Book review

The Novel is full of different feelings of life like hypocrisy, deception, kindness and desperation. All of
these are present in their full glory with colourful as well as shades of the characters. It also includes
their morality and their situations. This tragedy of domestic life gets a clear vision in
Narayan`s write-up. – Try 2 use this line
The Dark room offers a feminist view of the contemporary South Indian society. The very essence of the
autobiographical tone is not there in the dark room. The story of a middle class female set against the
backdrop of South India, the dark room echoes the frustration of a tormented wife. The main female
character Savitri retires to the dark room which is there at house whenever the frustration, disgust, pain
and torment becomes somewhat too much to bear. The dark room here acts as the catharsis whilst
aiding the main character to vent out her frustration; Ideally the title therefore matches with the
symbolism of the novel.

Story

The story entails the tale of a tormented wife. The Dark Room is a superb examination of a patriarchal
Society and also reflects the injustices that this type of society causes to woman and children. This is
regarded as an impressive as well as controlled novel, which eventually moves and hits the society.

The Dark room tells a poignant tale of dutiful women Savitri (a typical devoted Indian house wife of
those ages 1935) and her domineering husband Ramani (a typical arrogant Indian husband of those ages
1935). R.K. Narayan portrays that being a submissive housewife. As an outcome of their marriage, they
have three children Babu, Kamala and Sumati. Ramani is such a bossy chap, who expects every aspect
of perfection in his household and failing to meet that will only reinforce his bad temper . Unable to
bear his tantrums and her inability do anything against him, sometimes Savitri would shut herself in a
dark room in their house until her will fails her. As the story progressed in certain distance her husband
got engaged with another woman and in order to set up her place he shifted many of their furniture
from home. These include one of her favorite furniture also. While shocked by the news of his relation
Savitri tries to win back her husband but cannot do so because of Ramani`s adamant nature. During the
course one day she fights back and leaves home without thinking anything.
Things get complicated when a Shanta Bai comes in to picture. Shanta bai gets employed in the English
Insurance company, for which Ramani is a senior officer. Soon an intimacy develops between Ramani
and Shanta that strains the relationship between Savitri and Ramani. Incapable to swallow the infidelity,
Savitri venture to leave her husband and childrens. Even her absence never provoked fatheaded Ramani
to search for Savitri and extend a grain of sympathy to her. When Savitri is about to drown in river
sarayu, she is rescued and sheltered by Mari (a blacksmith & a burglar) and her wife Ponni. Resolved to
live independent, Savitri finds a petty job in a temple with the aid of Mari. Soon reality hits her and
remembrance of her childrens and her pitiful condition melts her determination (as usual) and makes
her find way to home.

Though the story sounds gloomy, RK Narayan retains the brightness through his elegant narration and
witty humor. None of the characters would fail to remind Indianism or I must emphasize south
Indiansim. It is a delight to read his characters. At the end of the book, when Savitri muttered to Ramani
“A part of me is dead”, RK Narayan touches the futility of matrimony. It is a profound statement.

Will the Gals of present generations be able to lead a life like Savitri?. With the considerable progress in
women’s emancipation since this book has written, I only presume Women’s might have
weakened in their morality and have improved to wring their Men’s neck (guys! no offence meant) in
the same circumstances now.But who knows !!!

The ’’ Dark room’’ is one of the rare RK Narayan novels, which deals with social consciousness.
Narayan generally writes on the lives of the inhabitants of Malgudi, their hopes, and
fears, successes and failures. By and large, his novels exude optimism and are cheerful in nature,
however the ’’ Dark Room’’ is an exception to this fact.

The novel is about Savitri, a typical Indian housewife whom her husband Ramani, being a
pompous and insensitive man ill-treats her in very subtle ways. The marriage slowly descends
into being a living hell from which there is no return for Savitri. The steady deterioration of the
marriage is movingly described. The book is a tribute to the servile Indian woman who swallows
all humiliations, slights to just keep the marriage afloat and keep up pretences in the society.
 
Narayan brings the pressures of married life out well. This book raises a lot of disturbing
questions regarding the institution of marriage. It is possibly one of the earliest books upon the
question of woman’s rights, gender equality etc. Readers might well remember that this book
was published around forty years back when these issues were not even considered important.
This book is a standing testimony to farsightedness and social vision of the author.

The question as to whether the personality of the individuals in the marriage should be
submerged in the larger interest of the marriage is one, which has been partially answered.
Narayan believes in the old school of thought, which believes that a woman has to discharge the
duties of a wife and a mother for her role in life to be self-fulfilling. Notwithstanding, this belief
of his, he is quite harsh on the insensitiveness of the husband who treats his wife with
indifference and contempt.
 
These actions of Ramani forces Savitri to withdraw herself into a cocoon, literally so. She
retreats to a dark room when she is deeply hurt. The dark room is the room used to store the junk
of the house. This is a very significant fact as Savitri’s self worth is deeply wounded, she
identifies herself with junk, something which has outlived its utility and biding time before it is
thrown away. The room is dark and she feels that there is no light waiting at the end of the
tunnel. The reason for her patience is due to her two children, for whom she has a lot of hopes.

The books though over forty years old deals with issues which are contemporary and the reader
will find it to be very topical. The scenes of marital discord in the book have been repeated over
thousands of homes and will continue to do so. In The modern age where one finds a lot of
marriage’s coming apart, the messages the novel tries to convey are educative and hopefully
readers may imbibe some of them. The novel is set in a South Indian milieu and Narayanan
manages to recreate the scenes of every day life successfully.

Narayan’s ideas regarding Woman’s emancipation, marriage run through the entire book
invisibly but his treatment of Savitri’s character is sympathetic. The book is definitely worth a
read but let readers be forewarned, this book will raise a lot of disturbing questions which will
haunt the readers for some time to come. Readers familiar with Narayan will see a new facet of
the man, this book should be read for that reason alone.

A woman has held a very strange place in Indian society. She has been revered for being ‘sati’
and at the same time she has been hated and loathed for being a widow or for not bringing
dowry. Stories of women are in abundance in the ancient literary texts. However, with the
progress of time the woman of Indian society changed and she started making herself noticed by
fathoming all areas which were until now the arena of men. In literature too, the role of woman
was given a certain distinction. In this league R K Narayan writes about characters like Savitri
and Shanta Bai in The Dark Room and shows the various perspectives of the Indian woman.

The Dark Room is the story of  Ramani, the Branch Manager of the Engladia Insurance
Company, his wife Savitri and his mistress Shanta Bai, the probationary insurance assistant. The
story revolves around these three characters. Ramani and Savitri have a happy married life with
three children Babu, Kamala and Sumati. Life is moving on smoothly with the occasional
agitations and angers. Savitri gets upset at times by Ramani’s behavior and sulks in the dark
room, “a musty unlit store-room”1 next to the kitchen. But life is still pleasant and happy. One
day Shanta Bai joins Ramani’s office and soon they develop a relationship. Savitri comes to
know about the affair and tries to stop Ramani. He refuses, so Savitri leaves the house to end her
life. However, this could not happen as she is saved by a low caste blacksmith Mari. He and his
wife Ponni take care of Savitri but after a few days of hardship and loneliness she returns to her
home and children.

Narayan’s novels have many a female character but most of them are traditional Indian women
who live a life within the confines of their home. The character of Savitri in the first half of The
Dark Room is an apt example. Despite the rude nature of her husband, Savitri performs the
duties of a mother and wife uncomplainingly. She takes the frequent harshness with indifference.
She behaves or talks only after judging his mood. She is the quintessential mother, wife and
homemaker. She is the humble, patient, loyal wife mentioned in the scriptures. Savitri is such a
humble and down-to-earth person that after hearing about her husband’s affair, she does not
believe it. Later she feels Ramani is not to be blamed. Perhaps, she is not beautiful anymore and
hence Ramani got attracted to Shanta Bai. In her innocence she starts paying attention to her
looks. Once again she dresses up not only to look good but in the manner in which Ramani likes.
. Narayan comments on the status of Savitri in her home where he says that she was so impotent
even after fifteen years of marriage. And, the progress of Savitri’s character shows that she had
the essence of feminism in her but it had been suppressed for all these years. The mental torture
that she has been going through draws out her inner strength and that gives her the courage to
talk back.  

Besides Savitri, there is Shanta Bai, the educated, manipulative seductress who knows how to
use a woman’s charm to win the man. She is the cunning, clever type who makes every right
move to trap her prey. When he visits her home for the first time, her style of talking is
conspicuous of her intention of enticing him.

Another character, though a minor one but plays a major role in the turn of events in the novel, is
Ponni, Savitri’s saviour who is the dominating type. She does not talk to

In this poignant tale, R K Narayan again takes us back to Mysore and into the enchanting world of his
fictitious town, Malgudi, where we are introduced to Savitri and Ramani. As in many of Narayan's
novels, conservatism and reform are contrasted with the quiet irony and subtle humour which have
become so characteristic of this author. Savitri is made to feel how completely dependent she is upon
her husband, Ramani, when pressure is brought to bear upon their long-standing marriage. Ramani
strongly recommends that the Engladia Insurance Company employ the rather elegant and fiercely
independent Mrs. Shanta Bai, recently separated. Events reach a climax when Savitri's favourite piece of
furniture, a bench, is borrowed by Ramani to furnish the room he has hurriedly assembled for Shanta
Bai in the office. Savitri retreats into herself and lies quite still in the one private place she has of her
own, the dark room. After further betrayal, Savitri gathers up the very few belongings she has and walks
out of the house, leaving her children staring dumb foundedly after her. Savitri attempts to drown
herself, but is rescued. For a short time she struggles to be self-sufficient, but realizes quite soon that
she must return although a part of her has died. Narayan's sympathetic treatment of his characters
makes this a most fulfilling and touching book to read.