Postcolonial Feminist Theory: An Overview - Igcollege.org

Proceedings of National Seminar on Postmodern Literary Theory and Literature , Jan. 27-28, 2012, Nandedprincess who is extremely couragears, royal andgallant by behaviour. Chitra protects her subjectsfrom enemies and wild beasts with her bows andarrows. Hence she is called - she is a tom boy,delighting in all manly activities like archery andhuniting (Roy 41).2Chira is a perfect lady, a protector ofvillagers. She was the terror of all evils doers.Her presence in the kingdom assures people tolive in freedom. They only feared natural death,but had no other fears.Arjuna has fallen in live with Chitrawho, barrowed exquisite beauty from God ofVasanta and God of Madana loved their lifevery happily. After one year passed Arjunapleaded his inability to accept the love preferredby Chitra to him. She felt disappointed but didnot lose her heart and tells Arjuna, "Iam not thewoman who nourishes her despair in lonelysilence feeding with nightly tears and covering itwith the daily patient smile a widow from birth.The flower of my desire shall never drop into thedust before it has ripened to fruit"3. Sheachieved her goal by her superb beauty receivedas a gift from Madanan and Vasanta and withthe help of this gift she brought the world'sfamous hero to her feet.Chitra has extraordinary power of selfanalysis and realised that she was loved byArjuna not for her innate qualities, but for herborrowed beauty she quotes Arjuna in bittersarcasm ;"When a woman is merely a woman,when she winds herself round and round men'shearts with her smiles and sobs and service andcaressing endearments then she is happy". Sheasked then what is the use of her learning andgreat achievements.4She found that Arjuna had becomeweary of the idle life of love making and wantedto hear daring - manly acts of princess ofManipur who used to extend protection to hersubjects. Arjuna was unaware of the real identityof the lady with whom he was spending his daysnights. Chitra put to him a straight question :"would it please your heroic soul if the playmateof the night aspired to be the help mate of theday, if the left arm learnt to share the burden ofthe proud right arm."Chirtra being a full control of herpoentials cherished from a long, a desire to seeand challenge. Arjuna the word's greatest archerto prove her skills in single combat with him andquotes, "Many a day my young ambition hadspurred me on to break my lance with him tochallenge him in disguise to single combat andto prove my skill in arms against him".5At last she disclosed her identity veryproudly and declared : "Iam Chitra. No goddessto be worshipped, nor yet the object of commonpity. to be burshed aside like a moth withindifference. If you disign to keep me by yourside in the path of danger, If you allow me toshare the great duties of your life, then you willknow my trueself." (136 Chitra)6In this way Chitra's personality with theexposition of feminism in India has multi rolesin her-a beautiful lover, a good wife, a mother, adaughter and an archer, a protector of people.Long before she met Arjuna and had dreamt ofdefeating him. That very time the idea ofproving equality of women in the field which isespecially reserved for men is difficult, daringand noteworthy one. Tagore's Chitra is superiorand not meek, mild, traditionally stereotype. Shenever nourishes her despair in lonely silence, onthe countray in full control of her potentials, shechallengs male domination.This is the goal and achievement offeminist movement. These above lines areinspiring to young educated women in India andpost-modern generation. The protagonist Chitratruly advocates the ideal of co-partnershipbetween man and woman in the great path oflife. The Tagore's play Chitra is the quintessenceof romance and rear combination between youthand beauty and the beauty of her soul which ispermanent and everlasting. She is not onlybeautiful but also dutiful in the great business oflife. Her perfection in life pleased Arjuna andimparted his last words," Dear I am fulfilledtoday (62 Chitra)7 to take over the futureresponisbility of a child. Hence RabindranathTagore assigns a central place to women whoare strong bold, to achieve new image and readyto face any problems and difficulties in theirlives.Reference1. Tagore Rabindranath Glimpses of Bengal1890 : 49369 PLTL-2012: ISBN 978-81-920120-0-1