The Poison Tree: A Tale of Hindu Life in Bengal
- ISBN-10
- 1541175921
- ISBN-13
- 9781541175921
- Series
- The Poison Tree
- Pages
- 202
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2016-12-17
- Author
- Bankim Chatterjee
Description
"A combination of a vivid picture of Indian life with a hint at that deep-rooted sense of the evil of desire which lies at the root of Indian philosophy...we recommend heartily to all readers youthful enough not to dread tears." -The Contemporary Review "We strongly recommend to our readers 'The Poison Tree' as an exciting and impressive novel, a faithful mirror of characters, manners, and life, and a succession of charming pictures of nature and scenery....As to the question of the morality of the work in general, at least of its adaptation to our standard of propriety, we can only say that in both respects it stands, in our view, much above the ordinary run of modern fiction, where the handling of passion is supposed to be 'intense.' The portrayal of it here is no doubt free and strong; but there is no seductive mischief, no lurking suggestiveness. Virtue and vice and plainly discriminated, right and wrong are never confused." -Journal of the National Indian Association "Mrs. Knight has now presented us with a modern Hindu novelette, smoothly readable throughout, perfectly well transferred from its vernacular (with such omissions as were necessary), and valuable, as I venture to affirm, to English readers as well from its skill in construction and intrinsic interest as for the light which it sheds upon the indoor existence of well-to-do Hindus, and the excellent specimen which it furnishes of the sort of indigenous literature happily growing popular in their cities and towns....The author of "The Poison Tree" is Babu Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, a native gentleman of Bengal, of superior intellectual acquisitions, who ranks unquestionably as the first living writer of fiction in his Presidency. His renown is widespread among native readers, who recognize the truthfulness and power of his descriptions, and are especially fond of "Krishna Kanta's Will," "Mrinalini," and this very story of the Bisha Briksha, which belongs to modern days in India, and to the new ideas which are spreading--not always quite happily--among the families of the land. Allowance being made for the loss which an original author cannot but sustain by the transfer of his style and method into another language and system of thought, it will be confessed, I think, that the reputation of "Bankim Babu" is well deserved, and that Bengal has here produced a writer of true genius, whose vivacious invention, dramatic force, and purity of aim, promise well for the new age of Indian vernacular literature." -Edwin Arnold (from the Preface)
