Introduction:
As we study the story of the novel, “The Serpent and the Rope” written by Raja Rao we find that Savithri is the second important female character. She was the daughter of Raja Raghubir Singh of Surajpur. She had a charming and fascinating personality but she was a bit of plump. She had received her education at Cambridge. She regarded herself a modern and progressive young lady. She had refused to marry Pratap Singh, the choice of her parents.
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| Character Sketch of Savithri in Novel The Serpent and The Rope |
Savithri as an Ultra - Modern Girl:
This story clearly shows that Savithri was an ultra - modern girl who had received her education in the famous Cambridge University of London. Her such trait of being an ultra - modern girl is supported by these words of Uma Parameswaran who says that, “like Rama at their first meeting, we are repulsed by this too - modernized Indian who smokes cigarette after cigarette, fixes dates and dances, and obstinately flouts her parents. She refuses to accept Pratap, who has been chosen by her parents as her prospective husband. She had refused to marry Pratap because she was a wilful young lady. Secondly, she did not like to marry him because he had served the British who had been over - cruel to the people of India. At the same time she was highly talkative with a feeling of pride that she was a Cambridge undergraduate.
A large number of brilliant fellow - students used to follow her and regarded it a privilege to bring back her lost purse, or a pair of spectacles. Rama, on the other hand, did not pay much attention on her such uncommon habits but he regarded her beautiful, virtuous and perfect young lady. In this way, he tried to look at her with a different angle.
Her Personality and Nature:
The close study of the present novel makes it very clear that Savithri possessed an impressive personality with wonderful beauty and attractive features. The narrator says about her, “Even when she went to speak on the telephone one felt she had a rich natural grace and one longed for her to be back.” The people did not find her speech sweet and musical like that of Rama or Madeleine. Its reason was that she used to be often harsh and unpleasant in her speech.
It is necessary to point out that by her nature she had the goodness of a saint but such quality was seldom seen through her behaviour. She was found callous in her behaviour with her friends whom she used to give dates to meet in the evening. She disliked Pratap whom she regarded inferior in social position. Once Lakshmi, a friend of Savithri did not have a good opinion about her. She said to Rama, “I cannot understand how Savithri can go about with so many men at the same time. You'll hate me for saying it, but she's such a flirt.”
Her Marriage with Pratap Singh:
Savithri was the eldest daughter of Raja Raghubir Singh of Surajpur who was a rich and famous man in his area. She was very proud of her parents’ richness and high position, so she did not give any lift to her fellow students at Cambridge. She was sent for her education at Cambridge University of London. There she lived a fashionable and rich life like an ultra - modern girl. She started smoking publicly, attended dance parties and moved about with her male friends. She rejected the proposal of her parents who wished that she should marry Pratap Singh. Its first reason was that she did not like him serving under the British who had cruelly treated the people of India. Later she married Pratap when Rama persuaded her.
Savithri as an Imperfect Character:
The close study of the story of the present novel shows Savithri as an imperfect character. We often read about the character of old Savithri who is mentioned as the wife of Satyavan. Certainly she was the most faithful, devoted and ideal Indian woman. It was her devotion to her husband that she had brought him back to life even from the mouth of death. She had compelled Yama, the god of Death to make a promise to bless her with one hundred sons and they could be possible only with the living husband of Savithri.
The present Savithri, a character from the present novel was opposite and different by her habits and nature. She may be called an ultra - modern girl who was in the habit of smoking publicly and attending dance parties both with young girls and boys. This is the reason that Lakshmi had charged her for her bad character by calling her a flirt who used to move about with a number of young persons. Rama did not agree to her and called her as good as a saint. Secondly it was her harshness that she had refused to obey her parents in order to marry Pratap Singh. She not only hated him but she also disliked him as a slavish servant of the British who had cruelly treated the people of India. Later she married Pratap.
Conclusion:
As we study the present novel from the beginning upto the end, we find different aspects of Savithri's character. First of all, she was an ultra - modern girl because she was sent to Cambridge in London for her education by her rich parents. There she developed into an ultra - modern girl by smoking publicly, by attending dance parties and by moving in the group of young boys. Her such activities show her only in a different form. Secondly, it was her harsh behaviour towards her parents when she had refused to marry Pratap Singh who had been suggested and selected by her parents as her future husband. Lastly she became ready and married Pratap when Rama had persuaded her to marry him. In the meantime she had developed her close and unholy love - affair with Rama and even had physical contact with her. In this way, her love affair with Rama moved parallel to the married life of Rama with Madeleine. It clearly shows that her character which is imperfect does not win the sympathy of the readers of the present novel.