XI - Malini

Unit - 5

Malini - Analysis

- Rabindranath Tagore

The play "Malini" written by Rabindranath Tagore deals with love and hatred on the one hand the love has been shown in the purest form which is all indusive and all loving shown by the main character Malini. On the other hand in the name of love generating hatred and violence as shown by the character Kemankar. Moreover, this play is remarkable example how the sense of forgiveness is the best of human being. The essence of any religion should be based on humanity instead of drawing the demarcation line among different religions.

Malini is a princess who lives in simplicity. She does not want to put expensive clothes and jewelries as a result the queen is worried due to the behavior of her daughter. The queen expects Malini to behave like the princess but Malini is not showing in nature. She knows the bitter reality that outside the palace there are many with pain suffering and misery. She wants to put herself at the service of such sufferer. She believes that this world is like a stormy ocean where all human beings are trap inside the ship which is driven by inefficient captain. All the human beings are misled. Therefore Malini wants to drive the ship to the right destination.

Malini has followed a new creed (belief) i.e. Buddhism which has bothered the Brahmins who follows Hinduism. The Brahmins being afraid of Malini’s new creed demand for the banishment of Malini from the palace. The king remains in the state of confusion because on one hand he is a father and on the other hand he is a king. Neither he can banish his own daughter nor can he ignore the demand of his citizens. But quietly surprisingly Malini herself wants her own banishment. So that she can be among the laymen.

Supriya and Kemankar play the leading role among the Brahmins. They are friend to each other since their childhood and they have been taught same philosophy. However, there lies a huge gap in their way of thinking. Supriya is liberal and flexible in the sense that he can accept the ideas even if the truth. But on the other hand kemankar is rigid and dogmatic who cannot tolerate any ides i.e. against his religion. Whether that is base on truth or not. Kemankar being very much angry with Malini, makes the secrete plan to hire foreign armies and capture the kingdom along with the death of Malini. This secrete plan was known to Supriya therefore he revels Kemankar’s plan to the king. Kemankar is brought to the palace; he is put in chain and is asked for his last wish. Kemankar wishes Supriya to be in front of him. When Supriya is brought in front of kemankar they go through long conversation. When kemankar accuse Supriya of betraying his best friend and going against own aged long relation but Supriya keeps on defending himself by telling that he had not betrayed anyone rather he had supported Malini as an individual as for her beauty but for her sense of humanity, kindness, helpfulness and simplicity. Kemankar wants to hug Supriya. As Supriya is hugged he is hit on head with chain by kemankar. Supriya is dead on the spot.

The greatness of Malini is shown when she requests the king to forgive kemankar for his crime. Malini becomes the shining example of sense of forgiveness. When the anger of the king gets intensified seeing kemankar doing double crime but that has not affected Malini and that has not spoiled her sense of humanity…..