Devi's Father In Law Characters

Devi 's father in-law, Baba is a regular construction of a male-ruled patriarchal world. His character is revealed through the stories which he clarifies to Devi. They are portraits of the codes set around by Manu which unambiguous the upright and ethical women who rouses their mates along the method for Dharma by their pacifying nature, temperance and subservience. Baba’s stories always reflects that women should be devoted to their husbands .He explains the means of reaching Heaven by serving their husband with devotion and care. Baba sets the typical criteria for a good housewife set out my the patriarchal society and even after he left his soothing voice quavers, “The housewife should always be joyous, proficient at domestic work, neat in her domestic stuff and restrained in expenses. Controlled in mind, word, and body, she who does not disobey her lord, attains heaven even as her lord does.”

Like how her mother-in-law revolted by leaving the family in search of God, Devi’s elopement with Gopal, is also a revolt against her husband Mahesh, who merely wants her to keep waiting for his arrival as a submissive wife. His long tours, her father-in-law’s departure to New York deny her companionship. Her longing to bear children to break the monotony, the loneliness and the meaninglessness of life is not fulfilled. Finally, in a fit to give voice to her lonely life, to put an end to the “yawning emptiness”, she chooses to elope with Gopal. She hopes to find comfort with the company of Gopal but in vain. So, the longing for love ends and she goes alone in search of her