A Coward

-Premchand
In the story, Premchand shows how cultural
difference creates problem among the people who live in
the same society. Basically the Hindu caste system has
created problems among the people in case of marriage.
Moreover, the gap between a traditional mind and the
modern mind divide the people clearly into opposite post.
Most of the people still stick to their conservative beliefs
due to which the gap has always remained unfulfilled.
In the story, Keshav, a Brahmin boy falls in love
with Prema, a girl from Banya caste. In the beginning
keshav seems to be very strong because he is ready to
undergo any hardships that might come on his way. He
convinced Prema to be bold and fight against the
conservative mind. Prema, who is loyal to her parents,
doesn’t want to go against them. However, she can’t live
her life without Keshav. She thinks about Keshav and
collects her strength to tell her relationship with Keshav
to her parents. In the beginning her parents rejects it
strongly but they agreed when they put her life at stake.
Prema’s father went to talk with Keshav’s father, who
reacted very rudely to him.
However he tolerated being the father of a girl. Then
Prema wrote a letter to Keshav informing him that she
was ready to undergo to any sorts of difficulties if he
was ready to accept her as his life partner. She also wrote
that her parents were eager to meet him and he was called
for dinner. Prema waits for Keshav impatiently but
neither he nor his letter comes. Only the next morning,
Prema gets the letter of Keshav in which she finds him
unexpectedly coward and disloyal. Her parents ask her
about his response but she tells them nothing she hides
her pain the whole day and the next morning she commits
suicide.
In this way this story shows the intercultural
problems of the same society due to the conservative
feelings and wrong traditions of the people.

A review of the story “A coward” (Premchand)

The story “A coward” written by Premchand (1881-
1936), who is a well known Indian modern writer. He is
regarded as one of the most famous story writer of
twentieth century. This story is also one of the well
known story of Premchand which tells us about the social
division which is seen in Asian-Pacific countries.
In the story, Keshav is, a Brahmin boy who falls in
love with Banya caste girl, Prema. In the very Beginning
Keshav was ready to undergo any pain for Prema and
marry her. But Prema is against those thinking and wants
to get her parents’ permission if they are going to marry.
We can even say that Prema was conservative minded
girl. One day Prema collects all her confidence to tell her
parents about Keshav. Earlier Prema’s father becomes
very angry and says to himself that he shouldn’t have sent
his daughter for education. He should have maintained the
family traditions. He would have sacrificed all his
property for a suitable groom for Prema. Six months later
Premas’s parents find out that Keshav is a well-brought-
up and brilliant boy. Then suddenly Prema’s father allows
her to marry Keshav. So to talk about their marriage
Prema’s father goes to Keshav’s father who was ill-
tempered and finds satisfaction only in religious
ostentation. Then Keshav’s father rejects the proposal
comparing their social status. Just then Keshav returns
from college his father asks him about Prema but he
refuse telling that he have no idea who is Prema. Father
warns him if he decides to go against the caste, then
there’s no room for him in the house and he won’t get one
piece of the money.

The next day Prema sends a letter to Keshav inviting

him for dinner. By evening there is no reply to the letter.
Prema’s mother asks “Isn’t he coming over and over?”
and her father looks on the door but by nine there was no
sign of Keshav or the letter. Early in the morning
Keshav’s answer comes. He writes he doesn’t have the
strength to get over the obstacles and can’t marry her. She
finds her unexpectedly disloyal and coward. She hides all
her pain inside and commits suicide next morning.
 The title itself speaks and tells us that both the
character in the story is coward. At first the girl, Prema
was coward as she was against and have conservative
mind when the boy, Keshav was ready to face any
hardship to marry her. Also the boy is coward that he was
not able to marry her just for the sake of money. This
story teaches us about the social norms and values seen in
Hindu society. Even in our country Nepal these practices
is seen and followed. Society makes compulsion to follow
the dictates of one’s conscience even if it means against
one’s family and long-standing cultural traditions. So we
should try to change the concept of the people and
society.