Toru Dutt is a prodigy who has been long forgotten. But she
is the first Indian novelist who has ever written in English AND in French. She
was born in the literary family of Dutts in Bengal. The last of 3 children of
Govin Chunder Dutt. She had a brother and a sister – Abju & Aru,
respectively. A curious, vivacious young girl who was adept at learning and whose
curiosity to learn read and write consumed her till the end of her short life. She
was adept in Sanskrit, English, French, German and of course Bengali. She was a
proficient translator and translated many works of French to English. Though born
a Hindu, she, converted to Christianity when she was 6 years old. Her writings
reflect her Christian belief. She has also translated many works from Sanskrit.
Very little is known of her writings and she is most
popularly known only as a poet for her famous poem ‘Our Casuarina Tree’ which is
her most popular work. But this prodigy whose literary and cultural sensibilities
were awakened at a very tender age of 13 wrote 2 novels – ‘Bianca’ and ‘Le
Journal de Mademoiselle D’Arvers’ apart from the many translations. Her sister
Aru was also as good a linguist and writer. Both sisters have translated a few French
poems in an anthology known as ‘A Sheaf
Gleaned From French Fields’. This was a joint venture by both the sisters. Unfortunately,
the elder one was not alive to see it in print and Toru completed it after her
death. The sisters loved each other a lot. They grew up in Nice, France and England
and therefore could appreciate the literature and culture of the continent
better than any Indian as they grew up immersed in it. Toru went to the
continent when she was 13, ie: in 1869, when English literature was at its peak
with poets like Shelley and Wordsworth, and of course my favourite – Emily Bronte;
being her contemporaries. In fact in her French novel, ‘Le Journal de Mademoiselle
D’Arvers’ , I do detect some traces of Emily Bronte’s work, ‘Wuthering Heights’
The love of Louis reflects the gentle and tender love Edgar Linton has for
Catherine Earnshaw nee Linton. Unlike Emily’s heroine, though, Marguerite is a gentle
woman and her love is deep and tender.
Art and literature were very much appreciated and encouraged
during that period of time. Toru and her sister blossomed in this environment. With
the literary genes inherent in them, this was a fertile soil where it blossomed
and gave beautiful fruit. Language was at their behest and they expressed
themselves poignantly.
It is unfortunate that what brought them to Europe was
primarily the death of their brother Abju. He died of consumption. Whenever you
read this young author’s work, death is forever present, like a shadow. Toru
was surrounded by death from a very early age. This is reflected in her works
as they are somewhat biographical in nature. Her sister, Aru, too, died when
Toru was just 19. She herself died when she was 21. Alas! Literature lost a
beautiful contributor!
Her works are poignant and when you know about the author,
it is all the more brilliant that this writing has originated from the pen of
one who was so young. There is a certain maturity in the emotions of her
characters. Though it shows that this was written at a time when women were not
so aware of things. Like when I read the English translations of the French novel,
I found that the author was very naïve about facts of childbirth and in some
instances of nursing a baby. Her characters definitely touch a chord
emotionally and are mature. But death seems to shadow them at every turn. In fact
the major theme can be said to be death. Though she never had the chance to
fall in love (or maybe who knew! She had an unrequited love! For the way she
describes the female protagonist when in love, she is somewhat apt in some of
her descriptions of a girl in love). A girl who loves, loses and learns to love
again. A deep and wholesome love. Though the superstitions of the character are
somewhat Indian, and that betrays the fact that it was written by an indian
authoress. But such superstitions were prevalent in the west too. :)
The male characters are also very well fleshed out. The father
figure here is very supportive of his daughter and it reflects the relationship
she shared with her own father. It also reflects how fathers in that era were
very dominant figures in a girls life. This book opens our eyes to the fact
that women were protected creatures in the 19th century. They were
under the protection of their fathers when young and soon, but very soon, they
moved to the protection offered by their husbands. The woman plays the role of care taker and is
kind and gentle. The character of Madame Gosserelle is an interesting one and
shows that though Toru was young, she had seen enough of the different characters
in her short but informative life. This book throws to light her very un-Indian
upbringing. In the nineteenth century not only was she multi lingual and an
expert in all the languages she knew, but she was also well versed in her
understanding of human nature. She is a rare gem in the literary world. I appreciate
her more because she was not only very young but that she was a woman. Yes you
can call me feminist. But this young Indian had a very great understanding of
human nature and she had the ability to be articulate and poignant enough to
pen her thoughts. It is strange to know that despite having a supportive father
who appreciated her literary genius and in fact fed the fire of her curiosity,
she never revealed her novels to him. It was after she died that her father
discovered his daughter’s works.
Perhaps her novels would have given her father a feeling of
how stifled she felt in her father’s love for her. How stifling it was for her
to sit in side 4 walls when her heart and mind were out there in the wild
fields of France and England. Perhaps her mind was too agile to keep up with
her weakening body because even as she wrote her novels, she herself was
consumed by the disease that had eaten up her siblings. The dreaded
consumption. What a devastation to the old parents who had to watch each one of
his talented children die one by one and still be alive to bury them and live
amidst the ruins of their young lives!
But as you read the works of Toru Dutt, you see a maturity,
a vast understanding and a certain peace in death. As though she welcomes it
like sleep after a tired day. It is as though in death, she is going to live
far better than she did in life. Free from the pains and anxieties of life –
knowing and being with her friends whom she missed in life. It is as though by
dying, she is going to a happier and freer place – a place where she can roam
around freely and happily. Where her heart, body, mind and soul are in sync and
as agile as she wants them to be and with people whom she loves.
