Unwanted by Rabindranath Tagore

Introduction

Rabindranath Tagore was a well-known poet and novelist. His short Stories are deeply touching. They express human emotions in conflict with social restraints. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913.

His short stories Kabliwallah, Home Coming, The Postmaster and The Child's Return are very popular and deeply emotional.

Unwanted is Tagore's characteristic short story. Nilkanta is an orphan boy whom chance brings into the protection of a well - off famliy. Kiran is very indulgent and treats him lavishly. But it is like a dream that is soon over. Nilkanta feels neglected, helpless and frustrated. There are physical and psychological changes also because he is passing through a critical period of human life—change from adolescence to youth. Finally he discovers that he is not wanted. He mysteriously disappears.

Summary

Kiranmayi was the young wife of Sharat. She had been ailing for siometime. The doctors advised that change of air would help her. The family was well off and so Sharat and his mother came to Chandernagore with Kiran. The villagers thought that they were fussing too much over her illness..

Kiran recovered from her illness but she was weak. She had nothing to keep herself busy at Chandernagore. There were no neighbours and no friends. She wished to go back home. But Sharat did not agree with her. (He thought that the time of the year was not apt. If they went back to their village, she was likely to get the infection again. He wanted her to wait for another month. There had been usual arguments and counter-arguments between the husband and the wife.

Kiran stopped arguing. She was quiet but miserable and angry. It was a terrific stormy night. There was lightning and there was thunder. The wind was blowing hard.

A shipwrecked Brahmin boy swam across the furious river and came safely to the shore. He found himself in the garden of the bunglow where (Sharat and Kiran were staying. Someone came and told them about the boy. Kiran was a kindhearted woman. She immediately sent dry clothes for the boy to put on. She gave him food to eat. The boy appeared to be sixteen or seventeen years old. He had no moustaches. He had large eyes and long hair. He told Kiran that his name was Nilkanta. He was an orphan and worked with a band of travelling players. The troupe was engaged to give a performance in a nearby house but the ship was caught in a storm. He was a good swimmer and had been able to save himself. He did not know what had happened to the others.

Kiran was delighted. She treated him with affection. Sharat also welcomed the arrival of the boy. He hoped Kiran would have somthing to do. It would keep her busy. Sharat's mother too was glad. She thought there was merit in looking after a Brahmin boy. Nilkanta too was happy. He had not only escaped death but had got the protection of a rich family.

Kirran was overindulgent and treated Nilkanta lavishly. She gve him Sharat's old shirts and socks. She decked him like a baby. She would ask Nilkanta to tell the story of Nala and Damayanti. The boy sang it with gestures. This pleased Kiran but irritated Sharat.

Nilkanta began to smoke Sharat's hookah in secret. He would take Sharat's silk umbrella and would go round the village proudly making friends. He fondled a dog that would come in and spoil the floor coverings with its muddy paws. He would go with the band of his followers into the mango-orchards and picked unripe mangoes. Several times Sharat cuffed, boxed and whacked him. But it had no effect on Nilkanta becuase he had been used to worse treatment.

Sharat and his mother began to realise that it was time the boy went away. They felt he had stayed with them too long and if they did ot get rid of him soon, his stay would be troublesome. But Kiran was opposed to it. She continued to treat him with affection. He was Kiran's pet.

Now Nilkanta began to undergo psychological changes. He was passing from adolescence into youth. Kiran treated him like a child. One day she asked him to dress like a gril as he used to do earlier. But Nilkanta was embarrassed. They tried to teach Nilkanta to read and write. But Nilkanta only pretended to read. He could not learn anything. Earlier he used to sing the songs mechanically, but now he found meaning in them. He was transported to another world when he sang them.

While Nilkanta was undergoing these psychological changes, the arrival of Sharat's brother Satish changed his life entirely. He experienced frustration that he had never experienced before. Satish was the same age as Kiran. Both of them were good friends. Kiran was delighted. They enjoyed practical jokes and lot of fun. They laughed, they quarelled, they wept and made up again. Kiran's whole attention & time was given to Satish. Nilkanta was completely ignored. Earlier she herself served food to Nilkanta. She enjoyed watching him eat. Nilkanta could eat well. But now he was served by the maid-servant. Nilkanta would not like to eat. He would say he was not hungry. He expected that somehow Kiran would know this and would feed him herself. But no one told Kiran about it. Nilkanta was depressed. He would weep as he lay on his bed till he was asleep.

Nilkanta was convinced that Satish was responsible for his misfortune. He could not express his hostility towards Satish openly. So he tried to do him some harm stealthily.

It was time for the family to return home. Kiran proposed to take Nilkanta with them. But everyone else was opposed to it. So Kiran too had to give in. She called Nilkanta and told him to go back to his village. She spoke gently to him. Nilkanta was moved by her kind words. He burst into tears. Kiran was also sad to think that she had showered her affections on a person whom she would have to leave.

Satish had a fancy inkpot. He loved it. Nilkanta wished to cause Satish some pain. So he stole the inkpot and kept it in his box. When Satish did not find it, he suspected Nilkanta had stolen it. Kiran was not prepared to believe it. Nilkanta was called but he denied having stolen it. Kiran took him to the next room and asked him gently if he had stolen it. Nilkanta covered his face with his hands and wept. Kiran declared that Nilkanta was innocent. She defended him.

Kiran decided to give Nilkanta some clothes and money as a parting present. She went to his room and decided to put her gift in his box. Nilkanta was not there. When she opened the box she found the inkpot at the bottom of it. She was shocked. In the meantime Nilkanta came into the room. Kiran did not see him. But he saw that Kiran had discovered the theft. In fact he had not stolen it out of greed. He just wanted to do some harm to Satish. He meant to throw it into the Ganga. He ran away and disappeared. There was no sign of him. Kiran kept the discovery of the inkpot to herself. On their way home she threw it into the Ganga.

Word Meanings

Steadily = continuously; Demons = evil spirit; Proclaiming = announcing; Rebellious = unruly; Crashing = falling, breaking noisily; Groaned = moan in pain; Heaved = rose; Thrashed = beat, strike; Shuttered = closed; Alarmed = frightened; Abandoning = giving up, leaving; Soothsayers = those who foretell about things to come; Modish = stylish, fashionable; Immortal = deathless, living for ever; Prescriptions = orders, rules; Irrational = unreasonable, illogical; Touching = moving, causing sadness; Feebleness = weakness; Narrow escape = just saved from the brink of disaster; Jolly = cheerful; Gregarious = sociable; Nurturing = something that gives nourishment; irksome = irritating; Troupe = company of performers; Merit = credit; Strut = move about proudly; Prazenly = shamelessly; Frequented = Visited several time; Lavish = generous; Decked = decorated; At whim = fancy; Flamboyant = showy; Gestures = movements to convey meaning; Annoyed = displeased; Piety = virtue; Subjected to = made to suffer; Cuffs and boxes = blows with hands and fists; Matured = ripened; Underdeveloped = below normal growth; Confidante = woman who is entrusted with secret; Coincided = took place at the same time as the other; Befitted = proper or suitable; Ill-suited = inappropriate, unfit; Yatra-life = life of a travelling-performer; Relentless = strict, pitiless; Embarrassed = confused and perplexed; frivolously = in silly, trifling manner; awakened = clumsy; Imitate = copy; Sordid = ugly; Unaccustomed - not used to; Concentrated = with full attention; Fidgety = nervous, restless; Waned = decreased, declined; Mechanically = without thinking; Melodies = songs; Trivial = very ordinary, commonplace; Meretricious = showy, ornate; Unpenetrable = incomprehensible; insignificant = of no or little value; Transported = carried away; Grubby = dirty; Hovel = hut, mean dwelling; Dingy = dirty-looking; Deprivation = poverty, dispossession; Miraculous = unbelievable; Thwacking = whacking, hitting with a stick; Bolted = fastened with a bolt; Outdone = done better than others; Making up = reconciling; Nasty = unpleasant, disagreeable; Slashed = cut; Resolved = decided, made up his mind; Eventually = consequently, finally; Convinced = had the firm belief; Running him down = degrading; Enimity = hostility; Inconveniences = difficulties; Swoop = come down liek a hawk; Embriodered = ornamented with needle work; Assumed = took for granted, presumed; Snivelling = sniffling; Unscathed = unhurt, uninjured; Tap = strike lightly; Incensed = made angry; Offences = wrongs; Borne = endured; Stoically = enduring without complaint; Ascribed = attributed, assigned; Gouged = tore with sharp edged weapon; Fetch = bring; Interrogate = question; Retaliation = hit back; Adamantly = unyeildingly, stubbornly.

Questions You May Be Asked
1. The story depicts a variety of human emotions. Discuss this statement keeping in mind that characters of Kiran, Nilkanta and Satish?

2. Do you think Kiran was fair to Nilkanta at the end of the story? How would you have reacted to him had you been in her place?

3. How did Nilkantha leave without telling anyone? Was he justified in doing so? Answer in detail.

4. Write Kiran's character sketch.

5. Write Nilkanta's character sketch.