The Spoilt Child (1893) is a novel by Peary Chand Mitra. Originally published as Alaler Gharer Dulal under the pseudonym Tek Chand Thakur, Mitra’s novel is considered one of the first written in plainspoken, accessible Bengali. Translated here by G. D. Oswell, The Spoilt Child remains an essential work of nineteenth century Indian literature. “Matilall, having been indulged in every possible way from his boyhood, was exceedingly self-willed; at times, he would say to his father: ‘Father, I want to catch hold of the moon!’ ‘Father, I want to eat a cannon-ball!’ Now and then he would roar and cry, so that all the neighbours would say: ‘We cannot get any sleep owing to that dreadful boy.’ Having been so spoilt by his parents, the boy would not tolerate the bare idea of going to school, and thus it was that the duty of teaching him devolved upon the house clerk.” Born into wealth, spoiled by his parents, Matilall grows up to be an unruly young man. Educated by a private tutor and later in a proper school, he excels in reading and writing. But his wild ways soon prove troublesome, causing Matillal to associate with the wrong crowd of boys. One day, after leaving school, he is arrested and beaten by a notorious police officer for no reason other than that of his reputation. Put on trial, his life is saved by his tutor Thakchacha, who bravely testifies on the boy’s behalf—but his trials are far from over. This edition of Peary Chand Mitra’s The Spoilt Child is a classic of Bengali literature reimagined for modern readers.
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Peary Chand Mitra (1814-1883) was an Indian writer. Born in Calcutta to a wealthy Bengali family, Mitra studied Persian as a boy and began learning English at the Hindu College, where he enrolled in 1827. In 1836, he found employment with the Calcutta Public Library as a deputy librarian, eventually reaching the position of curator. A frequent contributor to the Englishman, Indian Field, Calcutta Review, and Bengal Spectator, Mitra was a major force in the development of Bengali literature and journalism. Although several of his novels and essays were written in English, Mitra was known for his use of accessible Bengali prose in order to expand readership beyond the fortunate few who had received an education in Sanskrit. His novel Alaler Gharer Dulal (1857), or The Spoilt Child, is considered a classic of Bengali literature that set the standard for writing in the language that would be adapted and virtually finalized in Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s monumental first novel, published in 1864. Towards the end of his life, Mitra became a successful businessman as director of several hospitality, investment, and import-export ventures.
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