–How does justice work in the world of “Punishment”? What happens when one tells the truth? What happens when one lies?
–What do we make of Chandara’s choice to take responsibility for the death of her sister-in-law? Do you see her as a hero or as a victim?
–Explain the significance of the details Tagore offers about the marriage between Chandara and Chidam. How do they help us understand the events of the story?
–How do you understand the title of the story?
–As she approaches death, Chandara both says, “to hell with him,” and maintains that she loves her husband. How do you reconcile these two apparently contradictory statements?
How do you understand the title of the story?
The title of the story “Punishment” Chandara took all responsibility for the death of her sister- in -law. Even though, she never committed a crime but when her husband decided to sacrifice her instead of his brother. She decided to take the responsibility of her sister- in -laws death because she want her husband could realize that he is responsible for her death, and guilty rest of his life. He never shows any respect to her and today if she refuses to take the blame than he will make her life measurable. Chandra decided to sacrifice her life rather than died every day. At the end of the story we see how Chidam wan to sees Chandara but she refused to see him. Chandara sacrifice her life and become a hero.
How do you understand the title of the story?
I perceived the title, Punishment, by Chandara using herself as a scapegoat to get away from the abusive husbands she lived with. She was trying to give her life away just to get away by the her sister and law’s husband and her husband as well. As the short story goes on, authorities cross examine each suspect in the crime and found out the husband of the sister in law was in fact the killer, and chandara was let loose because of her innocence. At the end of the trial and the story was coming to an end, authorities arrested the husband and chandara had no interest in seeming him as he was getting ready for the death sentence.
How do you understand the title of the story?
The title of the work, Punishment, I understood as exactly that. In the story, Chandara is essentially forced to take blame for the death of her sister in law by her husband. She was advised to follow a set plan with why she did it, but instead made up her own story which made her guilty for murder. Chandara made it a goal to ‘punish’ her husband and brother in law for their actions and views toward herself and her sister in law. The selfish husbands were indeed punished and left alone once both of their wives were now dead.
–How does justice work in the world of “Punishment”? What happens when one tells the truth? What happens when one lies?
In the world of “Punishment” there is no fair justice or fair hearing. The authorities didn’t take the necessary steps to find actual proof of what had happened and just went by with the first story which was a lie. Sometimes those who tell the truth get betrayed
and those who lie get away with murder literally.
How does justice work in the world of “Punishment”? What happens when one tells the truth? What happens when one lies?
Justice in the world of “Punishment” was unfair and executed too simply. Whether someone was guilty or innocent was judged based on stories told by witnesses, which shouldn’t be the only source of evidence. The police in the story had no other methods of uncovering the truth besides questioning the suspect and other people. When one tells the truth, no one believe him or her. On the other hand, the one who lies is believed by everyone. The lie is more accepted and believable compared to the truth.
–What do we make of Chandara’s choice to take responsibility for the death of her sister-in-law? Do you see her as a hero or as a victim?
Chandra’s choice to take responsibility of her sister in law’s death doesn’t have me view her as a hero nor victim. Granted she has very little power , taking the blame is not heroic in my eyes but foolish. The death had nothing to do with her , but yet she put in the position to do so. I neither see her as a victim because she once ran away from her husband and from that point she should’ve stayed with her uncle.
-As she approaches death, Chandara both says, “to hell with him,” and maintains that she loves her husband. How do you reconcile these two apparently contradictory statements?
She was tired of the life she was living and she saw this as an escape. She did loved him but she wanted more. She had no way of being restrain according to the sister in law. She knew he loved her but he couldn’t offer more and she needed more, specially his attention. As it seems on the reading she wasn’t okay with him not coming home for two days without the extra money so she would act up as an act of rebellion.
How do you understand the title of the story?
Generally, punishment refers to something/someone was judged for criminal. In this story, Chandara is the one who got punishment legally. However, Tagore seems stating about unseen punishment to Chidam and Dakiram instead of “actual punishment” to Chandara. As he says “lie can be even more terrible” to Chidam, it mentions about terrible thing that would happen to him later, which is Chidam’s action actually made Chandara dies.
How do you understand the title of the story?
Guilt.
How do you understand the title of the story?
-“Punishment” by Rabindranath Tagore is situated in Indian society.
In Indian society, men rule over women. Therefore, they abuse women.
The title, “punishment”, means that oppressed women by men finally punish men by telling the lie. Lie has a significant impact on this story. Chandara punishes his husband by a lie. No one believes what Chidam says. When Chidam wants too see Chandara, she says that she never wants to see him but wants to see her mother before she hanged. She punishes and frees herself by her death.
As she approaches death, Chandara both says, “to hell with him,” and maintains that she loves her husband. How do you reconcile these two apparently contradictory statements?
Chandara loves her husband. If she didn’t, she could have spoken the truth. However, she loved her husband so much but her husband didn’t appreciate it. In fact, Chidam blamed Chandara for the murder that Chandara never committed. So, she chose death over living with her husband. It was a protest against the evil action of her husband. That’s why from anger and protest she says “to hell with him.”
What do we make of Chandara’s choice to take responsibility for the death of her sister-in-law? Do you see her as a hero or as a victim?
Chandara’s choice to take responsibility lays less with the desire to take responsibility for the death for her sister-in-law and more with the desire to take her own life for she realized her own husband was willing to let her go to save his brother—she is replaceable. She gave up on her relationship. After this public accusation, she would have no face in society anyways and so death was better than the betrayal of her husband.
“As she approaches death, Chandara both says, “to hell with him,” and maintains that she loves her husband. How do you reconcile these two apparently contradictory statements?”
You can love someone and a spend fair amount of time not liking them. I don’t take the comment as wishing eternal damnation on him. They constantly raise the stakes in their snooping and probably everything else. If they both need drama, what better way to get that checkmate with final words.
How do you understand the title of the story?
She relieves herself of her guilt when she dies so I’d say freedom.