Good Wives: Love, Domestic Virtue, and the Austenian Heroine in Swarnakumari Debi’s An Unfinished Song

Abstract

The article examines how Austenian influences filter through Swarnakumari Debi’s response to nineteenth century Bengali reformism through the heroine, Moni, in her novel An Unfinished Song. I argue that Moni is an Austenian bhadramahila heroine who combines colonial modernity, reformism, and traditional Hindu values, but the process is fraught with loneliness and contradiction for the heroine. Moni is upper caste, elite heroine and finds herself caught in the quagmire of feudal orthodoxy and colonial modernity, which she resolves through her choices in love. She seeks to be an ideal companion to her husband, but on the other hand, she also needs to be respectful of the traditions of the feudal Hindu household. Moreover, she is adamant to give expression to her own voice and thoughts. The novel captures the heroine’s predicament as she tries to navigate the transitional phase of moving from a feudal culture to colonial progress. Swarnakumari embraces the sweeping changes but shows the tensions inherent in these changes that her heroine must navigate.