Sea Of Poppies Hukum Singh Analysis

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Another incident in the novel which shows the humiliation of lower caste people by high caste people is the effort of the landowners of Ghazipur to humiliate Kalua by making him compel to come in physically contact with a mare. The three landowners fetch Kalua in the poppy field during a night led like a horse. They bring a mare with them and push Kalua towards the mare. They put off his langot and press him against the mare until his groin comes into contact with the mare. Kalua utters a cry and this gives the landowners more pleasure. Suddenly the mare unlooses dung over Kalua;s belly and thighs. This adds more pleasure in their excitement. Thus they humiliate Kalua and insult him to the end of bearing. Another evidence of caste system in India is shown through …show more content…

Amitav Ghosh tries to explore the issue of sati in 19th century India through the unsuccessful attempt by Deeti to perform sati. Deeti’s husband Hukum Sungh falls ill and gives no response to the treatment. Deeti goes for every kind of treatment but not any of these treatments shows its effect upon Hukum Singh. Hukum Singh’s condition is going to be worst and worst with every passing day. One day Hukum Singh’s brother tries to humiliate Deeti and offers her to bear one more child from him, as Kabutari is also his daughter. At this proposal Deeti reacts angrily and says, “I will burn on my husband’s pyre rather than give myself to you” (Ghosh, 158). This presents the conditions in which a woman is compelled to perform sati. If not willingly, she has to perform sati either to maintain her chastity or to be compelled by her in-laws as to get rid of her care as well as to become rich. This thinking of the in-laws to become rich is depicted in the novel through the words of Deeti’s brother-in-law. He says, “To have a sati in the family will make us famous. We’ll build a temple for you and grow rich on the offerings” (Ghosh,

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