The Economics of Marriage

It was a stormy day yesterday, perfect for movie marathons. I first went to see "Becoming Jane", an imagining of a romance between author Jane Austen and Thomas Lefroy. It even suggests that he may have been the inspiration for Pride and Prejudice's Mr. Darcy. The film unfolds as if it was an Austen novel, complete with the pastoral scenes, although purists may frown upon certain scenes and dialogue. Still, it is a must-see for Austenites. (Sidenote: They showed a trailer for "The Jane Austen Book Club" movie. I read the book a few years ago and wasn't even aware there was going to be a film adaptation. I didn't particularly care for the book but I will see the movie only because Emily Blunt and Hugh Dancy are in it.)

So after watching the problems faced by poor yet genteel unmarried Englishwomen, I finally watched my DVD of "Water". This is Deepa Mehta's controversial film about the plight of poor widowed Indian women. Set in 1938, it starts with 8 year old Chuyia becoming widowed and sent to an ashram. She is told that with her husband dead, she is half dead. Chuyia's head is shaved, eats once a day and is forced to beg in the streets. She is befriended by Shakuntula and by Kalyani, a widow forced into prostitution by the house matriarch. The film sparked protests, riots, and production was shut down in India because it was viewed as anti-Hindi. Deepa puts forth the idea that 2000 year old religious texts have been misinterpreted, resulting in the degradation of these women. By law, when the husband dies, the widow can be cremated with him, marry his younger brother, or live with other widows as an ascetic. They cannot remarry and are viewed as impure. Narayan, a law student who falls in love with Kalyani, tells Shakuntula that this is their fate because of economics. Sending them away, their husbands' families have no obligation to feed, clothe or shelter them, keeping the inheritance for themselves. It is thought-provoking and moving. Seema Biswas as the caring and devout Shakuntula is the film's moral center and gives a tremendous performance. It is a gorgeous film, beautifully lit and has a haunting score. "Water" is not as depressing as it sounds. With Mahatma Gandhi rising to power, the movie ends on a hopeful note. That last shot of Seema lingers with you.