The King of the Dark Chamber
By Rabindranath Tagore and Mint Editions
()
About this ebook
The King of the Dark Chamber (1918) is a play by Rabindranath Tagore. Translated into English by Tagore after he received the 1913 Nobel Prize in Literature, The King of the Dark Chamber is a symbolic drama exploring themes of faith, power, citizenship, and love. Part meditation on human government, part reflection on humanity’s connection to god, Tagore’s play is a masterpiece of Indian literature. “My faith is, to go on obeying the King—it does not matter whether he is a real one or a pretender. What do we know of Kings that we should judge them! It is like throwing stones in the dark—you are almost sure of hitting your mark. I go on obeying and acknowledging—if it is a real King, well and good: if not, what harm is there?” What is the nature of kingship? If a nation is prosperous, and its people happy, should they question their ruler? Such questions abound in The King of the Dark Chamber, a symbolic story of a King who rules through absence alone. While he is more widely known as a poet, Tagore was also a gifted playwright who used the stage to explore timeless, universal themes. This edition of Rabindranath Tagore’s The King of the Dark Chamber is a classic of Indian literature reimagined for modern readers.
Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.
With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) was a Nobel Laureate in literature. (1913). He wrote successfully in all literary genres, but was, first and foremost, a poet, publishing more than fifty volumes of poetry. He wrote novels, plays, musical dramas, dance dramas, essays, travel diaries and two autobiographies. He also left numerous drawings and paintings, and songs for which he wrote the music himself. He was the composer of the national anthem of independent India and Bangladesh. He was born in Calcutta, travelled around the world, and was knighted in 1915. He gave up his knighthood after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919. Among his many works are Manasi (1890), Sonar Tari (1894), Gitanjali (1910), Gitimalya (1914), Balaka (1916), The Gardener (1913), Fruit-Gathering (1916), The Fugitive (1921), Raja (1910), Dakghar (1912), Achalayatan (1912), Muktadhara (1922), Raktakaravi (1926), Gora (1910), Ghare-Baire (1916) and Yogayog (1929).
Read more from Rabindranath Tagore
Tagore, The Poetry Of Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Selected Poems Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Short Stories Of Rabindranath Tagore - Vol 1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stories from Tagore Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Selected Short Stories Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/550 Classic Love Poems You Have To Read (Golden Deer Classics) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Indian Love Poetry Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5GORA Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTwo Sisters Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Last Poem Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Home and the World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Home and the World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stories from Tagore: With linked Table of Contents Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Boat-wreck Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Religion of Man: International Edition Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWorks of Tagore 10 Books Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGreatest Works of Rabindranath Tagore (Deluxe Hardbound Edition) Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Heart of God: Prayers of Rabindranath Tagore Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSongs of Kabir Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fireflies: "Love's gift cannot be given, it waits to be accepted." Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMy Reminiscences Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to The King of the Dark Chamber
Related ebooks
The Chimera of Prague Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsModern Brazilian Short Stories Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Vienna Voices: A Traveler Listens to the City of Dreams Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsClouds and Sunshine Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Home and the World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pierre (Or, the Ambiguities) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Walking Tour of New York City's Upper West Side Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Film + Travel Asia, Oceania, Africa: Traveling the World Through Your Favorite Movies Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Cane Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsInsight Guides Explore Budapest (Travel Guide eBook) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGitanjali Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Art of Architecture A Poem In Imitation of Horace's Art of Poetry Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAnton Chekhov: Letters, Diary, Reminiscences & Biography: A Collection of Autobiographical Writings Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Mouseiad and other Mock Epics Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNostalgia Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSmokewater Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings7 best short stories - Paris Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPoisoned Arrow Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBartleby, The Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Short Border Handbook: A Journey Through the Immigrant's Labyrinth Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Commercial Break Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTea, Love and War: Searching for English roots in Assam Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Suppliants Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Immigration Debates in America Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPaul Laurence Dunbar: Poet Laureate of the Negro Race Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCome See about Me, Marvin Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pilgrimage Suites Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPaul and Virginia Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMirèio, a Provençal Poem Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Performing Arts For You
As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Bell Jar: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Robin Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Measure: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures and Cautionary Tales of a Former Playboy Bunny Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5For colored girls who have considered suicide/When the rainbow is enuf Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Coreyography: A Memoir Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Macbeth (new classics) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Science of Storytelling: Why Stories Make Us Human and How to Tell Them Better Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wuthering Heights Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Sisters Brothers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Diamond Eye: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lucky Dog Lessons: Train Your Dog in 7 Days Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Importance of Being Earnest: A Play Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Our Town: A Play in Three Acts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Finding Me: An Oprah's Book Club Pick Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Romeo and Juliet Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes: Revised and Complete Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The History of Sketch Comedy: A Journey through the Art and Craft of Humor Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Quite Nice and Fairly Accurate Good Omens Script Book: The Script Book Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Hamlet Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boy Swallows Universe: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hollywood's Dark History: Silver Screen Scandals Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Unsheltered: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for The King of the Dark Chamber
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
The King of the Dark Chamber - Rabindranath Tagore
I
(A street. A few wayfarers, and a CITY GUARD)
FIRST MAN: Ho, Sir!
CITY GUARD: What do you want?
SECOND MAN: Which way should we go? We are strangers here. Please tell us which street we should take.
CITY GUARD: Where do you want to go?
THIRD MAN: To where those big festivities are going to be held, you know. Which way do we go?
CITY GUARD: One street is quite as good as another here. Any street will lead you there. Go straight ahead, and you cannot miss the place. (Exit)
FIRST MAN: Just hear what the fool says: Any street will lead you there!
Where, then, would be the sense of having so many streets?
SECOND MAN: You needn’t be so awfully put out at that, my man. A country is free to arrange its affairs in its own way. As for roads in our country—well, they are as good as non-existent; narrow and crooked lanes, a labyrinth of ruts and tracks. Our King does not believe in open thoroughfares; he thinks that streets are just so many openings for his subjects to fly away from his kingdom. It is quite the contrary here; nobody stands in your way, nobody objects to your going elsewhere if you like to; and yet the people are far from deserting this kingdom. With such streets our country would certainly have been depopulated in no time.
FIRST MAN: My dear Janardan, I have always noticed that this is a great fault in your character.
JANARDAN: What is?
FIRST MAN: That you are always having a fling at your country. How can you think that open highways may be good for a country? Look here, Kaundilya; here is a man who actually believes that open highways are the salvation of a country.
KAUNDILYA: There is no need, Bhavadatta, of my pointing out afresh that Janardan is blessed with an intelligence which is remarkably crooked, which is sure to land him in danger some day. If the King comes to hear of our worthy friend, he will make it a pretty hard job for him to find anyone to do him his funeral rites when he is dead.
BHAVADATTA: One can’t help feeling that life becomes a burden in this country; one misses the joys of privacy in these streets—this jostling and brushing shoulders with strange people day and night makes one long for a bath. And nobody can tell exactly what kind of people you are meeting with in these public roads—ugh!
KAUNDILYA: And it is Janardan who persuaded us to come to this precious country! We never had any second person like him in our family. You knew my father, of course; he was a great man, a pious man if ever there was one. He spent his whole life within a circle of a radius of 49 cubits drawn with a rigid adherence to the injunctions of the scriptures, and never for a single day did he cross this circle. After his death a serious difficulty arose—how cremate him within the limits of the 49 cubits and yet outside the house? At length the priests decided that though we could not go beyond the scriptural number, the only way out of the difficulty was to reverse the figure and make it 94 cubits; only thus could we cremate him outside the house without violating the sacred books. My word, that was strict observance! Ours is indeed no common country.
BHAVADATTA: And yet, though Janardan comes from the very same soil, he thinks it wise to declare that open highways are best for a country.
(Enter GRANDFATHER with a band of boys)
GRANDFATHER: Boys, we will have to vie with the wild breeze of the south today—and we are not going to be beaten. We will sing till we have flooded all streets with our mirth and song.
SONG
The southern gate is unbarred. Come, my spring, come!
Thou wilt swing at the swing of my heart, come, my spring, come!
Come in the lisping leaves, in the youthful surrender of flowers;
Come in the flute songs and the wistful sighs of the woodlands!
Let your unfastened robe wildly flap in the drunken wind!
Come, my spring, come!
(Exeunt)
(Enter a band of CITIZENS)
FIRST CITIZEN: After all, one cannot help wishing that the King had allowed himself to be seen at least this one day. What a great pity, to live in his kingdom and yet not to have seen him for a single day!
SECOND CITIZEN: If you only knew the real meaning of all this mystery! I could tell you if you would keep a secret.
FIRST CITIZEN: My dear fellow, we both live in the same quarter of the town, but have you ever known me letting out any man’s secret? Of course, that matter of your brother’s finding a hidden fortune while digging for a well—well, you know well enough why I had to give it out. You know all the facts.
SECOND CITIZEN: Of course I know. And it is because I know that I ask, could you keep a secret if I tell you? It may mean ruination to us all, you know, if you once let it out.
THIRD CITIZEN: You are a nice man, after all, Virupaksha! Why are you so anxious to bring down a disaster which as yet only may happen? Who will be responsible for keeping your secret all his life?
VIRUPAKSHA: It is only because the topic came up—well, then, I shall not say anything. I am not the man to say things for nothing. You had yourself brought up the question that the King never showed himself; and I only