Book Review: The Second Wife (Nirmala)

Premchand is an iconic Hindi writer. He was keen in pulling out the daemons in the society through his writings. His novel "The Second Wife (Nirmala)" shows us his determination in doing so.

The novel strikes hard on the evil ruling in everyone's mind and soul .The story woven around  1900's represents  the culture of the Indian society and  the  status of a woman in it, which seems true for our fast modern age as well.

The story revolves around Nirmala whose every phase of life is enlivened. Her duties and responsibilities as a daughter, sister, wife, mother and friend comprise the story. The typical Indian household at the turn of the century is highlighted in which her wedding is arranged even while she is still a minor.

The novel begins with the perspective of father and mother who see their daughter as a burden, the sole reason being her marriage. It also shows what marriage meant to people in those times. For the bride’s parents it was a lot more than just giving them their daughter. They had to provide a lot of dowry in order to be respectable and to shut the mouths of in-laws. Daughters of families not having someone to bestow wealth had an uncertain and certainly unhappy present and future.

Nirmala was married to a man much older than herself as her family couldn’t provide for the dowry. She silently sacrifices her life in the service of her aged husband and his sons devoid of all marital pleasures. Even then she is blamed as the reason for all catastrophes in her family. Her efforts ultimately lead to her own demise in this internally crippled society of ours.

The girls who were destined to be someone’s life-partner gave their best to be a responsible and loving wife, a benevolent mother and all the other relations she is bound to, after going to her husband's house. Here Nirmala devotes all her time and love to make her husband happy who is the age of her father and couldn't satiate himself from his married life. Loyalty is usually expected from those who are subordinate. It is often forgotten that it is impossible to grab slippery sand in a tightly closed fist.

Another evil of the society that comes up is the demeaning of a step-mother. The story reveals the suspicions harbored by her aging husband on the relationship between her and the step-son, which was merely mother-child affection. The vulnerable role of a step-mother is shown in which she is accused for the wrongs she didn't commit or even for the rights decisions she made in some cases.  She's at stake for all her decisions and is ill-treated in her own home. A suspicious eye always kept a watch on her as her “son” being the same age as her.

The story contains almost all the ill happenings in a women's life. It also shows how some permanent difficulties change your inner-self. The society finally turns you its own way. You have to abide by the rules to live even if it is wrongly constructed.

The novel has been devised in a simple language and the story flows smoothly. It is very well evident that Premchand’s focus is not on begetting a literary masterpiece but rather a commentary on the society in a simpler down to earth manner, that would directly appeal to the heart of the reader.

The story touched my sentiments and in fact by the end I was like closing my eyes and pressing my emotions so that I don't cry. After witnessing all the mis-happenings in the novel, it took a while for my mind to settle back to normal. And for almost a week the events bounced back and forth in my thoughts. I felt really sorry for the goddess-like “Nirmala”. 

After having read this novel I came to directly witness what was it like to be a women in the preindependence era and I could really feel as how this novel is so very relevant in the present context. Premchand’s literary style is very immersive and at the same time very touching. The way he builds the character and with a character so sensitive as a woman it’s literally Premchand’s genius that helps us identify ourselves with her situation and her life. The way he ends the story is so tragic that it’s really impossible to restrain the tears.