Symbolism in The Post Office by Rabindranath Tagore
In The Post Office, Rabindranath Tagore employs symbolism in various instances. The use of symbols enrich the themes of the play. Here are some of the important symbols in the play:
The Post Office
The most significant symbolic element in the play is the post office that represents a metaphorical bridge between the confined world of Amal and the world outside the cage that the protagonist is craving for.
Amal’s Window
Another important symbol in the play is Amal’s window; this symbol stands for physical and figurative imprisonment of our protagonist.
The Bell
The act of ringing the bell by the watchman serves as a symbol of time in ‘The Post Office’ that represents the dull life that Amal leads. This bell also helps Amal establish a new routine in his life and he becomes compelled by its sound which can be synonymous with his longing for something meaningful in the life he is now forced to lead.
The Fairy Tales
Gaffer, who tells Amal various fairy tales, symbolises the power of storytelling and imagination. The fairy tales and the imagination become a means for Amal to temporarily escape his reality, that provides him hope and a connection to a world of limitless possibilities.
Themes of The Post Office by Rabindranath Tagore
Loneliness and Isolation
‘The Post Office’ depicts the severity of isolation as felt by Amal who is forced to stay in bed due to sickness. He is a lonely young boy who wants people around him, which is demonstrated through his obsession with the outside world and the anticipation of receiving letters.
The Power of Imagination
For Amal, imagination is his only way of getting out of the real-life problems (confinement because of his illness) and indirectly going somewhere else (not physically but in imagination). He gets lost in the world of fairy tales and adventures, where endless space turns out to be a small cage.
Beauty of Small Joys
Amal’s existence is quite insignificant and he only feels happiness from basic things in everyday life. He appreciates the tales narrated by Gaffer, the sound of the watchman’s bell, and experiences that he had with Sudha.
This theme is a call to always search for beauty in small things which lets know that, it does not matter the harsh moments we face in life, there is always place for happy moments.
In short, issues such as loneliness, imagination, small pleasures of life, and the ephemeral nature of life, as well as the effect of love, are portrayed in ‘The Post Office’.