CONCEPTUAL GLIMPSE OF NATIONALISM IN “HOME AND THE WORLD” OF RABINDRANATH TAGORE

ABSTRACT

Tagore emphasizes the idea of a cultural nation as against the political nation, which he feels is mechanized in its organization and serves only its-self-interest. He stresses that individuals belonging to the nation should bear moral and spiritual authority and should not be bound by some ulterior motives. He has adopted the autobiographical mode for the three prominent characters of his novel, Nikhil, Sandip and Bimala in The Home and the World. This is arranged in a dialogic fashion and it is appropriate to his conceptualization of the nation and nationalism. Rabindranath Tagore is a great literary figure who has influenced the whole world not only through his writings but also by his active participations in different activities to promote the welfare of the common humanity. He has written plays poetry, novels and short stories. His imaginative writings are steeped in the colour of nationalism. To work out the concept of nationalism in his novels, it is relevant to explain briefly the meaning of nationalism in general and Tagore’s idea of nationalism in particular. To work out Tagore’s concept of nationalism it is relevant to discuss it with the reference to his major novel in which nationalism has been discussed at length. So in this article we will be worked out in detail of Nationalism in ’Home and the world’ of Ravindra Nath Tagore.

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