Lit271 - Mid Semester Deep Dive by Analisa Ramirez

Punishment by Rabindranath Tagore: Domestic Violence Against Women

05amramirez — 2025-03-20 06:18:59 UTC

Gender Roles:

Men are dominant and in control, women are expected to obey and be submissive under their manipulation.

Chandara is a young girl who has been taken advantage of due to her gender and being in a role that is easily replaceable to her husband, Chidam.

Radha, the elder wife, is killed by her husband Dukhiram in a heated rage when she gives him attitude expressing her frustration back at him.

Sexual Assault Case in France, December 2024

05amramirez — 2025-03-20 06:23:53 UTC

"But most rapes are committed by boyfriends, husbands and acquaintances, she says, and mostly go unpunished and unreported. Author Palain says the patriarchy is alive and well in France."

"Take the idea that the man is head of the household. That was struck from French law in the '70s, but many men still think they have life and death rights over their wives and children. We saw it in the trial. Their defense was, I didn't rape her. I was given authorization by her husband."

Broader World Connections

05amramirez — 2025-03-20 06:24:26 UTC

Gender Violence in Present Day India

05amramirez — 2025-03-20 06:26:32 UTC

Discussion Question

05amramirez — 2025-03-20 06:28:23 UTC

05amramirez — 2025-03-20 07:02:19 UTC

"Globally, almost one in three women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence at least once in their life. This violence is often perpetrated by current or former intimate partners."

05amramirez — 2025-03-24 06:26:56 UTC

A study done in India, on about 10000 women, 26 per cent reported having experienced physical violence from spouses during their lifetime.
The National Crime Records Bureau show that a crime was recorded against women every three minutes.
Every hour, at least two women are sexually assaulted and every six hours, a young married woman is beaten to death, burnt or driven to suicide.
28.4 per cent of pregnant women suffer domestic violence.
As a result of violence, women suffer social isolation, unemployment, income loss, poor self-care and fail to provide childcare.

05amramirez — 2025-03-24 06:37:23 UTC

Dominique Pelicot, Giselle Pelicot's now ex husband, received the maximum prison sentence for rape in France which is 20 years.

Why does this case matter?

05amramirez — 2025-03-24 06:42:04 UTC

This case brought up the debate of updating France's rape law which currently doesn't mention that sex should involve consent.

05amramirez — 2025-03-24 07:05:41 UTC

"In India, girls are valued less than boys..."

Punishment quote:

"Thakur, if I lose my wife I can get another, but if my brother is hanged, how can I replace him?"

Domestic Abuse Murder in Kolkata, India, May 2024

05amramirez — 2025-03-24 07:37:39 UTC

"Kolkata was shaken by yet another case of domestic abuse leading to murder a few days back when a 22-year-old woman was repeatedly stabbed by her estranged husband, first inside a café in the Beck Bagan area of Kolkata, and then again on the road outside, forcing her to flee while screaming for help. According to reports, locals apprehended the assailant and handed him over to the police. The woman was taken to SSKM Hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival. The 29-year-old husband had previously been arrested on charges of domestic abuse filed by his wife and was later released on bond."

05amramirez — 2025-03-24 19:47:20 UTC

Kolkata, formerly Calcutta, is where Tagore is originally from.

05amramirez — 2025-03-24 20:03:32 UTC

What do stories like Punishment teach us about gender role beliefs across cultures?

05amramirez — 2025-03-25 06:48:46 UTC

"Chidam asked Chandara to take the blame on to herself. She was dumbfounded. He reassured her: "Don't worry - if you do what I tell you, you'll be quite safe." But whatever his words, his throat was dry and his face was pale."

Chidam himself definitely had doubt in his promise and probably felt a certain fear. Though it can be inferred that this fear fell more in the concern that his brother would end up being found guilty because he didn't seem to have any fear over losing his own wife.

Why does any of this matter?

05amramirez — 2025-03-25 06:58:04 UTC

05amramirez — 2025-03-25 07:04:24 UTC

"I shall give my youth to the gallows instead of to you. My final ties in this life will be with them."

Chandara's escape from her husband's control lies within her death sentence for the murder she's taken the fault for. It's interesting for her to end up in this position because she's essentially finally gaining her freedom, but losing her entire life altogether at the same time. What does this say about how the dehumanization of women impacts them? They'd rather choose death over life because death in this case means freedom.

05amramirez — 2025-03-25 07:07:25 UTC

Each year, approximately 500,000 women are victims of domestic violence, and those are only the reported statistics that don't included those who have been silenced or afraid to speak up.

05amramirez — 2025-03-25 07:23:04 UTC

These news stories are only from last year, making them recent and very frightening examples of some of the ongoing violence and manipulation of women by their partners.