Analysis Of The Waterfall By Rabindranath Tagore

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THE CONFLICT BETWEEN MACHINE AND HUMAN FREEDOM The Waterfall was first published in 1922, the same year as its Bengali original Muktadhara was published. The play centers on the conflict between machine and human freedom. It also deals with human sacrifice for justice and equality. Rabindranath Tagore 's finest play, The Waterfall takes place in fictional Uttarakut which was ruled by an autocratic Ranajit king. Abhijit was the Prince of Uttarakut and the next heir to the throne. He was adopted by the king. The waterfall flows from Uttarakut to a neighboring valley called Shivtarai. The waterfall was the only source of water for the people of Shivtarai. The autocrat king Ranajit wanted to bring Shivtarai under his control and decides to subjugate the people by damming the waterfall thus denying them water. The King employs the royal engineer Bibhuti to build a sturdy dam to prevent the water reaching the plains below. This play was written when India was in the clutches of British. Tagore is comparing the people of Shivtarai with Indians. In the similar manner, Indians were also exploited by the Briitshers as King Ranajit was tormenting Shivtarai citizens. The prince, Abhijit, learns that he was found by the king on the banks of the waterfall. His love for the waterfall and sympathy for the people lead him to stop the King. He demolished the machine and makes the waterfall free. In the process the prince is swept away with his mother Muktadhara. By giving freedom to the