Story of Jezebel: Where Angels Fear To Tread
Some stories disturb your peace of mind forever!
Dear Reader,
I’ve been reading a LOT. But it’s not easy for me to talk about this book. Some stories are so powerfully written that they disturb you for weeks after you’ve read it.
In case you are one of those folks who are being pressurised to marry and you are not totally convinced, do read this phenomenal book and I’d highly recommend it though I found it depressing and disturbing while I was reading it. For those who live in Kerala, stories like ‘Jezebel’ are an every day recurrence, as we read and hear news on TV channels that resemble lives of women who are scarred, mocked and scandalised.
Glued to K.R.Meera’s ‘Jezebel’, which has been masterfully translated into the English language by Abhirami Sriram and K.S. Biju Kumar. The book raises uncomfortable questions on the institution of marriage. Every chapter offers a disturing reality check on the sham of moral policing and domestic violence.
“In pain, people dissolve like a lump of salt in the sea. They become unlike themselves. They become the water of the sea—mere water of the sea—mere water that rises and crashes with the tide and plunges into the depths with the ebb. Because all men are like blades of grass—their greatness is like the flowers on those blades of grass. The blades of grass wither. The flowers wilt.”
The helplessness of a young doctor, who is forced into a transactional marriage that she wasn’t fully convinced about, is charactertised by the cruelty of a patriarchal society that treats a married woman as a slave for her husband’s family, and this is further perpertrated by family members, lawyers and media, made worse by quoting the Bible as a way to insult, mock and demean the choices that she makes as an individual.
“There was a little girl inside her who refused to grow up, even as she herself had grown up, come of age and earned her degrees. A girl who loved the world in all her innocence and lived with hope in truth and justice. It was that little girl they and the world had now crushed. They had robbed her of the ability to trust another person. In marriage, she had hoped for a friend and a lover; instead, wha she had been granted was a master, and along with him, an overlord. Their words and actions were an onslaught on her self-esteem. She turned into a rebel.”
However, she does find refuge in Father Ilanjikal who stands by her side when everyone else chooses to demonise her and he gently tries to convey that goodness is what makes humanity truly alive.
In Father Ilanjikal’s words to a distressed Jezebel:
“Religion is a big institution. The most important thing for any institution is the bonds that it hold it together. Faith is what binds religion. Without people to unquestioningly obey, there is no religion, there is no bond of faith…Without faith, there is no God. Without God, there is no religion. Without religion, people would become like elephants without trunks—their power, strength and tusks will all be pointless.”
But no matter how cruel and harsh her husband and her father-in-law were to her, Jezebel serves them till the end with as much courage she can. This is at a time when there is a case between the stakeholders in a court of law and she is humiliated by the lawyer as a woman who has no morals, is ready to abandon her husband and shows no remorse. The clothes she wears to court determines the judgment of all men, which is where there is a dichotomy and a clash of interests in terms of how the story arc slumps to disappoint.
Questions raced through my angry thoughts when Jezebel continues to serve the people who are determined to bring her down as an immoral woman. The court room scenes in the book are deeply disturbing as it shows how women are treated in a court trial, subjected to humiliating questions and mocked for their personal choices. In this book, there are several instances when she is judged in court for wearing T-shirt and jeans, instead of a saree or a salwar kameez. Sadly, it is infuriariating that many ‘educated’ Indians continue to view women and judge them based on how they dress.
Circling back to the book, there were several aspects of the book that baffled me.
Why does a young doctor allow her husband’s family to humiliate her repeatedly and still go back to look after them because they supposedly have no one else? By doing this, aren’t we reinforcing that the wronged woman has to continue serving the people who subject her to continuous domestic abuse and violence? To me, that part of the narrative made little sense.
Another aspect is the abrupt arrival of ‘Advait’, who turns up out of the blue and the entire story arc undergoes abrupt cyclical changes, which as a reader, felt forced to me.
While reading ‘Jezebel’, I had hoped that the author would look for a more rebellious outcome rather than allowing the protagonist to keep toeing the line of the patriarchal monstrosity she was enduring. But there again, ‘play the dutiful wife’ became a default setting that continued till the end. Too many biblical references at the end of each chapter offered no respite to the protagonist’s suffering.
True, there are hidden surprises towards the end. But that didn’t take the sting out of the disturbing behavioural pattern that the protagonist shows of serving the men who continously rip her apart and use the biblical connotations to justify their conduct.
Having read ‘Jezebel’, I can’t help quoting Claire Keegan’s observation that she shared in her interview about her writing process, “I love to see prose being written economically. Elegance is saying just enough. And I do believe that the reader completes the story.”
And that’s the crux of what I felt that ‘Jezebel’ as a novel seems to have missed despite its bold stance.
‘Valliyammachi’ is my favourite character in ‘Jezebel’, as she is her ‘wise and wicked’ grandmother. Her spunk is almost contagious and I enjoyed the conversations she has with Jezebel.
“Only when we love ourselves will others love us too. I didn’t know that. I loved everyone with all my heart. And I thought they would all give me love in return too. I waited for so long. Nobody could give me any love. I fell apart. That’s when I understood that you don’t give others love. Give them kindness and save the love for yourself . We find strength when someone loves us. When you feel you’ll go to pieces, muster all your strength and love yourself.”
With these thoughts on ‘Jezebel’, I leave you now with a few happy moments I’ve had.
Next, I have a tiny request - do take this poll and let me know what you’d like this newsletter to focus on. Your suggestions and feedback are important to me.
My happy moments in August 2023
What a glorious moment! Such a proud moment for India’s amazing scientists - humble, ordinary and remarkable human beings - who made every Indian across the globe feel truly grateful and humble. Yes, I am talking about my happiest moment - when India became the first country to reach the Moon’ South Pole!
At Noida’s Spezia Bistro, I enjoyed this sunshine golden peach elderflower summer drink and it is so delicious! This gave me an instant happiness boost!
I am currently reading this book and I’ve read some chapters more than once - this is so intense as it is based on real life experiences. If the esoteric realm fascinates you, don’t miss reading this book but brace yourself, it is INTENSE!
If you love spicy Indian cuisine, try Mangalore Ghee Roast and top it up with tender coconut payasam, Mangalore style - this is too delectable for words. But if you have a sweet tooth, the best Ice Cream Shop in Kochi will entice you.
Few insightful reads on the Internet
Wondering how deep your perfectionism goes? struck an emotional chord because my sister and I are deeply glued to this state of mind and it really isn’t easy to live with. It’s time to let the inner critic rest it out and it’s important to accept yourself.
Have you noticed how colours affect the way you relate to brands? Here’s an interesting essay on the use of colours that got me thinking - do read it!
With G-20 creating history in New Delhi, I was deeply inspired by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sharing thoughts about his faith.
An Indian at heart, Rishi Sunak has no hesitation to visit temples and offer worship. Wow, what a dynamic and amazing leader UK is blessed to have!
At a time when Sanathana Dharma is being attacked inside the country by “leaders”, Rishi Sunak emerges as a silver lining from right across the globe. Watch these videos!