great works ii – 2850 jta 12:25-2:05: love letters from the world

Tagore short story, “Punishment” tells the story of two brother who face an dilemma, in which they take unethical steps to help solve it. The over arching ethical problem explored within this short story is the lack of respect and significance for another humans life,  especially for the women within this Bangladesh community. This is lack of respect and value demonstrated specifically through Chidam, one of the brothers action. In an attempt to protect his brother, he construct this lie stating that his wife, Chandara, rather than his brother , Duhkiram, killed his sister in law. He states ” “Thankur, if I lose my wife I can get another one, but if my brother is hanged, how will I replace him”(895)? Although this statement was stated in distressed, it confirmed that there was indeed a lack of respect shown for the women in this community. They were treated like object that could be replaced. As a result of his lack of value for his, Chidam was willing to let his wife die in order to save his guilty brother. Within 19th century Bangladesh culture, women weren’t seen as citizens, let alone people. They were treated and thought of as inferior. Therefore, it isn’t a surprise that Chidam would think of his wife any different.  He only admitted her innocence when he was in the public eye, ridden with guilt. Chidam wasn’t aware, prior to the trial that his wife, although a woman, too deserved dignity, then recognized the importance of her as a human, and not an object.  Tagore uses this story to explore the ethical issue of whom we deem inferior, specifically women, and how this can have detrimental effect on society ethics as a whole.