forbidden love
The short story "Dhowli," is a tragic tale about a woman who puts her trust and faith into a love that is forbidden, and how she is ultimately betrayed by that love. The story demonstrates how some of the choices that she made, and her own selfish pride led to the injustices she received.Misrilal is a young Brahman who is captivated by a young Dusad widow. In the Indian culture, the Brahman caste is one of the highest castes, and the Dusads are one of the lowest. Because of the difference in castes, a relationship between the two is forbidden. Although Misrilal is aware of this, he nonetheless persists in pursuing Dhowli. Dhowli is tormented with his proclamations of love and wanton lust. She has never experienced such feelings of fear. Fear of the possibility that a Brahman is going to take her virtue, and even more terrifying, the possibility that a Brahman may evoke similar feeling from her. Even though Dhowli is not permitted to engage in the same traditions the other Dusads do, she still longs for them. Alas she is a lowly Dusad widow, an "untouchable," and she knows deep within her soul that she will never experience any of these glorious things again. And even as she realizes this, her mind in
Misrilal is told of what Dhowli has become. He is outraged that she dare do such a thing. He would rather she had killed herself than wound his pride by becoming a whore. He wants to kill her, but deep inside he still loves her so instead he ensures that she will have to leave her home and become a professional prostitute elsewhere. To Dhowli, this is the greatest injustice of all. Solomon. New York: Penguin Group, 1992. 230-57. sists that there is a man, a Brahman, standing before her relentlessly proclaiming his love and desire for her. Despite the knowledge that this can not be and against all that she believes, she finds herself surrendering to her own desires. After the wedding, Misrilal returns and Dhowli sends for him. Dhowli asks with bitterness and regret what Misrilal is planning to do to help her raise the child now that he has ruined her and made her an outcast. Even now, Misrilal attempts to tell Dhowli that he had loved her and that he was forced to do what he had done. Finally, Dhowli has heard enough. She no longer cares to hear his cowardice. She simply wants her son to survive. He insists that he will help her, but predictably, he does not.
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1140
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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