NAME- KOMAL RANI

ROLL NO.- 21/29053

SEMSTER- 1

COURSE- B.A. ENGLISH HONOURS

TEACHER’S NAME- MS. RANU KUNWAR

SILAPPADHIKARAM ASSIGNMENT
QUESTION
Describe and analyse Kannagi’s transformation from silent to docile householder to an
outspoken woman demanding justice.

ANSWER
Silappadikaram or “The Tale of an Anklet” is an epic in Tamil Literature. The engrossing
storylines make it an appealing experience for the modern people. The story is about a
woman named Kannagi and her journey of maintaining her chastity, virtues and faithfulness
towards her husband Kovalan. Kannagi was well-known for her beauty, she was blessed with
virtues. All the women cherish her and also envious of her because she was herself a goddess.
She was a very quite woman who never questioned her husband. Everything her husband
does is acceptable to her, and she never holds anything against him. She made an impression
on everyone in the city as a virtuous woman. After some days of her marriage with Kovalan,
her husband fell in love with a girl name Madhavi who was born into a lineage of courtesans,
and was an accomplished dancer. Kannagi is heartbroken as Kovalan left her and moves in
with Madhavi, but as the chaste woman, she waits despite her husband's unfaithfulness. He
then spent all his wealth lavishly on her lover (Madhavi) who was a greedy woman, she only
loves Kovalan for his wealth. During the festival for Indra (the rain god) there is a singing
competition. Kovalan sings a poem about a woman who hurt her lover. Madhavi then sings a
song about a man who betrayed his lover. Each interprets the song as a message to the other.
Kovalan feels Madhavi is unfaithful to him, and leaves her. When Kovalan was penniless
after spending all his prosperity he perceives that Madhavi doesn’t love him she was only
concerned for his wealth. After realization Kovalan returns to Kannagi apologizing for what
he has done in the past and asks her to trust him again. Kannagi was still waiting for him and
she takes him back. After this Kannagi gave him an anklet and advised him to sell this in the
market so that he can start earning and he agreed to do. With this Kovalan sells it to a
merchant, but the merchant falsely frames him as having stolen the anklet from the queen.
The King was in a hurry to please the Queen so he executes him, without the due checks and
processes of justice. When Kovalan does not return home, Kannagi comes to know about the
murder of her husband and at that moment of revelation nobody was there with her. She was
desperate to know about the whereabouts of her husband, she searches him. Kannagi rages
and cries until her eyes turn red and questions the state of widowhood imposed upon her
blames the irresponsible King for it. From here the Kannagi’s transformation can be seen that
a household woman is now challenging an apathetic Kingship. Kannagi then appeals to the
Sun who is the eternal witness to prove that her husband is not a thief. Then sun said “He is
not a thief, O woman of dark, fishlike eyes!” and then the Sun also told them that “A raging
fire will burn this city.” The Sun speaks the truth which proves the innocence of Kovalan her
husband. Kannagi holding another anklet in her hand cries out that “my husband is not a
thief”. She keeps repeating the same phrase again and again. The people of Madurai city
comment that the King always kept the land under cool under its shade but now throws off
heat. The city people comforted her and someone shows the dead body of Kovalan to
Kannagi and then she remembers the morning meeting between them. The murder of
Kovalan is perceived by Kannagi as a breach of governance and erosion of justice emerges in
herself. “Girl with bright, flowerlike eyes shaded with kohl! Live here in peace” Then
Kovalan appears to Kannagi as he rose to his feet and wiped off her tears with his hands;
Then Kannagi touches the feet of her husband and then ascends to heaven after saying to
Kannagi to remain calm. Kannagi was the only one who could see this scene. Then, wiping
her tears away, she stands up and vows to confront the evil King.

This depicts that Kannagi who in the past never asked a question or raised a voice against
anything even when Kovalan left her or when he came back to her again is now confronting
the King for her husband’s justice. A woman of virtues and chastity is now became an
outspoken woman who is now all set to revenge for her husband.