Links in the Chain by Mahadevi Verma- Essay 1: Summary

Mahadevi Verma

“Links in the Chain” is a powerful and thought-provoking anthology of essays that speaks to the interconnectedness of men and women in society. By exploring the idea of interconnectedness, this essay will analyze the various ways in which women's lives are impacted and explore the connections between these perspectives.

About Mahadevi Verma :

Mahadevi Verma (26 March 1907 - 11 September 1987) is renowned as one of the four most prominent figures of the Chhayawadi period in Hindi literature. She was an esteemed Indian poet, essayist, short story author, and a significant figure in Hindi literature.

Mahadevi Verma is highly respected in Hindi literature and is often referred to as the 'Modern Meera' by her fans. She was talented in music and art and was a skilled translator. Mahadevi Verma assumed control of the prominent women's magazine 'Chand' and contributed to it.

She was an exceptional champion of women's rights and is viewed as the leader of feminism in India. She was honored with the Padma Bhushan (1956), Sahitya Akademi Fellowship (1979), Jnanpith Award (1982) and Padma Vibhushan (1988).

Introduction :

"Links in the Chain," an anthology by Mahadevi Verma, talks about Indian marginalized women who, in the name of culture, tradition, religion, and other extraneous factors, face difficulties and are prevented from stepping outside the four walls of the house and breaking the norms that society imposes on them.

It was written between 1931 and 1937 for the literary journal 'Chand", " originally in Hindi as "Shrinkhala ki Kadiyan.'' It was translated and published in English by Neera Kuckreja Sohoni in 1942.

In the Preface, Mahadevi Verma states that when Indian women become fully aware of their capabilities, no one will be able to hinder them and they will not need to beg for their rights as they are not items to be traded. The rights of individuals are based on how much they contribute to the progress of society, so too the rights of women are based on their strength and intelligence. She believes that the answer to women's issues lies in understanding them.

Mahadevi Verma sheds light on the various social, cultural, philosophical, and historical perspectives of women's lives and tries to convince Indian women to break through all the barriers that stop them from living their lives freely. She dedicated "Links in the Chain" to these women, stating:

"To the Indian woman cursed from birth, afflicted by life, but brimming with eternal affection and beneficence"

Links in the Chain by Mahadevi Verma- Essay 1

Essay 1: Links in Our Chain (1931)

The essay - "Links in Our Chain" is the first essay of an anthology. Mahadevi Verma has divided "Links in Our Chain" into two sections: In Section 1, she discusses the fallen and degraded status of Indian women in society. Section 2, highlights how women have been ignorant of their conditions, the restrictions inflicted upon them, and the boundaries that stopped them from having their own individual experiences and growth in society.

Section 1 of the Essay:

Mahadevi Verma begins the essay by stating :

"A common tendency among mankind, concerning an object whose beauty or delicacy surpasses that of ordinary earthly objects, is either to elevate it to the status of divine, fit to be venerated, or to consider it lowly, and subject it to neglect and disdain."

Mahadevi Verma rejects the idea that Indian women are either considered divine or treated as weak, degraded, and neglected in society. She is denouncing the concept of 'Abala', which is a woman who is powerless, unable to make money, excluded from important conversations, and reliant on men for her survival.

The woman from India has experienced a cruel twist of fate. She was once celebrated and held in high regard, being worshipped as a deity in a temple. Now, however, her same qualities are seen as flaws and she has been confined to the darkest corner of her home. The reverence she once had has been replaced with scorn and disrespect.

Mahadevi Verma argues that those who attempt to improve the standing of women are left wondering if the female gender is in deep sleep or deceased. Ironically, it is impossible to awaken and enlighten them by reminding them of what they are missing out on or have been deprived of, like a dream. Mahadevi believes that the only way to address this problem is to identify the causes that have caused women to be unable to alter or accept reality.

Mahadevi Verma believes that for someone to be respected and seen as truly alive in human society, they must have a balanced growth between their heart and mind. This person must also be able to form both an emotional and intellectual connection with the people around them.

Mahadevi Verma suggests that women should build an individual identity, as without it they won't be able to: 1. summon their determination, 2. make and act on their own choices, 3. or determine if their actions are fair or not.

To progress and grow as an individual, women need to have their own identity and be able to think and act independently. To do this, they must learn how to live life on their own terms and develop a rational mindset.

Mahadevi Verma goes on to explain the distinctions between men and women. She claims that women's mental growth is faster than men's and their nature is more gentle. Women have stronger and longer-lasting feelings of love and hatred than men. Because of these traits, women are capable of bridging the gap in society that men are unable to fill.

She considers man and woman as equals, who are made to complement each other. She uses lightning and rainfall as metaphors for man and woman respectively. Lightning is symbolic of man's power, but is unable to provide sustenance. Rainfall, a symbol of woman, can bring relief and nourishment but lacks raw strength. In the same way, both genders are necessary for a balanced society, as they each bring something unique to the table. She believes that men and women are equal and should work together to create a harmonious whole.

In "Links in Our Chain", Mahadevi Verma attempts to investigate the role of women in ancient times. She discovers that Aryan women of the past did not blindly follow their husbands or become mere shadows in their roles as wives.

Mahadevi Verma gives an example of - Maitreyi, who was not only Yaagyavalkya's companion in life but also his sahdharmacharini (one who shares his duty) and Sabatini (one who shares his fortune). This is shown in the legend of the sage Yaagyavalkya, who was willing to give away his worldly belongings to Maitreyi and move to the forest.

Mahadevi Verma uses Yashodhara, the wife of Buddha, as an example of strength and courage, who despite feeling dejected and rejected, does not end her life or follow her husband from forest to forest. With remarkable courage, she finds her own purpose and focuses on caring for her son. She is a great illustration of a self-reliant character that women should have to keep their dignity and individual presence in the community they are a part of.

Yashodhara, wife of Buddha
(Image Source: Google)

Going on in her essay, Mahadevi Verma gives another example of 'Sita', who went against her husband Lord Ram's wishes and joined him in the forest for their exile. Even today, many women from the Mahabharata era are still remembered for their strong personalities.

Sita, wife of Rama
(Image Source: Google)

Mahadevi Verma contemplates the idea of how and when women became mere shadows of their husbands and were only expected to obey the commands of the man. She comes to the conclusion that this erroneous idea must have been formed during turbulent times when men wanted women to act according to their wishes and beliefs. This doctrine gradually became deeply ingrained in society and women are still striving to break away from it.

Mahadevi Verma argues that in today's society, there are two types of women: the first, who have a unique sense of self and can make a positive or negative impact on society, and the second, who merely imitate men and are nothing more than their shadows. A problem with the latter is that they rely too heavily on men's approval or disapproval to gauge their own success or failure, rather than looking within themselves.

She believed that women had not yet found their way to reach their full potential. As a result, they felt frustrated due to their lack of presence and impact. In modern times, women are more assertive in the outside world, more financially independent, and more socially liberated, but they still find themselves confined by the limits they have imposed on themselves.

Mahadevi Verma believes that in this current age of materialism, women feel disappointed that even when they have excelled in areas traditionally dominated by men, they are not given the proper respect. Additionally, some people think that after achieving success, a woman will no longer need a partner and will be alone at the peak of her success.

This idea is not correct, as no one can replace another person because everyone has their own individual qualities and traits. Women of excellence will never be able to take on male characteristics. To keep a sense of balance in society, it is best to work with someone who has different qualities than oneself.

Mahadevi Verma states that women must have a lot of liberty for their psychological and physical growth. This is because, in a restrictive and oppressive atmosphere, they can't develop their personalities, which is essential for a healthy society.

For an individual to grow and develop, it is essential to provide a free atmosphere. Generally, a man's character is shaped by interacting with people of skill and influence, while a woman's character is shaped by traditional and customary values. As a result, she is not able to experience anything outside of her family and is not fully aware of her greater duties. This makes a woman's life a difficult struggle, diminishing her output and taking away her happiness.

Mahadevi Verma believes that no one in society can go through life without being impacted in some way by a woman. This could be in the form of a mother, wife, sister, daughter, or any other role. Because of this, women should be aware of the great responsibility they have.

Section 2 of the Essay :

In this section, Mahadevi Verma discusses the lack of development of personality in women due to their lack of knowledge about their rights as citizens. Most women are oblivious to what is happening beyond their homes and are unaware of the special rights and privileges that they have.

Women should be knowledgeable about their rights and obligations in both the political and social realms and should be free to make alterations in those areas. By being a citizen, the woman too has always been and will remain in need of both her rights. But from ancient times to the present, no one has paid any attention to endowing her with individual rights and the facility to amend them and act as per one's wish and requirement with changing times.

It is clear from the ancient scriptures, which are still the basis of many hardships endured by women today, that women were not granted any legal or evident rights by the law. Even in the democratic societies of Rome and Greece, women were not seen as worthy of any rights. Mahadevi believes that it is alright to honor the past, but it would be cruel and thoughtless to keep life restricted and prevent progress because of the past. It is worse than burying someone alive.

Achieving success requires learning from the past and adapting to changing circumstances. To ensure the growth and development of women and the society they live in, it is important to modify the many laws related to women and create new ones. Constant progress is an inevitable fact of life. An adequate amount of women must be represented in leadership roles, so that they can speak up on behalf of their less privileged counterparts and help to better the society as a whole.

When women are overwhelmed with hard duties, they still have to endure the unpleasant experience of being oppressed and degraded by men at every turn. Therefore, it is understandable for them to give up their jobs. If a man is seen as a valuable part of society and nation for fulfilling his duty and is granted social and political rights, why then is a woman, who is essential for society's future by running the household and raising children, denied these rights and kept in the dark?

Mahadevi Verma considers the position of woman and states:

"Unaware of the world's progress, inexperienced, devoid of rights like a caged bird, diseased and illiterate, this woman is then expected to create a powerful world through progeny full of strength and vitality!"

She claims that a lack of knowledge is common among all women, regardless of their social class. She argues that wealthy women hire servants to take care of their homes and children, and instead devote their time to leisure activities and upholding traditional values. She believes that these women could use their free time to learn about women's rights and share this knowledge with other women.

A few women are making efforts to educate other women, but it will take more than just a few to really make a difference. To bring about real change, a large group of enlightened women must give up their luxuries and be the ones to light the torch of knowledge. The result of their hard work will be truly invaluable.

The destruction of oppressive thoughts will prevent people from denying women their rights in a patriarchal society. Women do not intend to dominate anyone, they only strive for the same rights as men so that they can make a valuable contribution to society.

Mahadevi expresses her worries that middle-class women are too busy with their everyday duties to think about their own lives. Without any rights, these women are essentially treated as slaves. If their husbands become ill or they become widows, the struggle of providing for their children is even greater than the fear of death.

The everyday life of a middle-class housewife is filled with suppression of her dreams and aspirations. Furthermore, the physical toil she endures is indicative of a life of a beast of burden. Her weaknesses are many and the challenges of the world are too much for her to bear.

The mere idea of the female working-class causes deep sorrow. Not only do they have to take care of the family and kids, but they also have to help their husbands with outside tasks. When a woman leaves in the morning with a baby in her arms and a burnt roti for her meal, and returns in the evening, it is as if the entire world's suffering motherhood is sighing through her dried lips.

The difficult situation of female workers in mills and factories is obvious. The population of women laborers in farming and manufacturing is so large that without their awareness, our understanding of the situation will be incomplete and our rights will be pointless. These women need to be educated so that while they are doing manual labor, they do not let their rights be violated and are willing to fight against any unfairness.

The role of women in poor families is distinct from those of wealthier and middle-class backgrounds, as they assist the man in providing for the family rather than relying on him for financial support. Mahadevi Verma believes that if women recognize the importance of their role in society, no one can take away their joy and contentment.

Core Ideas of the Essay

1. Women should no longer plead for their rights and freedom, but take action.

2. She should strive for an equal balance between their mental and emotional growth.

3. She should be involved in the affairs of the society in the same way as men.

4. Women should cultivate their own unique personalities.

5. Women can be just as important and capable as men in taking on important roles in society.

6. There are two types of women: those who are independent and those who imitate men.

7. Women require plenty of autonomy to grow mentally and physically, so they should be given a more liberated atmosphere.

8. Women are not given the respect they deserve and have a low standing in society because they are unaware of their rights and entitlements.

9. Making continual improvement is the answer to all the challenges women confront.

10. It is necessary for a substantial number of women to hold influential positions in government to bring about transformation.

Infographic - Core Ideas of Links in Our Chain

FAQs

Que. 1 Name all the essays published in the "Links in the Chain".

Ans. The anthology contains a total of 11 essays, those are:

1. Links in Our Chain (1931)

2. War and Woman (1933)

3. The Curse of Womanhood (1933)

4. The Modern Woman: A Look at her Status (1934)

5. Home and Beyond (1934)

6. The Hindu Woman's Wifehood (1934)

7. The Trafficking of Life (1934)

8. The Issue of Woman's Economic Independence (1935)

9. Our Problems (1936)

10 Society and the Individual (1937)

11. The Art of Living (1934)

Que. 2 What are the famous works of Mahadevi Verma?

Ans. Some other famous works of Mahadevi Verma are A Pilgrimage to the Himalayas, and Other Silhouettes from Memory(1943), Ateet Ke Chal Chitr(1961), Skandha (1956), Mera Parivar (1972).

Que. 3 Who was Mahadevi Verma's husband?

Ans. Mahadevi Verma was married early, at the age of 9, to a doctor, Swarup Narain Verma.

Que. 4 To which other works, Links in the Chain is compared to?

Ans. The work is compared to Kate Millet's Sexual Politics (1970), Simon de Beauvoir's The Second Sex (1949), and Mary Wollstonecraft"s Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792).