The Pillars of the Society - Henrick Ibsen

THE PILLARS OF THE SOCIETY – HENRICK IBSEN

Justify the title of the Drama

It is the first serious social drama produced by Henrick Ibsen. The Play describes the shady machinations of the rising businessman. He employs all means of fair of foul to acquire wealth and build up an image in society completely concealing his real self even from his wife. The play comes to an end with the confession of the leading characters. He declares his intention to start a new era without affection, hypocrisy and its pretence of virtue and its miserable fear of public opinion.

Mr. Karstan Bernick is the hero of the play. He is the most important man. He is regarded as a man with high morality and a pillar of the Society. He is a weed. But he is considered as the corn. Mr. Bernick and other pseudo pillars of the society are the cankers of the society.

Mr. Karstan Bernick is a ship builder. At first his mother looked after the firm. Bernick took over the firm from his mother. At that time the financial condition of the firm was in the worst position. At first, he loved Lona Hossel but her half sister Betty came into his life. Bernick found that she was prettier and richer. So, he changed his love from Lone to Betty. At the same time, he was found in the house of Mrs. Dorf. But Johan for the sake of his sister took the blame and went to America. Later a rumour was spread that Johan and taken cash also from the firm. Thus, Bernick could get time to repay his creditors.

The men like men surrounded Mr. Bernick. Mr. Rorland, Mr. Rummel and Mr. Hilmar were of the same category, the pseudo pillars of Society. All of them agreed to support the Railway Project on the condition that they would get one fifth of the booty.

Every action of Bernick was selfish. He objected the coastal line because it affected the steamer service. The branch line was proposed to exploit the forest wealth. Buts they passed on as the pillars of society. A huge gathering assembled to greet him.

He was callous towards the problems of the employees. He did not realise the problems of the retrenched workmen. He wanted only profit.

He was not happy in domestic life. There was no communication between Benrick and his wife and his son Olaf. He could do everything from his wife when he realised his son was stowed away in the Indian Girl felt repentant.

When Lona hear the Bernick thrived on a lie, she decided to make Bernick himself. So, she made Bernick to shed away the false morality and confess the guilt. He felt the women were the pillars of Society. Lona corrected him. She told him that the spirit of truth and the spirit freedom are the pillars of the Society. The society ladies Mrs. Rummel, Mrs. Holt and Mrs. Lynge pretended to be virtuous. But they were the real gossipmongers. Though they haunted Bernick’s house, they stopped visiting him when Lona and Johan returned. The theme of the play has a universal appeal. So, the title of the play The Pillars of the Society is very appropriate.

Character Sketches

Mr. Bernick:

Mr. Karstan Bernick is the hero of the drama The Pillars of the Society. In the beginning of the drama, we have seen him as a very busy businessman, with high morality and principles. Though a weed of the society he was considered the corn. He cleverly hid everything from his life.

Bernick was filled with hypocrisy, false affection, and false virtue was afraid of public opinion. His entire progress depended on a lie. His brother-in-law Johan took away the cash and he was in the house of Mrs. Dorf.

The moving spirit of his actions was selfish craving for power, influence and position. At first when he heard of the coastal line, he fought against it as if affected his steamer service. When an inland line has to be considered, Bernick proposed a branch line to exploit the minerals of the area. He made arrangements to buy lands to become a millionaire. The other pillars of society agreed to it for one fifth of the profit.

He was callous in his attitude towards his employees. He introduced modern machines for more profit without showing any concern for the retrenched workers. He wanted that Indian Girl should sail at the fixed time. When he heard that the repairs were done was defective, he did not stop the sailing of it. When he heard that his son Olaf was in the ship he felt very much.

There was no communication in his house between himself and his wife and his son. He hid his real self from his wife. He did not allow his son to grow up freely. He boasted of high moral principles. At first, he loved Lona. When he found her sister, Betty was richer and pretty, he courted her. At the same time, he had relationship with the pretty actress Mrs. Dorf.

When Lona and Johan returned from America he was not surprised. To the surprise of his wife he asked her to treat them well. Lona let in the fresh air into the stuffy life of Bernick. She made him to confess and be himself. When he was exposed and brought face to face with the realist of the situation his conscience made him a coward. He confessed and was exonerated.

Ibsen gave much importance to the plot. So, the portrayal of Bernick’s character is not convincing. But still in our life we see many Bernick realised that spirit of the truth and spirits of freedom are the pillars of Society.

Lona Hessel

Lona Hessel is one of the famous women characters of Ibsen. She anticipates the famous characters like – Nora in A Doll’s House. She has her individuality. She is capable of intense love and necessary willingness to sacrifice self-interest for the welfare of the man whom she loved.

She is a representative of the New World free from inhibitions, prejudices and narrow-minded morality. When she was in America, she cut her hair, wore men’s boots to spite the people.

She had too much affection to her brother Johan. So, she went to America with him. There she sang in taverns, preached and published books. Though Mr. Bernick loved and rejected her she did not think of revenge.

One day she came to know that the life and progress of Mr. Bernick was based on a lie. She pretended to be home sick. She returned to Norway. In the beginning she told them that she was no supply of fresh air into the stuffy life of the people there.

She told Bernick to confess the guilt and be himself, so he confessed. Betty was able to win him. Lona is the symbol of reformation of Mr. Bernick and the society.

Martha Bernick

Martha Bernick is the sister of Mr. Bernick. Johan was her playmate. She loved him. But he went to America. She could not inherit money from her mother. So, she taught in a school. She lived with the Bernicks. She helped the poor children.

When Dina Dorf became an orphan, Martha took her to the house of Bernick. She took good care of Dina. Johan returned. He looked much younger by breathing fresh and free air. Martha looked older by the stuffy atmosphere. Johan had no eye for Martha.

Johan was attracted by Dina. Dina was ready to marry him. At that time the person Rorland revealed the shady past of Johan. Dina was confused. Then Martha and Lona persuaded Dina to trust Johan.

Martha and Lona herald the strong women characters of Ibsen like Nora. She made the supreme sacrifice for her lover.

Miss Dina Dorf

Miss Dina Dorf was the young girl, who lived with the Bernicks. She hated the people with prudish morality. She wanted to be free from the convention-ridden society. She had a rebellious and independent spirit. But sometimes she was confused. She was not certain to whom she should trust.

Her father and mother were actors. One day Bernick was found with her mother. So, her father deserted her. After the death of Dina’s mother, Martha took her to Bernick’s house. She hated the prudish morality of the people especially the gossipmongers like Mrs. Rummel and her friends.

She decided to go to America to be herself first. After setting her foot properly she desired to marry Johan. She called Rorland a parson because of his hypocrisy and prudish morality. She hated the behaviour of the people towards her, as she was the daughter of Mrs. Dorf, an actress. She hated Rorland because he acted as if he was lifting a poor despised girl to his level.

Johan

Johan was the younger brother of Mrs. Betty Bernick. In the beginning he was thought less youth. Mr. Bernick was engaged with Betty. But one day he was found in the room of Mrs. Dorf. It would have spoiled Bernick. But Johan took the blame and went to America. Later rumours were also there about the missing cash.

Lona Hessel accompanied him. She called him my boy she works hard to help Johan during his difficult days.

Martha expected Johan to return like the prodigal son. Johan prospered and returned. He looked young no inclination to Martha. He fell in love with Dina. But at that time Rorland disclosed that Johan was responsible for the tragedy of Dina’s mother. 

Johan requested Bernick to exonerate him. He threatened to black mail Bernick with the two letters. When he could win the heart of Dina, he gave the letters Lona to return to Bernick.

At first, he wanted to travel in the Indian Girl. Later made a plan to travel by the Palm Tree.

Personally, he was not interested to black mail Bernick. So, he gave the two letters to Lona before he went for America. Johan is the representative of the New World, free from inhibitions, prejudices and narrow-minded morality. He offers refreshing and informative, contrast to the stuffy world of hypocrisy and pettiness in which men like Bernick live.

Mr. Krap

Mr. Krap is the confidential clerk of Bernick. At first, we see him talking to Mrs. Aune. He was asked to pass a message to Aune to stop his Saturday lectures to the men. He was true and faithful to the master.

Later he reports to Bernick the way in which Aune got the American ship called Indian Girl was repaired. Aune patched up the ship, and it was sure to sink.

He advised Bernick to check the ship. But Bernick was happy when the inspection was over. Bernick was at a loss when he realised that his son was a stowaway in the ship.

The character of Mr. Krap is not given much importance.

Mr. Aune

Mr. Aune was the foreman of Mr. Bernick’s ship building yard. At first Mr. Bernick told him through Mr. Krap to stop his Saturday lectures to the workers. Mr. Aune believed that it was his duty to enlighten the workers about the harm done to the workers by the modern machines. He presented his case to Mr. Bernick. According to Bernick many copywriters lost their job when printing was introduced. Mr. Aune retorted and said that Mr. Bernick would not have felt that way had been a copywriter.

Bernick gave Aune the ultimatum. If the American ship called Indian Girl, was not ready for sail along with the Palm Tree. Mr. Aune would be dismissed. Mr. Aune took it seriously. He patched up the ship so that it would perish in the sea. Before the ship taken to the yard. Aune enquired Bernick whether he would be dismissed in case if the ship were not ready. Bernick repeated his threat. So Anue allowed the ship to go to the sea. When he came to know that Olaf, the son of Bernick was stowaway in the American ship he took his boat and went to the ship with Betty Bernick. He used Bernick’s good name to stop the sail of the ship and saved Olaf and the crew. He was very happy when he learns that he was not dismissed.

Mr. Aune is the representative of sulking employee under as overbearing chief. He resents the way of Bernick to sabotage his plans. He got a ready patched up ship to spite Bernick. Three generations of Aune had worked for Bernick.

Mr. Rorlund

Mr. Rorlund was a schoolmaster. Dine called him parson in the first act we see him reading gilt-edged book to the ladies. Mr. Rorlund is quite necessary for the plot. Mr. Rorlund’s hypocrisy was worse than Bernick’, because it was without any motivation.

His prudish morality and condensation in lifting a fallen woman’s child drove Dina crazy. So, she ran away to America to escape from him. He felt that he was a strong pillar of the Society. He was like a puritan. He always preached to Dina. His morality did not prevent him from loving Dina. He unnecessarily told Dina that Johan was responsible for the tragedy of her mother. Lona and Martha prevailed up on Dina, and she went to America to have her footing. Mr. Rorlund spoke to the crowd in praise of Mr. Bernick and other pillars of Society. So, in the end we find the pseudo pillar of Morality is exposed.

Explain Importance of IV Act.  (Or) Elucidate Circumstances that led to the confession of Bernick.

In the drama The Pillars of Society the most important act is IV Act. A huge gathering of citizens assembled in front of the house of Bernick to felicitate him for the railway project. Rummel and Vigeland made arrangement for it. Dine decided to go to America with Johan. At first, she wanted to make her footing and then to become the wife of Johan. She was fed up with prudish morality of the people.

Olaf escaped from the house to say goodbye to his uncle. Martha disclosed that she had been waiting for Johan returned but he showed no inclination to her. His eyes were on Dina. So, she is sacrificing nature of Martha is shown.

Bernick and Lona met; Lona enquired Bernick whether he was happy at that solemn movement. He said that he was a tool of the society. He told her that his wife was nothing to him. Lona told him that he was so because he failed to share his interests with her. She lived under the self-reproach for the shame. Bernick cast upon Johan.  So, Lona advised him to confess the guilt and make himself. Lona informed him that went to America with Dina. Dina was going to be the wife of Johan. In that way Dina was going to spoil the prudish morality.

Lona also informed Bernick that she was there not to take revenge. She came to know that the Bernick’s life was based on a lie. She wanted to blow some fresh air in the stuffy atmosphere of Bernick's life. She tore the letters given to her by Johan. It moved Bernick very much.

The procession of the citizen reached the house. Betty was not there. He learnt the Olaf was stowaway in the Indian Girl. Bernick felt that the illuminations were like candles in a dead room. At that time Betty Bernick reached there. She told him now Olaf was taken from the Indian Girl with the help of Aune.

Rorlund spoke very vociferously about Bernick. Bernick told the crowd he was selfish in his actions. He was the man who bought the lands. He also told them how he lived on a lie by abusing Johan. He admitted his guilt.

Betty was very happy, she felt that she won him. He allowed Olaf to grow up freely. Thus, Bernick confessed and was exonerated. But the confession is not convincing. Bernick believed that “women were the pillars of the Society”. Lona corrected him by saying that the “spirit of freedom and spirit of truth were the pillars of Society”.

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He Who Rides A Tiger - Bhabani Bhattacharya

Bhabani Bhattacharya is an Outstanding Novelist in Indian English Literature 

The Bengal Famine of 1943 obsessed the mind of Bhabani Bhattacharya resulting in his first novel “So Many Hungers!” though “He Who Rides A Tiger” was published in 1955 after a twelve years gap, the famine is a haunting memory for him. However, it does not treat the Bengal Famine with the depth and concentration with which “So Many Hungers!” does. The novel focuses on the darkest chapter in the history of Bengal,

"It was almost darkest in the history of Bengal. A plague took the land in its grip, the plague of hunger, in the wake of 1943."

Bhattacharya presents a gruesome picture of Bengal famine during the year 1943 in “So Many Hungers!” and “He Who Rides a Tiger”. To quote his words,

"... the plague of hunger in the wave of war... no rationing of food-grains, no price control, no chocking of giant sharks who play cornering game on a stupendous scale... barns are empty -— the peasants had been induced to sell off their grain. Markets are empty-the grain is hidden away... And now the rice was five times the old rate, weavers sold their looms to traders from big cities... Artisans sold their tools. Fishermen's boats were chopped up for fire wood to sell... The plague washed up in fierce tides" (He Who Rides a Tiger, p.15)

As a result of the Bengal Famine, poor people are deprived of food. The middle class and rich people are managed to get through the situation by their savings and reserve supplies. Poor people are the victims, as they depend on their day-to-day earnings. The result is the massive hunger deaths. Bhabani Bhattacharya portrays the picture of poor people during the time of famine as,

"Weavers sold their looms to traders from big cities who scoured the countryside for bargains. Artisans sold their food. Fishermen’s boats were chopped up for firewood to sell. The plague washed up in fierce tides. Bengal was dying. Jharna was dying." (HWRT, p.15)

In his first novel “So Many Hungers!”, the novelist vividly portrays the effects of the famine and the life of poor peasants in the remote village of Bengal, called Baruni. In his third novel, he again mentions the evils of famine in Jharna, a remote town of Bengal. Baruni and Jharana symbolise extreme hunger and poverty during the Bengal Famine. The conditions of poor people and the exploitation of selfish traders are same in both the places. Dr. C. Paul Verghese rightly remarks,

"Food is the primary requisite of human dignity; hunger debases and dehumanizes man. Bhattacharya has dealt quite forcefully with the theme of hunger and the concomitant theme of human degradation in his novels ‘So Many Hungers!’ and ‘He Who Rides a Tiger’."

In “So Many Hungers!”, the characters are silent and passive observers of the effects of famine. They yield to the situation without any revolt or protest, whereas in “He Who Rides a Tiger”, the characters are not mere spectators of sufferings but they revolt against the human injustice. As Malta Grover points out, "The novel “He Who Rides a Tiger” is also written with the famine for the background and deals with the same theme, the only difference being that, So Many Hungers! is a silent stage of human miseries and sufferings, this novel is their vocal protest."

In “So Many Hungers!”, the human degradation is at the lowest level. The hunger-stricken masses behave like beasts. The hunger turns Kalo, the protagonist, into a thief in “He Who Rides a Tiger”. Kalo could not resist hunger, at the sight of bananas in the high-class compartment in the train. Hunger drives him to steal the bananas in an aggressive mood.

The novel,” He Who Rides a Tiger”, is based on an ancient saying, "He who rides a tiger cannot dismount." But Bhabani Bhattacharya through the character of Kalo makes it possible to dismount the tiger if the necessity arises. The character of Kalo is one of the best creations of Bhattacharya. Kalo, the protagonist of the novel, is a blacksmith living in a small town Jharna with his daughter, Chandra Lekha. The novelist describes his appearance of his hero,

"But Kalo, black, was true to his complexion, which had the colour quality of ink and people said that when he sweated, you could collect the oozing fluid for your inkwell." (HWRT, p.1)

But, Kalo performs a miracle by avenging himself on the wealthy and high caste people and becomes a legend in his own life-time.

Kalo’s wife dies after giving birth to a child. He does not marry again only due to his affection towards his daughter Chandra Lekha. She is a very beautiful girl like her mother and in color opposite to his father. People comment,

"He is iron all over, three mounds of metal, with one tender spot at his top, and that spot is Lekha, his daughter." (HWRT, p.1)

Kalo has firm faith in the traditional values of life. The caste hierarchy is deep in his spirit. An interesting point is that people from other communities also seek his advice,

"…Men of his community and other communities nearby come trustfully to him for counsel whenever a festive day was to be celebrated, a quarrel to settled, or a death to be mourned. His words were calm and wise. His decision had the weight of finality. His strength seemed based on an inner metal, which people recognized, and they knew Kalo could be relied upon." (HWRT, p.16)

Though unable to understand the validity or the utility of the established social order, Kalo never questions its existence. Honesty, hard work, and faith in law and justice are the core of his being. 

       He is "a man of accepted conventions and his roots run deep into age-old habits of mind and               belief." (HWRT, p.43)

Kalo joins his daughter in a mission school, in spite of the financial constraints. He works hard and earns enough to pay for Lekha’s school fees. Lekha is not only beautiful but also intelligent. Kalo has no limits to his joy, when Lekha stands first at the annual test and gets double promotion. As Kalo can just read and write he cannot answer her questions in her subjects. So, he starts to learn from her books. This shows his eagerness to help his daughter and his determination to face any difficulty for her sake. He feels sad when anybody calls his lovely daughter Kamar’s daughter. Come to Lekha, Kalo is everything for her. When her classmate comments at her father’s work, she feels hurt and fights with her. Even in her fancy she cannot bear to see him mocked or insulted.

No one in the Jharna town responds to the incident when Lekha wins Ashoka Memorial medal in an essay writing competition. Kalo is very proud of Lekha’s achievement and preserves copies of newspapers safely. He values medal more than his life. But the town remains silent as though nothing has happened. This incident sows the seeds of hatred in Kalo towards higher caste people.

The novel vividly portrays how the wealthy people are callously indifferent to the hungry millions and are greatly responsible for their miseries. The rich gladly offer a lot of milk to the temples and the Ganges. But they are not prepared to help the destitute even in ordinary manner. When Viswanath and Kalo give some of the bath milk of temple to the starving children, the wealthy people object to it in the strongest possible terms. In fact, these well-to-do people are not at all moved by the tragedy of the destitute dying like rats in a plague. They are absolutely unaffected by the suffering of the hungry masses. There is no lessening of the hunger for more than ten months at a stretch, though thunderous demonstrations by hungry marchers led by Biten, Viswanath and others are seen in the streets almost every day. In spite of large-scale arrests and beatings by the police, these demonstrations continue. But this does not end the miseries of the destitutes. So many heart-rending scenes of hunger are witnessed every day. There is the pathetic tale of Abhijit, a destitute lost child, who is adopted by Lekha and her father. Lekha’s first meeting with this hungry child is described in the novel thus,

"The boy had found a half-eaten mango, rotting in its yellow skin. He saw Lekha coming toward him and stiffened. He put the fruit back in the garbage and waited, staring. His mouth opened but no voice came. He could not even whimper or beg for mercy."

The attitude of the village folk shows that they have a set of simple values with "faith in the law that instrument which served out justice even to the poor."(p.33). Even in the most desperate state of hunger, they don’t commit suicide, because they believe in the preservation of life in a dignified manner.

"For days and months they had prayed hard, prayed to all the gods in temples and in heaven. The gods would not listen. They would not even bless the slow dying with death’s quick thunderbolt. Kill yourself and be relieved? That would be sinful. You could not take a life, not even you own." (HWRT, p.26)

Kalo decides to liberate himself and his daughter from hunger. He leaves his daughter in the care of his old aunt and starts his journey to Calcutta. The thought of leaving Lekha pains him, but he must earn for her and for her better future. He hopes "He must find work soon. He must save all he could. When he had a hundred rupees in his waistcloth, he would rush back home- the day of re-joining- and take Lekha with him to the city. Never again would Chandra Lekha have to fear hunger." (HWRT, p.21) The irony is the city itself is the source of hunger in addition to many evils.

After a long walk for hours, Kalo had nothing eat. He has eaten nothing for the past few days. So, he is hungry and loses his sense. In a fit of madness, he has stolen three ripened bananas from the first class compartment and is caught red-handed by the police. For this petty offence, he is handed over to the court for punishment. The cruelty and inhumanity of higher people is depicted clearly in the court scene. Kalo pleads with the Magistrate,

"I was hungry sir. Madness came upon me. It was because I thought I had to eat or I would die. Madness came upon me. I had to live." (HWRT, p.31)

This indicates that people degrade to the lowest position during the time of hunger. The Magistrate, after hearing Kalo’s misery, instead of showing pity questions harshly, 

            "Why did you have to live?" (HWRT, p.31) 

This question makes Kalo a rebel afterwards. Hunger has debased a man to a thief and a rebel. K.K. Sharma points out, 

          "Hunger not only alienates him from his family, profession and native place, but also sends him to jail for stealing fruit at a time when hordes of hunger-mad folks are moving about throughout Bengal. He is sent to prison as a common thief by the Magistrate who knows nothing of the meaning of hunger because he has never experienced it."

The words of Magistrate completely change the attitude of Kalo towards his fellow beings. He comes to know the life of a downtrodden person is not worthy enough to live in view of high-class people like the Magistrate. He loses his innocence and sows the seeds of revenge. He knows fully that he wants to live not for himself but for his daughter. He is not afraid of punishment but he is afraid of the wastage of time. He has to live because Chandra Lekha has to live. He is ordered to undergo three months imprisonment. This turns out to be significant period in his life. He loses his innocence and sows the seeds of revenge.

"His bulky figure, the face beard – stubble and lined with shock, shuffled and slowly from the prisoner’s bar. But a part of him stayed there, never to be regained. Something was gone and Kalo, blacksmith of Jharna town could never be whole again." (HWRT, p.32)

In his first novel, Bhabani Bhattacharya makes his characters suffer and undergo hardships and miseries. But in "He Who Rides A Tiger", he makes his characters revolt against the injustice and hitting back the people who are the cause of sufferings. In this novel, Biten, Kalo’s fellow prisoner, gives Kalo the idea of hitting back at the people. From Biten, Kalo comes to know about the horrible situation in the city he always dreams of a saviour. To face the society, the only way according to Biten is "hitting back". He remarks about the high-class people,

"They hit us where it hurts badly in the pit of the belly. We’ve got to hit back." (HWRT, p.37)

In the prison, Kalo shares a cell with Bikash Mukherji, who is known in the prison by his number B-10. B-10 is in prison for having protested against a policeman who has tried to kill a hungry destitute stood before an eating-place and stared at the food. Biten succeeds in instilling his revolutionary fervour in Kalo and convinces him that the right answer to society which has shown human callousness is to hit back. Biten casually mentions to Kalo how one can retaliate, to fake a miracle to get a temple raised by exploiting the gullible people, and to make fools of them by making them worship a bogus image.

While Kalo thinks for finding a honourable job after his release from prison, Biten opens Kalo’s eyes and explains the condition of present society and the easy way to make a living in the great city. It is Biten who gives the idea that makes Kalo ride the tiger. Biten asks,

"Can you wear a Saffron loincloth, smear your body with ashes, and mark a red-paste trident of Shiva on your forehead? Then, as you walk the streets, your alms bowl will fill up in no time; and may be, if you have luck, someone with money enough to squander will see in you a yogi with great spiritual power." (HWRT, p.40)

After his release, for some time Kalo takes up the job of carrying corpses of destitute into municipal trucks and unloading them at the cremation ground. He finds the job very harrowing. Not able to continue the present job, Kalo reluctantly takes up the work of procurer for a group of brothels in the city. Kalo finds it almost impossible to be a pimp but circumstances compel him to take up the job. He feels that his job as a harlot-house agent is as bad as his earlier job. When Kalo finds to his horror his daughter Chandra Lekha in the brothel house, he casts away his old values and wages a war against the entire social system.

"His battle was with the accuser, the age-old tradition, from which had come the inner climate of his being….Kalo had not only to deny but to eradicate the values by which he had been bred. He had to cut his social taproot and give up his inheritance" (HWRT, p.71)

Kalo renounces his caste and becomes a twice-born by wearing the nine-stranded sacred thread across his chest. He feels himself free from his spiritual bondage. He succeeds in making the miracle happen and a temple is erected on the hallowed spot. Money and materials pour in from all sides, especially form black marketers for whom worship is atonement for all sins committed and a guarantee of success in future undertakings. Kalo assumes a new name, Mangal Adhikari. A Board of Trustees is constituted to manage the financial and administrative work of the temple. Important men associate with the management. Among worshippers who come to the temple and touch Mangal Adhikari’s feet is the magistrate who has sentenced Kalo to hard labour for stealing bananas.

He is able to win over his enemies by sheer deception. The magistrate, who sentenced him to imprisonment, is seen touching his feet. He tells Lekha,

"The turn of the wheel favours us beyond all reckoning! ..They are paying. They touch our low-caste feet. They pray to a god who is no god. They are polluted, fallen. They are doomed - for many lives to come." (HWRT, p.93)

All the same Kalo feels sad, when poor people like coolies, rickshaw pullers and blind beggars spend their hard-earned money in the temple. Kalo appoints an old man named Vishwanath as a gardener in the temple. When he comes to know that the latter is a blacksmith, he desires to arrange a smithy for him in the future. Kalo does not forget Biten when he occupies a new position in his life. He remembers the day of Biten's release from prison and goes there, accompanied by his daughter, to receive him. He tells Biten how his plan worked and offers him a share in the income. But Biten rejects the offer. He feels that Kalo will surely be tired of the game in the near future. 
His comment —

"A man like you cannot trick himself too long" (HWRT, p.174)

implies a tribute to Kalo, as it suggests a high opinion of his true nature.

Kalo plays the role of a Brahmin so thoroughly that he is completely immersed in it at times. He abuses the old destitute, Vishwanath, for touching him. Lekha is shocked to see her father's behaviour. Meenakshi Mukherjee is incline to regard this act as a proof of Kalo's having struck root in Brahminism. But one cannot afford to forget that Kalo has only been playing a part with intensity. And inasmuch as such a piece of behaviour is expected of a typical Brahmin, it does not amount to a lapse on the part of Kalo, Mrs. Meenakshi Mukherjee's view may also be less than apt in the context, as Kalo's main purpose is to take revenge on brahmins. It should be hard indeed to believe that he ever has a deep desire to strike root in Brahmanism, as suggested by Mrs. Mukherjee. In fact Kalo's plan to arrange a smithy for Vishwanath in the future may be suggestive of the soft comer he has in his heart of hearts for his own profession, notwithstanding his pretences and pretensions. Kalo's attempt to make amends for his undesirable behaviour may speak of his ability to keep in touch with his own roots. The words spoken by him in the context to Viswanath may go a long way towards confirming that view.

"A craftsman honest with his iron and fire is as good as the best of folks. He can hold his head high because of the skill of his hands, his special knowledge." (HWRT, p.113)

The comment suggests that Kalo was not ashamed of his own roots by any means. The secret smithy he had set up in the attic of his house also reveals his deep attachment to his own roots.

Through the life history of Kalo, Bhabani Bhattacharya expresses his conviction in a positive, bright view of life. Kalo, a low-caste blacksmith upsets the social order by investing himself with Bharhminhood and rising to the top. He does not undermine the society but becomes a part of it and uses its power by accepting its rules and by fully comprehending to its purpose.

While thousands of people suffer due to hunger for food, rich people suffer due to hunger for soul. The hunger for soul is well cashed by some pseudo sadhus at all times. The innocent people are always the victims of this. As Biten says,

"Food for the soul is produced and sold like food for the stomach, and though the ways of the two trades are different, you pay for both with hard cash. The temple is a market and the priest a dealer. People are always ready to pay well for feeding the inner man!" (HWRT, p.41)

Notwithstanding the numerous evils emanating from famine, there is one blessing in disguise which accompanies it- elimination of caste. Hunger does not discriminate between man of the highest caste and that of the lowest. Kalo says to Motichand that like a hungry kamar or untouchable boy even a hungry Brahmin boy would eat from garbage cans. Likewise, the hungry demonstrators do not think of caste even for a moment and live and work together to demand food. Millions of hungry people eat together at charity kitchens, oblivious of their caste and creed, thus completely rejecting caste-ridden society.

Besides portraying the sufferings imposed by the famine on the people of Bengal, the novel has also depicted certain dramatic changes that have come about in the life of an individual, belonging to an oppressed and depressed section of the society. While presenting those changes, the author has allowed us an insight into the kind of society envisioned by him. It is a society in which notions of caste-based superiority or inferiority make little sense. It is a society in which uprightness and moral values prevail over frivolous and hypocritical emotions, bringing about the ultimate triumph of good over evil and truth over falsehood.

Kalo rides the tiger in the sense that he is able to successfully deal with his enemies. The tiger may also symbolise the mighty airs he has to assume to pass for a brahmin. Bhattacharya says,

"He rode a lie as if it were a tiger which he could not dismount lest the tiger pounce upon him and eat him up." (HWRT, p.85)

The suggestive title of the novel, “He Who Rides a Tiger”, can also be interpreted in relation to the theme of hunger. To sit and ride on the tiger’s back implies man’s quest for riding on hunger. Just as the tiger is ferocious animal and unhesitatingly kills man, so is hunger. Kalo and Lekha, two principal characters in the novel, suffer terribly on account of hunger and lose their home, peace, profession, morals and goodness. Hence, they decide to ride the tiger- symbolising relentless hunger.

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