When I was first asked whether justice was done in Tagore’s “Punishment,” my initial reaction was that it was not done because the wife had not killed the elder brother’s wife, the elder brother did.  However, from a spiritual point of view, now I think that Justice was done.

The Bible, in establishing marriage, says that a man will leave his mother and father and will cleave to his wife and the two will become one.  The two will become one.  No longer is the man’s life his own, but it belongs to his wife and the same for the wife.

The dilemma in “Punishment” shows how little the younger brother considered his wife’s life, and therefore his own, according to biblical standards.  His initial reaction was that he could always get another wife but not another brother.  While that may be technically correct, it is morally incorrect.  Had the brother correctly assessed his wife’s part in his own life – as being part of himself – then he would have known that for him to put her in jeopardy would be the equivalent of putting his own life in jeopardy.

One of the characteristics of being a husband is being a protector of your wife and family.  Neither brother did that.  In fact, both of the brothers killed their wives.  Killed them without thinking about it and then were remorseful after the fact.  However, both of the brothers should have been executed.  The elder for killing his wife and the younger for bearing false accusations against his.

Justice is served in “Punishment” if each brother – as the younger wife aptly put it – goes to Hell.