Q: Explain
the Gender Discrimination; or Show the Traditional Indian Culture; or Life of Tara. With Pured References.
Mahesh Dattani is one of the most leading and serious contemporary English playwrights.
He always deals with the complicated dynamics of the modern unban family. He
writes “Tara” in 1990 that was originally published
in 1995. This play highlights the complex relationships within a family
facing severe crisis and insecurity. It reminds us of Tennessee Williams’ play
“The Glass Menagerie”, in which the deep attachment between siblings is overshadowed
by a woeful absence of communication and easy
understanding. Additionally, “Tara” is set in Mumbai and London. The drama was awarded with Sahitya Kala Award in 2000.
At the beginning of the play, Tara and Chandan, who are born with a shared leg. The
decision to prioritize Chandan, the male twin in the separation surgery
that leads to Tara being left physically disabled. Tara could survive easily and comfortably with two legs because Tara’s body had a better chance of surviving than Chandan. However, the social milieu played a pivotal role in the surgical
separation procedure.
In this regard, Bharti’s father says, “And I want you
to remember that you are going to be whole, and you will have a career, a
brilliant career, but at her expense!” Here, It is exposed the gender roles and discriminations
in the contemporary time of Indian which is often following now. Being a girl, Tara was removed from her own legs.
The legs are set up to Chandan or Dan's body. On the other hand, Tara was dependent on another for some little things. This climatic
situation shows the most lamentable time of Tara. Throughout her life, Tara feels the effects of her parents’ favoritism
towards her brother Chandan. This favoritism is a reflection of societal
norms that prioritize males over females, leading Tara to feel unloved and undervalued. John Mcrae expresses,
“Dattani’s Tara is a poignant
exploration of how societal and familial expectations shape the lives of
individuals, especially women.”
In Henrik Ibsen’s play, “A Doll’sHouse”, Nora also experiences social discrimination in a different context like Tara. In Tara’s lamentation, Dattani writes, “It’s all right while we’re young. But after we grow up, it could
be a problem. Especially for a girl… a handicapped girl.”
We have seen some of other literary character
like Tara, such as Marlene of “Top Girls” by Caryl Churchill, Laura of “The Garden Party” by Katherine Mansfield, and The wife of “The Canary” by Katherine Mansfield. Additionally, from the third person
omniscient objective, Tara’s
expression is, “I think I’ll
become a career woman. The ‘I don’t need anyone’ type.” Thus,
Tara faces consistent emotional neglect from her
mother, who favors Chandan over her.
The play highlights the societal preference
for male children over female children. This preference is so strong that it
influences crucial life-and-death decisions, as seen in the case of Tara and her brother Chandan. Additionally, Dattani shows, “The world will
tolerate you only as long as you put up a brave front. But if you’re a woman,
it’s not enough. You have to be better than the best. If you’re a woman and a
cripple, it’s all the more worse."
Throughout the play, The play critiques the rigid gender roles that society imposes,
limiting the opportunities available to women and defining their worth based on
their conformity to these roles. The play illustrates how patriarchal values influence
decision-making within families, often to the detriment of female members. This
control is exercised through both overt and subtle means, shaping the lives of
women from a young age. Arundhati Banerjee expresses, ”In Tara, Dattani exposes the cruel realities of gender
discrimination through the innocent life of a girl who is denied her rightful
share of opportunities and love simply because she is not a boy.”
In conclusion, Dattani’s play, “Tara” uses this line to critique the unrealistic
and unfair expectations placed on women, particularly those who are already
marginalized. It serves as a powerful commentary on the harsh realities of
gender discrimination that Tara, and women like her, must endure. Bijay Kumar Das says, ”The gendered injustice meted out to Tara by her own family is a
powerful commentary on the pervasive patriarchal values that still dominate our
lives. Tara’s death is the culmination of a lifetime of gendered violence..”
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