THE HARSHNESS OF THE DOWRY SYSTEM IN TAGORE'S "DEBT AND DUE": A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF NIRUPAMA'S END

قسوة نظام البائنة في قصة "الدَّيْن والمستحقّ" لطاغور: تحليل نقدي لنهاية نروباما

Abstract

The short story “Debt and Due” by Rabindranath Tagore is considered one of the most prominent realist texts that boldly exposed the cruelty of traditional Bengali society, particularly the dowry system, which transformed marriage from a human bond into a commercial transaction in which a woman’s value is measured by the amount of money she brings with her. The story revolves around the tragedy of Niropama, a young woman crushed under the pressure of oppressive social customs, while her father stands helplessly torn between paternal love and obligations beyond his means. This study examines the historical   and social foundations of the dowry system in Bengal, showing how it was reinforced by religious texts and class-based traditions, and highlights its destructive impact on the lives of women and poor families. The critical analysis also explores the moral and class dimensions of the story, demonstrating how dowry turns the marital home into a system of oppression, with the mother-in-law, the father, the husband, and other characters appearing as interlinked agents in the making of this tragedy. The study further emphasizes Tagore’s mastery in shaping a sharp moral realism built on the accumulation of everyday details, leading to a shocking ending that reveals the problem to be not a matter of individual wrongdoing but a deeply rooted social structure. The reading concludes that Niropama was not an isolated victim, but a representative figure for thousands of girls crushed by oppressive customs, and that the story stands as a human document of protest against a system whose effects continue to persist in contemporary societies.