Chapter 1 Summary

The Home and the World by Rabindranath Tagore is an interesting allegory of Indian politics in the early twentieth century. As a means of encouraging his wife, Bimala, to emerge into the outer world, Nikhil introduces her to Sandip, an active leader in the Swadeshi movement. Bimala soon becomes immersed in the revolutionary fervour of Swadeshi and finds herself torn between the duties of home and the world. The Home and the World is a tragic example of the conflict between realism and idealism.

In Bimala's Story, Part 1, Bimala recalls her mother's vermilion mark, the mark of Hindu wifehood and the symbol of devotion. When she marries into the Rajah's house, her husband's dark face lifts her heart regarding her own lack of physical beauty, yet it leaves a lingering regret. Knowing from childhood how devotion is its own beauty, Bimala wakes early...