A woman’s role in society is almost always pre-determined. Way before the concept of women going out to work and gender equality came into the picture, the thought of a woman not being dependent on a man financially was unheard of. Though now it may seem like a foreign concept, a few decades back this was the reality. R.K. Narayan very vividly depicted such a reality in his book, “The Dark Room”.
The Dark Room: A Glimpse
A dark room is probably a terrifying place for many. But imagine how much must a person have endured that they turn to this terror to find solace. “The Dark Room” narrates such a tale of Savitri, an Indian woman whose only place of peace in the entire house is a dark room. A place where all there is, is herself and her thoughts. Being the ideal Indian woman in those days meant keeping your opinions and thoughts to yourself. Hence the dark room acted as the only place where Savitri’s thoughts and emotions found some sort of outlet.
Following all her husband’s demands and then fulfilling all the whims and desires of her kids Savitri seemed to have achieved an unattainable ideal, yet what does she get in return? That’s the point the entire novel circles around. Being devoted and selfless in every aspect of life is great, but what if all you get in return are insults and a continuous reminder of all the ways in which you lack? How long can you truly hold out? Maybe that’s why hermits and saints prefer to detach themselves from society. They must have realised this society is just never satisfied and hence doesn’t deserve their purity and genuineness.
The Dark Room: A Subtle Yet Powerful Ending
After having enough when Savitri finally leaves her place behind. But her concerns about her daughters bring her back to her personal purgatory, her marriage. Even when she left her home, she still continued to seek solace in a dark room of the temple (the new place where she decided to work at). Upon her return, we get to see her husband’s reaction. Though he caused her to leave her home in the first place, he was seemingly unaffected by her departure. Rather than asking for her forgiveness and giving her the respect she deserves, he did quite the opposite. Her return to the purgatory of her marriage highlights how deeply embedded these societal values are within us. They make us choose a painful and slow death for the rest of our lives over truly living.
Afterword
“The Dark Room” though seems like a complex tale is actually very simple to grasp. It was and still is the story of millions of women in India. It is a story that will make you question why is it so hard to respect and praise the same women who we as a society are ready to worship as goddesses. It will also make you question how far is it okay to let the woman bear all the burden of marriage. How long are we going to confine them in their dark rooms without showing them a way out?
