Family Life

Perspective is defined as: Subjective evaluation of relative significance; a point of view. The texts "Half a Tale" by Banarasi and "The Remonstrantie" by Francisco Pelsaert feature largely different perspectives on many of the same topics. Banarasi, an Indian merchant, discusses Indian culture in a poetic autobiography. Francisco Pelsaert, a European merchant, and foreigner to India, describes various facets of Indian culture in a very clear, concise and structured report to his employers (Dutch East India Company). Both texts are effective in providing insight to Indian culture during the early 17th century, but the perspective of each writer must not be disregarded. The purpose of this essay will be to compare the two texts with respect to family life. This comparison will outline the similarities and differences between "Half a Tale" and "The Remonstrantie of Francisco Pelsaert" and identify the perspectives each has on Indian family life in the early 17th century.

Due to the fact that Banarasi belonged to an Indian family and that his accounts were personal experiences, one can conclude that his understanding of Indian family life will be immense compared to Francisco Pelsaert. The intent of Pelsaert's report was to inform his superiors about the aspects of Indian culture that were relevant to the Dutch East India Company. Therefore, family life is not revealed in such detail as the other text being discussed.

A surviving child was a miracle in early 17th century India as infant deaths were prevalent. Banarasi states "I married thrice, and had two daughters, and seven sons. But all my children died." (Banarasi, p.92) The high infant death rates caused much grief in families therefore surviving children were received with much joy and family wide celebrations were common: "Festivities continued in the family for no less than six monthsÐ'..." (Banarasi, p.12). Because families sustained such a large number of infant losses, the emotional toll was immense and this deeply affected the quality of life for Indians. Francisco Pelsaert observed family life as an outsider and never experienced the death of an infant like Banarasi. Pelsaert describes lower-class families as "the home of stark want and the dwelling-place of bitter woe." (Pelsaert, p.60) He interprets the hardships of the poor as direct exploitation by the rich aristocrats in contrast to Banarasi, who believes bad things (such as infant deaths) occur as a result of karma, and payment for sins. Pelsaert observes that children may choose no occupation other than their fathers and marry into a family of the same caste (Pelsaert, p.60). It was consequently extremely difficult and very uncommon for children to increase their social status. Workers married workers, weavers married weavers and merchants married merchants.

Marriages in India were no less a marriage of two families than two individuals. Banarasi communicates that Indian marriages are not only the union of a man and a woman, but also the blending of the two families. Banarasi writes of the love and devotion provided by his first wife, and stresses the loyalty of his in-laws: "With these words she [his wife] went in and brought me the two hundred rupees her mother had given her for me" (Banarasi, p. 54). The courtesy of his wife's family was displayed more than once and in a time of economic hardship Banarasi received aid from his uncle in-law as well (Banarasi, p.51). Pelsaert's description of marriage focuses primarily on the marriage process, identifying such facts as age "Ð'...from 15 to 18 years old" (Pelsaert, p.81), customs "She sends in return some betelÐ'..." (Pelsaert, p.81) and ceremonies "Ð'... and joins them in marriage without the bride being present" (Pelsaert, p.83). Pelsaert refers to the caste system and the inability for families to increase their social status. Banarasi was married