of hopes.

The books though over forty years old deals with issues which are contemporary and the reader will find it to be very topical. The scenes of marital discord in the book have been repeated over thousands of homes and will continue to do so. In The modern age where one finds a lot of marriage’s coming apart, the messages the novel tries to convey are educative and hopefully readers may imbibe some of them. The novel is set in a South Indian milieu and Narayanan manages to recreate the scenes of every day life successfully.

Narayan’s ideas regarding Woman’s emancipation, marriage run through the entire book invisibly but his treatment of Savitri’s character is sympathetic. The book is definitely worth a read but let readers be forewarned, this book will raise a lot of disturbing questions which will haunt the readers for some time to come. Readers familiar with Narayan will see a new facet of the man, this book should be read for that reason alone.

A woman has held a very strange place in Indian society. She has been revered for being ‘sati’ and at the same time she has been hated and loathed for being a widow or for not bringing dowry. Stories of women are in abundance in the ancient literary texts. However, with the progress of time the woman of Indian society changed and she started making herself noticed by fathoming all areas which were until now the arena of men. In literature too, the role of woman was given a certain distinction. In this league R K Narayan writes about characters like Savitri and Shanta Bai in The Dark Room and shows the various perspectives of the Indian woman.

The Dark Room is the story of  Ramani, the Branch Manager of the Engladia Insurance Company, his wife Savitri and his mistress Shanta Bai, the probationary insurance assistant. The story revolves around these three characters. Ramani and Savitri have a happy married life with three children Babu, Kamala and Sumati. Life is moving on smoothly with the occasional agitations and angers. Savitri gets upset at times by Ramani’s behavior and sulks in the dark room, “a musty unlit store-room”1 next to the kitchen. But life is still pleasant and happy. One day Shanta Bai joins Ramani’s office and soon they develop a relationship. Savitri comes to know about the affair and tries to stop Ramani. He refuses, so Savitri leaves the house to end her life. However, this could not happen as she is saved by a low caste blacksmith Mari. He and his wife Ponni take care of Savitri but after a few days of hardship and loneliness she returns to her home and children.

Narayan’s novels have many a female character but most of them are traditional Indian women who live a life within the confines of their home. The character of Savitri in the first half of The Dark Room is an apt example. Despite the rude nature of her husband, Savitri performs the duties of a mother and wife uncomplainingly. She takes the frequent harshness with indifference. She behaves or talks only after judging his mood. She is the quintessential mother, wife and homemaker. She is the humble, patient, loyal wife mentioned in the scriptures. Savitri is such a humble and down-to-earth person that after hearing about her husband’s affair, she does not

believe it. Later she feels Ramani is not to be blamed. Perhaps, she is not beautiful anymore and hence Ramani got attracted to Shanta Bai. In her innocence she starts paying attention to her looks. Once again she dresses up not only to look good but in the manner in which Ramani likes. . Narayan comments on the status of Savitri in her home where he says that she was so impotent even after fifteen years of marriage. And, the progress of Savitri’s character shows that she had the essence of feminism in her but it had been suppressed for all these years. The mental torture that she has been going through draws out her inner strength and that gives her the courage to talk back.  

Besides Savitri, there is Shanta Bai, the educated, manipulative seductress who knows how to use a woman’s charm to win the man. She is the cunning, clever type who makes every right move to trap her prey. When he visits her home for the first time, her style of talking is conspicuous of her intention of enticing him.

Another character, though a minor one but plays a major role in the turn of events in the novel, is Ponni, Savitri’s saviour who is the dominating type. She does not talk to

In this poignant tale, R K Narayan again takes us back to Mysore and into the enchanting world of his fictitious town, Malgudi, where we are introduced to Savitri and Ramani. As in many of Narayan's novels, conservatism and reform are contrasted with the quiet irony and subtle humour which have become so characteristic of this author. Savitri is made to feel how completely dependent she is upon her husband, Ramani, when pressure is brought to bear upon their long-standing marriage. Ramani strongly recommends that the Engladia Insurance Company employ the rather elegant and fiercely independent Mrs. Shanta Bai, recently separated. Events reach a climax when Savitri's favourite piece of furniture, a bench, is borrowed by Ramani to furnish the room he has hurriedly assembled for Shanta Bai in the office. Savitri retreats into herself and lies quite still in the one private place she has of her own, the dark room. After further betrayal, Savitri gathers up the very few belongings she has and walks out of the house, leaving her children staring dumb foundedly after her. Savitri attempts to drown herself, but is rescued. For a short time she struggles to be self-sufficient, but realizes quite soon that she must return although a part of her has died. Narayan's sympathetic treatment of his characters makes this a most fulfilling and touching book to read.