Die Nacht der Erfüllung: Erzählungen

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

32763

Title

Die Nacht der Erfüllung: Erzählungen

Language

de

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Rabindranath Tagore's poignant collection of Bengali tales explores the complexities of love, duty, and social convention. Through narratives ranging from forbidden childhood affections to the struggles of family loyalty and the awakening of individual desire, the stories capture the tender yet painful transition from innocence to maturity in colonial Bengal.

Summary up to 500 words

Set against the lush backdrop of rural Bengal, Rabindranath Tagore's *Die Nacht der Erfüllung* weaves a collection of interconnected stories that explore the profound friction between personal emotion and rigid societal expectation. The narrative opens with the poignant tale of a young boy whose childhood love for Surabala is severed by social propriety. Having pledged himself to public service and the cause of India's independence, he watches helplessly as Surabala marries a wealthy lawyer. Years later, their paths cross again, but an insurmountable barrier of social convention now separates them, leaving the narrator to grapple with the painful realization that his enduring attachment must remain silent and forbidden. This initial thread establishes the collection's central tension: the conflict between the heart's desires and the world's rules. Parallel to this romantic tragedy, the collection delves deeply into the dynamics of the family unit under pressure. In the story of Sasi and her brother Nilmani, the narrative highlights the intense emotional bond between siblings and the moral courage required to defy patriarchal authority. When greedy relatives seek to seize their ancestral property, Sasi sacrifices her own comfort and reputation to save her younger brother from their clutches. The story vividly portrays the moral decay within the family when a brother-in-law attempts to exploit a minor's inheritance, prompting Sasi to flee her home and risk everything to protect her vulnerable sibling. Her unwavering devotion stands in stark contrast to the greed and indifference of the male relatives, illustrating the theme of selfless love versus selfish ambition. Another significant segment utilizes the allegory of the 'Kingdom of Cards' to depict the awakening of romantic desire among a group of friends. Initially bound by rigid, artificial rules that dictate their interactions, the characters eventually succumb to their *Itscha* (will or desire). This metaphorical journey illustrates the universal human experience of falling in love, showing how it disrupts ordered lives and brings chaos to structured existence. As the characters break conventions to pursue love, the allegory demonstrates the ultimate triumph of the heart over artificial constraints. The collection concludes with a celebration of marriage, marking the resolution of these emotional tensions. Through these varied narratives, Tagore celebrates the unpredictable nature of life, suggesting that while society may impose strict boundaries, the forces of love and genuine human connection possess a power that can transcend even the most rigid traditions.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/32763.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg32763.epub

Download EPUB

Downloaded at

2026-07-05 15:28 UTC

Categories

• Short Stories
• Fiction