*Binodini Dasi's "My Story and Life of an Actress": A Feminist

Document / Condition of Women during the contemporary time**

Binodini Dasi's autobiography, "My Story and Life of an Actress," stands

as a significant feminist document that provides profound insights into
the life and condition of women, particularly actresses, in 19th-century
Bengal, as Julia Swindells delineates that autobiography has the potential
to be the text of the oppressed and it can speak beyond the individual.
Binodini Dasi’s narrative not only chronicles her personal journey but
also encapsulates the broader socio-cultural conditions faced by women
of her time. Through her writings, Binodini Dasi emerges as a pioneering
voice advocating for women's autonomy, dignity, and recognition in a
society steeped in patriarchal values.
Born in 1863, Binodini Dasi entered the world of theatre at a young age.
Her career spanned from the age of twelve to twenty-three, during which
she became one of the most celebrated actresses in Bengali theatre.
Despite her success, she faced severe societal disdain due to her
profession. The theatre, at that time, was not considered a respectable
career for women, who were often viewed as morally compromised
merely because of their association with the stage. Binodini Dasi’s
autobiography is a vivid portrayal of her struggles against the rigid and
oppressive societal norms that sought to control and marginalize women.
One of the most compelling aspects of her narrative is her assertion of
individuality and professional identity in a time when women were
largely confined to domestic roles.
In her autobiography, she writes, "I was nothing but a toy in the hands of
the male members of our society," highlighting the objectification and
lack of agency experienced by women. This statement encapsulates the
broader feminist critique of patriarchy that runs through her work.
Binodini’s life story is an emphatic declaration of her right to self-
determination, as she continuously fought against the stigma attached to
her profession and sought respect for her work as an artist. Binodini
unlike the nascent and radical ‘feminists’ of the contemporary West did
not take an extreme position to oppose the male discourses. Rather, she
followed the ways prescribed by patriarchy to get social respectability.
There are three paths to the ‘iconisation’ of Binodini Dasi - “Manch-
dharma- sansar”.
Binodini’s engagement with theatre presents a dual narrative of
empowerment and exploitation. On the one hand, theatre provided her
with a platform to express herself and gain public recognition. On the
other hand, it exposed her to exploitation by the very people who
controlled the theatrical world. Her mentor, Girish Chandra Ghosh,
played a pivotal role in her career, yet the power dynamics in their
relationship were complex and often detrimental to her well-being. She
narrates an incident where Ghosh asked her to mortgage her jewelry to
support the theatre company, a clear indication of how her success and
personal resources were manipulated for the benefit of male
counterparts. Despite such exploitation, Binodini’s dedication to her craft
remained unwavering, highlighting her resilience and commitment to her
profession.

The stigma associated with female performers in 19th-century Bengal

was profound. Binodini’s narrative is replete with instances of social
ostracism and personal anguish. She writes about being denied entry into
respectable society and the constant moral scrutiny she endured along
with gender pay disparity. This social alienation was not just a personal
affliction but a broader commentary on the condition of women who
dared to step outside traditional roles. One poignant episode in her
autobiography is her recounting of being denied the honor of dedicating
the Star Theatre, despite her substantial contribution to its success. This
incident underscores the deep-seated prejudices that denied women
recognition and respect, regardless of their achievements.
Beyond her personal struggles, Binodini’s autobiography is a clarion call
for the recognition of women’s rights and dignity. She questions the
moral double standards that celebrate male achievements while vilifying
women for the same pursuits. Her reflections on the need for education
and professional opportunities for women are ahead of her time, marking
her as a visionary thinker in the feminist discourse of Bengal. Her
statement, "I wish to live not as an object of charity, but with dignity as
an artist," resonates with the feminist ideals of economic independence
and self-respect. Binodini’s life and work advocate for a redefinition of
societal values that can accommodate and celebrate women's
contributions across various fields. The stage the society and the nation
could accommodate an ideologically emancipate only the actresses'
images, their corporeal presences, and their bodies on stage but never
honored their spirits, aspirations, or desires nor undo the political
gendering of their ‘bodies’ on the social margin. Hence the progressive
agenda of the theater community was never so progressive as to turn
these into social reality.
Calling herself barangona (courtesan/prostitute) and kolonkini/potita (the
fallen woman), a woman deprived of all happiness and deserted by
friends and society, Binodini was speaking about a new binary created
within women. This new binary was constructed outside the nationalistic
discourse which stereotyped a feminine role model to be followed by
other women by restraining themselves within ‘antapur’. This discourse
of nationalism created the binary between inner/outer, ghar/bahir,
spiritual/material, female/male and the East/the West.Though Binodini
was well versed, religious, caring and affectionate women famous for her
quality acting, she was kept out from the section of respectable
woman(bhadramahila). She got training in the languages and sensibilities
of the new middle-class culture, (especially the code of conduct of
feminine domesticity) from the new humanism of Michael Madhusudan
Dutta, Bankimchandra and Dinabandhu Mitra from the fervently
nationalists representation of Girish Chandra Ghosh and from the Hindu
mythology and religious history during her life in the theater. She
maintained a spiritual life after acting in a play Chaitanyaleela. But
naturalistic discourse considered her material, not spiritual, because she
transgressed the bounds of ghar. In fact, in this context, we can add to
the binary vision of the home and the world of the Bengali respectable
bhadralok a secondary binary within the larger group of Bengali women
that is situated at the very intersection of the first segregating women as
private(bhadramahila) and public (brangana/prostitute), the wife and the
mistres.s Society only pointed finger to Binodini’s winning his acceptance
of the position of concubinage to various wealthy patrons, but did not
justify her work or the solidity and well-being of the theater and the art.
Even society considers her act of public performance as a violation of the
dictates of feminine respectability by subjecting her body into a
commodity for praising the eyes of male voyeurs. In fact, Binodini has
been written, scripted and produced so incessantly as Nati Binodini in
various discourses. But to add Natii before her name went beyond
acknowledging her identity as actress. Nati in 19 th century writings in
Bengal, increasing become a comment on sexuality rather than a primary
indicator of occupational identity.
Binodini Dasi’s "My Story and Life of an Actress" is a seminal work that
transcends its autobiographical nature to offer a powerful feminist
critique of 19th-century Bengali society. Her narrative is a testament to
her indomitable spirit and her quest for recognition and respect in a
world that consistently sought to undermine her worth. By documenting
her life with unflinching honesty and reflective insight, Binodini Dasi not
only narrates her personal journey but also illuminates the broader
struggles of women in her era, making her autobiography a timeless
feminist document. Through her story, Binodini Dasi challenges
contemporary and future generations to reconsider the roles and
treatment of women in society, advocating for a world where women can
live with dignity, free from the constraints of patriarchal oppression.