Ras

July 15, 2016 9:10 AM

Marriage and economics have never been independent of one another. The relationship between the two in the affairs of men and women is memorably dramatised in this story by Narendranath Mitra, one of Bengal’s greatest short-story writers. And the narrative time of the story and the arc of the romances within it are marked, too, by the cycle of the seasons in a rural economy, as seen through the life of the protagonist, Motalef, a tapper of palm-trees.
posted by infini (4 comments total)

Oh, that's such a good story. Thank you.
posted by corb at 11:54 AM on July 15, 2016

Phalene, the violence and economic interdependence and trade - gifts vs selling, prices for a widow over a daughter - and the moments of kindness and affection that became shattered and missed by that violence or greed, I don't think it's a dismissal by the writer as a plot point, but a constant thread off physical violence and fear that flashes forward and rearranged lives.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 6:10 PM on July 15, 2016 [3 favorites]

There was a movie. It might be available on youtube
posted by infini at 8:32 PM on July 15, 2016

The movie and story end differently (according to wiki movie summary; I haven't watched it). The movie apparently makes it about the women's relationship in the end? (Trying not to be spoilery here). That one subtle plot twist really changes the flavor of the story.
posted by slipthought at 2:09 PM on July 16, 2016