Saturday, June 26, 2010

“The Postmaster” Solved Essay Type Question




Analysis of ‘The Postmaster’ – A Short Story by Rabindranath Tagore

“The Postmaster” Solved Essay Type Question

Q. What do you think is the chief elements of the story – The Postmaster?

This is a touching story of a city-bred young man working as a postmaster in a remote village to earn his bread and butter. He lives here more out of compulsion rather than a choice. Rabindranath’s finely crafted poetic narrative brings out the haunting home-sickness of the educated young man at a place where he finds no suitable companion as well as the mellow natural greenery and serenity that encompasses him here. On the other hand, the despair and agony of Ratan, the young orphan girl who foolishly identified her kind master as her elder brother as he took a personal interest in her, has also been worded very artistically in this moving story. This the postmaster did partly to pass his long leisure which hung heavy in his hand and partly not to be distracted by the memories of his near and dear ones who were in Calcutta. When the moment of parting finally came, and when the postmaster, having felt a bit of compassion for the servant-girl, offered her recommendations and money, Ratan was rendered heart-broken. Having believed that she was going to find genuine love and a home sooner or later, the offer of money burned the very core of her being. Bursting into tears, she ran away refusing all the help.

The postmaster despite his not so little feelings for Ratan realised with a heavy heart that no lasting relationship was possible with her. Finally, as his boat begins sailing swiftly and the village of Ulapur recedes further in the distance, he tries to find comfort in the thought that “there are so many separations and deaths” in the world.

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