Dimensions Of Culture, Gender, And Society In Tagore’S Chokher Bali

Chokher Bali, (translated as ‘Eyesore’) by Rabindranath Tagore is said to be the first ‘modern’ novel written in India. Though the book was published in 1903, it is modern in its narrative technique, subject matter, and delineation of the protagonist Binodini. Through this paper, I will study the text's historical, geographical, and cultural background. The analysis of the text will engage at the level of society, gender, and history. For this purpose, the novel has been examined through the lens of Cultural Studies to explore Tagore’s depiction of the Indian society that was undergoing social transformation. The study also seeks to determine whether the characters' choices were governed by the cultural and religious practices of the specific time frame within which the narrative has been woven. My goal is to examine the novel as a cultural artefact that is shaped by its context and provides insight into the nuances of the age. Key words: Social reforms, culture, agency, representation, emancipation, identity.