The recent past has witnessed a global resurgence of aggressive nationalism, with each nation looking for a distinctive identity at the expense of broader ideals of universal humanism and cosmopolitanism. India, too, has experienced the rise of a narrow, exclusivist nationalism that Rabindranath Tagore, India s first Nobel laureate, had warned us about in the early twentieth century, in his novella Char Adhyay. Four Chapters tells the tragic love story of Ela and Atin, both members of a revolutionary nationalist group fighting for independence from British rule. Their love for each other is tested against their love for the nation. Ela pledges herself in service to her country while Atin, drawn to revolutionary nationalism because of Ela, soon becomes disillusioned with the violent path that goes against the values of love and humanism. Through this intensely emotional personal drama set against 1930s Bengal, Tagore presents a trenchant and sobering critique of exclusivist hyper-nationalism that placed the nation above humanity, and senseless violence over compassion and love. A controversial book at the time of its publication in 1934, and a subsequent classic of Bengali literature, it has regained relevance in the current political climate. Sekhar Bandyopadhyay in his introduction contextualises this work through a discussion of nationalist politics in late nineteenth and early twentieth-century India, and Tagore s engagement and disenchantment with it. He details Tagore s ideas on nationalism and situates the story within the broader historical narrative of the nationalist movement in Bengal and India. This compelling and impeccable translation of a modern classic is a must-read for lovers of Tagore and all those reading him for the first time.

Seller Inventory # 155506

Contact seller

Report this item

Bibliographic Details

Title: Four Chapters
Publisher: Orient BlackSwan
Publication Date: 2024
ISBN 10: 9354425836
ISBN 13: 9789354425837
Binding: Soft cover
Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

New book

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

A one stop shop for books from India. We can supply any title published in India by any publisher. We have an extensive annotated catalogue of books on the web. We have been supplying books from India to University Libraries, Art Museums, Botanical Gardens world wide for the past thirty years.

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

Vedams eBooks Pvt Ltd
Vardhaman Charve Plaza IV, Bldg # 10, 2nd Floor, K.P. Block Commerical Complex, Pitampura, New Delhi, 110 034, India

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

We check every book for page mistake before they are shipped out. We take a lot of pain in our packing so that the books reach their destination in mint condition.

Name of the Company : Vedams eBooks [P] Ltd
Business Address: Vardhaman Charve Plaza IV, Bldg. 10, 2nd Floor, KP Block Commercial Centre, Pitampura, New Delhi 110034, India
e-mail address: vedams@vedamsbooks.com
Telephone Numbers: 00-91-11-27310611; 00-91-11-27310612
Fax: 00-91-27310613
Office Working Hours: 9 AM to 5 PM - Monday to F...

More Information

Shipping Terms

Shipping costs includes insurance. Books lost in transit will be replaced immediately. Shipping costs are based on books weighing 2.2 LB, or 1 KG. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know if extra shipping is required.

Shipping rates from India to U.S.A.

Shipping rates from India to U.S.A.
Order quantity	20 to 24 business days	4 to 7 business days
First item	US$ 20.34	US$ 37.19

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.