Explain the contradiction that can be found in Inder Lal’s mother worshipping at the suttee shrines.
The suttee – this is an Indian rite of widow-sacrifice, which means the burning of a living widow on the funeral pyre of her husband.
When Inder Lal’s mother takes the narrator to the suttee shrines, she worships the women who gave their life for their husbands. Inder Lal’s mother, a widow herself, behaves very respectful at the shrines. She didn’t have to die like these women, because the suttee was outlawed in 1929.
Indeed, she has the greatest reverence for the sncient custom and regrets that it has been discontinued a long time ago, she’s happy to live, because she got the opportunity to live a good life: she experiences things like more liberties and friendship with other widows.
Compare Beth Crawford’s and Olivia’s reactions to suttee. Whose attitude do you find most appealing, and why?
„A grain merchant had died and his widow had been forced by her relatives to burn herself with him on his funeral pyre“. (p. 56, ll. 20-22)
At a dinner party at the Crawford’s house everybody discusses about that fact; especially Olivia and Mrs. Crawford show very differently reactions and point of views to it.
Olivia is strongly persuaded of the idea, that there are still Indian women who burn themselves voluntary, because this could have a cultural oder religious background. In her opinion the British are not entitled to interfere with their culture; it’s their own decision how to live and how to act. Also Olivia likes the idea of dying with her husband, she describes it as a „noble idea“ (p. 59, l. 27). She would accept to commit suicide, because life for her would have no sense anymore. This fact emphasises Olivia’s love to Douglas very clearly.
In contrast to Olivia’s point of view Beth Crawford is not taken with this idea of following her husband to death. Although she loves her husband, she could never think of suicide, that would be „too noble“ for her. (p. 60, l. 28). She fears and immediately wants to get away from this discussion.
If you ask me, it’s really hard to define my own position to such a topic. I think on the one hand it’s definitely very upsetting and painful to lose a family member or another person you love. However, on the other hand, that’s not enough to bring your own life to an end as well. Even if you feel lonely and hopeless, life goes on… Imagine how life would be for all the others who lost the person, if they lose you too. I think losing a person you love also means the disposition to handle the situation. This will help you to cope difficult circumstances and also to learn something new about yourself.
