Sea of Poppies: Summary

Sea of Poppies, a novel by Amitav Ghosh published in

2008, tells the intertwining stories of several people. These
people are travelling on the ship the Ibis. It was a former slave
ship in the early 19th century. The principal characters are aboard
the ship facing difficult and employing varying levels of deception.
The novel takes place shortly before the First Opium War, and its
major themes are of imperialism and colonialism. There is drug
smuggling and human trafficking by the hands of the British in
India and (though largely unseen) China. It is the first in the Ibis
trilogy of novels, which also includes River of Smoke (2011)
and Flood of Fire (2015). Sea of Poppies was shortlisted for the
Man Booker Prize in 2008.
Part One
In Amitav Ghosh’s novel Sea of Poppies, Deeti lives in a
village four hundred miles from the Indian coast. She has never
seen the sea or a ship, and she has never left her home district.
One day she has a vision of a sailing ship and she knows that it is
a sign, although she is not yet certain what it portends. Deeti’s
life is neither happy nor unhappy; it is a ceaseless round of back-
breaking work. She does not love her husband, Hukam, who was
injured in battle and now, disabled, works in an opium-processing
factory. He has become an opium addict. Their daughter, Kabutri,
was in fact fathered by his brother, Chandan, after Deeti was
drugged and raped with the family’s connivance. Deeti has
unexamined feelings for Kalua, a member of the leather workers’
caste, whom she rescued, without his apparent knowledge, from a
beating. However, when Deeti’s husband dies, and she
determines to commit sati (throw herself on Hukam’s funeral
pyre) rather than marry Chandan, it is Kalua who rescues her
from the fire and then leaves the village with Deeti, determined to
find sanctuary elsewhere. Eventually, they find their way to
Calcutta and, aware that Deeti’s in-laws are still searching for her,
determine to leave for Mauritius to become indentured laborers.
The ship in Deeti’s vision is later identified as the Ibis, a
former slave ship, in poor condition, that has been sold to
Benjamin Burnham and is now being taken to Calcutta for
refitting. Zachary Reid, a mulatto freedman from Baltimore, has
signed on as ship’s carpenter because he cannot find employment
in his home town. The voyage to India is little short of disastrous,
thanks to the ship’s condition. Illness breaks out.
Due to a series of mishaps, by the time he reaches
Calcutta, he is the only remaining member of the original crew
and the acting captain, taken under Serang Ali’s wing. Jodu, a
Muslim boatman, returns to Calcutta to find Paulette, with whom
he was raised. However, when the Ibis destroys his boat, he asks
Paulette to ask Zachary to get employment for him on the ship.
Lastly, Neel Halder, the Raja of Raskhali, sees the Ibis arrive and
meets with Benjamin Burnham to discuss his debts. When he
refuses one final time to relinquish his lands to Burnham,
Burnham brings him up on exaggerated forgery charges.
Part Two
 In Part 2, Deeti and Kalua continue to travel downriver,
remaining hidden as much as possible. They eventually make
their way to Chhapra, but after seeing Bhyro Singh and
overhearing that they are being hunted, they decide to sign up as
indentured servants in Mauritius to escape.

Having brought the ship safely to Calcutta, Reid finds himself

among a colorful collection of “old India hands,” who represent
themselves as understanding the ways of the Indians and the
lascars but whose apprehension of local ways is quite different
from Reid’s. In turn, they look askance at him because he seems
able to engage with all segments of the population on apparently
equal terms. As a result, they view him with the deepest
suspicion. Eventually, the new first mate of the Ibis, Mr. Crowle,
discovers that when Reid first joined the Ibis he had been
described on the manifest as “black” and so seeks to blackmail
him.

As a presentable member of the crew, and because of his

gentlemanly ways, Reid is invited to dine with the Burnhams, and
it is here that he encounters Paulette Lambert, whom he
previously met when he rescued her foster brother, Jodu, and
gave him a place on the ship. Reid and Paulette inhabit a similar
place in society, neither native nor gentry. While Reid has been
assimilated into the culture of the lascars, Paulette has been
brought up by an Indian woman and prefers Indian habits. Her
father was a freethinker, and she did not receive a religious
education. When she is adopted by the Burnhams, their concern
is to rectify this perceived lack rather than to properly understand
their new ward. They remain unaware of Paulette’s abilities as a
scholar, a linguist, and a naturalist, not least because she has the
wit to realize that she is best advised to keep quiet. However,
Paulette is bored by the enforced lack of occupation that is
expected of a white woman

Jodu becomes familiar with the ship and manages to gain the
respect of the rest of the crew, who initially dislike him, as he is a
freshwater boatman. Paulette realizes that she must escape
Calcutta and the Burnhams; she initially asks Zachary to get her
on the ship, but when he declines, she hatches a plan with Baboo
Nob Kissin instead to be brought on board disguised as a Bengali
woman, under the pretense of traveling for an arranged marriage.
Neel is sentenced to 7 years of labor in Mauritius and the loss of
his lands. He is transported to jail to await his departure, where
he meets Ah Fatt, an opium addict who is to be transported with
him.
Part Three
Part 3 takes place almost entirely at sea, as the varies storylines
come together. Deeti and Kalua discover upon boarding that
Bhyro Singh is on the ship; they manage to elude him, or so they
think, for much of the journey, but discover near the end that he
is aware of their presence on the ship. He begins to exact his
revenge on Deeti; although Kalua is able to rescue Deeti, one of
Bhyro’s guards falls overboard in the process, and Kalua is
charged with murder. While being flogged for the separate crime
of rescuing Deeti in Ghazipur, Kalua manages to break free from
his restraints and kill Bhyro, after which he is sentenced to be
executed by Chillingworth.
Zachary, meanwhile, begins to fall into his role as second mate,
sparring frequently with the first mate, Crowle. Through
conversation, Zachary discovers that Serang Ali was a pirate.
Zachary confronts Ali, who agrees to disappear in Port Louis.
Crowle, meanwhile, discovers Zachary’s race and attempts to
blackmail him into mutiny; however, Zachary declines. Jodu’s
flirtation with one of the migrant women, Munia, results in Bhyro
Singh severely beating him. Paulette, meanwhile, reveals herself
first to Jodu, accidentally, then purposely to Zachary after
discovering his race and realizing that Zachary is the only person
on the ship who might understand her own multiple identities.
Neel and Ah Fatt grow close, but this is disrupted by Crowle, who
convinces Ah Fatt to urinate on Neel in exchange for what he
believes to be opium.
In the final chapter, as Zachary and Crowle argue, Ah Fatt sneaks
in and kills Crowle in revenge for his actions. Zachary runs above
board in time to watch Serang Ali, Jodu, Kalua, Neel, and Ah Fatt
disappear on a stolen longboat, heading to Singapore. On deck
are Baboo Nob Kissin, Paulette, and Deeti, the last of whom he
knows, even though he has never met her.
Female Character
I. INTRODUCTION Amitav Ghosh one of the leading writes of
Indian English literature. His novel Sea of Poppies was
shortlisted for Man Booker Prize in 2008. The novel is
based on historical setting of colonial rule in India and to
fulfill its need of supply of opium to China. His portrayal of
women is realistic. In his novel women characters are few
in comparison to men characters. In Sea of Poppies he has
tried to show how women can be empowered so that they
may become independent in the future. His novel is based
on historical background of colonialism, of cultivation of
opium in India to fulfill demand of opium in China and
migration of indentured labours to Mauritius for working in
plantations. It is in this context story vivid picture of plight
of women during colonial rule is represented in the novel.
The suffering of a woman in zamindar family and an
agriculturist is nonetheless similar. I will be dealing with
women characters in the novel. Deeti, one of the leading
female characters in the novel and it is around her that
novel revolves. Ghosh has represented women from every
section of Indian society. The position of upper class
women is not very different than woman of lower class.
Women in the novel suffer from gender discrimination,
class and caste structure. Ghosh has dealt with spiritual
love between god and a devotee. Through the character
 of Paulette he tries to show development of a child
irrespective of discrimination results in respect for all
culture whether it is European or Indian. I will be dealing
them in detail in my paper.
II. WOMEN AND SUFFERING
Deeti is an ordinary village woman. She is one of the
prominent characters in the novel. She suffers from
gender bias since her childhood in the novel. In the first
chapter of the novel it is told that due to colour of her
eyes, she is called as “chudaliya, dainiya as if she were a
witch: but Deeti had only to turn her eyes on them to
make them scatter and run off”. She is married to Hukum
Singh who served in the same battalion as her brother
Kesri Singh of British army. Her marriage with Hukum
Singh is fixed without her consent as this proposal is seen
as better than marrying to a man much older than Deeti.
Hukum Singh got hurt on one of his leg while he was in
British regiment due to which he cannot walk properly but
this is seen as minor problem in her marriage with him.
Her dowry contributes to building of roof of his husband’s
house. He works in an opium factory in Ghazipur. Her
dreams are shattered on the first night of her marriage
when her husband makes her inhales opium and she is
raped in a state of unconsciousness by her brother in law
Chandan Singh with help of her uncle Bhyro Singh. It is
only later while she is travelling on Ibis that she becomes
aware that her uncle Bhyro Singh was also responsible for
her rape by her brother in law. She begins to doubt about
her husband after he starts ignoring her just after her first
night and she becomes pregnant. Her mother-in-law says
that she is like Draupadi. She becomes sure that her
mother in law knows everything about father of her child
and to reveal out the truth from hermother-in-law, she
starts giving her opium. One day under the influence of
opium in state of unconsciousness, she confesses that her
daughter’s father is her brother in law. The behavior of
Deeti’s mother in law shows how a woman is blinded in
love of his son that she helps people to violate honour of a
woman. While her opium addict husband is in his death
bed, she is physically assaulted by her brother in law and
in order to escape from him she says.”Listen to me: I will
burn on my husband’s pyre rather than given to you.”
after her husband’s death she is compelled to perform sati
and to do this she is given opium to inhale and in such a
state of unconsciousness, she sits on the pyre, and his
brother in law says “To have a sati in the family will make
us famous . We’ll build a temple for you and grow rich on
the offerings“. She is saved by Kalua, an untouchable from
a society which is ruled by patriarchal laws. Kalua saves
her from the burning pyre and jumps in the river Ganga.
She sends her daughter to her brother home because she
feels that Kabutari will be safe there. She discards
discrimination and marries Kalua as her second husband.
She had shed the body of the old Deeti, with the burden of
its karma; she had paid the price stars had demanded of
her, and was free now to create a new destiny as hse
willed with whom she choose and she knew it was with
Kalua that this life would be lived, until another death
claimed the body that he had torn from the flames. After
her rebirth she sheds meekness and weakness possessed
by her as Deeti. She becomes confident and independent
to take decisions about her future. Her marriage with
Kalua can be seen as perfect in terms of understanding
between them because before taking any decision Kalua
consults Deeti and protects her from every danger. Here
entry on the board of Ibis is symbolic because she enters
the ship in gunghata as a new bride with people around
her. Her change of name to Aditi while registering her
name in migration list shows her search for identity
because till now she was known as Kabutari-ki-ma. ...it
was on her lips to identify herself as Kabutari-ki-ma, name
by which she been known ever since her daughter’s birth
–her proper given name was the first to come to mind,
since it had been used by anyone it was good as any.
Aditi, she said softly, I am Aditi. She becomes leader of
grimityas on Ibis. She is called bhaugi by men and women
on the ship because she possesses the solution of their
problems. She is confident and ready to fight for anyone
in trouble. As it is said “that women be free to define
themselves, instead of having their identity defined for
them time and again, by their culture and their men”
Ghosh has tried to show that socio political changes bring
drastic changes in women to come out of their sufferings.
Paulette daughter of a French botanist who is born on a
boat of Jodu’s father and her mother dies on the boat. She
is brought up by Jodu’s mother like her own child. When
Paulette is born Jodu’s mother leaves him naked, lying on
the boat and wrapped Paulette with blanket first to keep
her close to her dying mother. She calls her Tantima- aunt
mother. She learns Bengali and the first solid food she
eats is rice and dal khichdi. Her personality is a fusion of
French and Indian culture. She is a perfect example of
tolerance, a person who pays equal respect to all cultures
of the world. She is without any grudges and respect all
natives and European equally. She speaks in Bengali,
Hindustani and English. She becomes a grimityas on Ibis
as niece of Babo Nob Kissin to reach Mauritius. As she is
not be permitted to travel on Ibis as she is a European and
a girl, and people travelling on Ibis are girmityas,. Nobody
in the ship is able to identify her till she reveals it herself.
The character of Taramony as guru ma of Baboo Nob
Kissin is also very interesting. She is the wife of his uncle
who marries just six years before his death in order to get
a male heir but results in failure. She is much younger
than his uncle. His uncle’s last wish is to leave her in
Brindavan to lead a life of widowhood which is full of
suffering and hardship. As she is about the age of Baboo
Nob Kissin, he is impressed by the spiritual knowledge of
Taramony and her devotion towards her God Lotus eyed
Lord that is lord Krishna. his feelings were same as her for
lord Krishna”You will be my Krishna and I will be your
Radha”. They start living in a small house in Ahiritola
waterfront neighborhood of Calcutta. There was no
scandal on a woman living with her niece and a small
circle of devotees and followers called her Ma and gave
spiritual instructions to them. She dies of fever but tells
him that she will come back and enter his body to fulfill
their goal. It is under the influence of guru ma that Baboo
Nob Kissin is always ready to help women be it Elokeshi,
mistress of Neel or Paulette. He becomes sensitives in
solving problems of women. Ghosh has tried to show
condition of Upper Class women in Bengal who were
married to men much old than their age and after their
husband’s death, they were compelled to live a secluded
life of penance and suffering in Brindavan. He has also
described existence of spiritual love between God and his
devotee and between a guru and a shishya, which is pure
and spiritual. Women on the board of Ibis like Munniah,
who indulges in illicit relationship with a man working in
opium factory in her village and becomes pregnant. Her
decision to give birth to her child is supported by her
parents on the contrary of her belief that they will expel
her. But she has to leave her village as nothing is left for
her parents and child are dead as they got burnt in the
fire and she is left alone. She evokes conflict when her
affair with Jodu (Azad) is known to the people
commanding Ibis, a relationship between a Hindu girl and
a Muslim boy is not acceptable to them. Jodu is beaten
ruthlessly and Munniah is locked in a room it is only after
the intervention of Deeti that she is released. Through this
Ghosh has tried to depict existence of communalism even
though people travelling on Ibis do not know their future.
Through the character of Heeru, Ghosh has tried to depict
plight of women left by their husband due to some disease
or inability to give male heir to the family. She is left by
her husband in a fair due to her disease of forgetfulness.
She agrees to marry on the ship with one of the
indentured labour who is much older than her because
she is told that women will be torn down in Mauritius as
there are few women in comparison to men. Her marriage
is for security to lead a peaceful life unaware of the
hardship in Mauritius. Few other women on the board of
Ibis like Sarju, one of the oldest women on the ship, a dai
midwife in her village near Ara. She commits a mistake in
the delivery of a Thakur’s son as a result she is punished
by sending her away from her village to Mauritius. She is
deprived of company of family just because she belongs
to a lower class of society. She dies on the ship and gives
Deeti seeds of poppy, bhang and dhatura to keep with
herself for future use in Mauritius. After receiving seeds
from Sarju, Deeti realizes how important it is to take
something for their future and as an agriculturalist seeds
are most important in their life. They are like an asset for
them. Through the character of Ratna and Champa Ghosh
has tried to depict life of women who have accompany
their husband when their land is confisticated. They are
sisters married to a pair of brothers whose land was
contracted to the opium factory and then confisticated
due to not being able to pay rent and driving them out to
leave their village and go to Mauritius in search of fortune.
Another woman named Dokhanee travelled with her
husband to escape from the oppression of her abusive
mother in law. And she is happy that her husband has
joined her in her escape. She is unaware of the hardship
and inhuman living conditions of plantation workers in
Mauritius. Through the character of Neel’s wife Malti, it is
shown how his wife is a passive sufferer and her condition
is not better than Deeti’s. Her life is controlled by
patriarchal laws. She is made to play role of mother and
wife, without any expectations while her husband enjoys
with his mistress Elokeshi who betrays him as soon as he
loses his property. She is just a silent spectator in the
house performing duties and never questioning her
husband. But when Neel is in jail and is about to be
deported to Mareech and all his estate is confisticated.
She comes to jail to meet him and did not show any sign
of disaster which has completely destroyed their life. She
has to live in a small house and she only says to Neel is to
take care to himself. She suffers due to mistake
committed by her husband but never complains. Here
Ghosh has tried to depict nature of a typical Indian wife
who performs her duties without expecting anything. The
characters of Mrs Burnham and her daughter are
representative of the mindset of Britishers that they are
superior than Indians and anything which is a part of
Indian culture is looked upon as inferior be it people, dress
or language. This is the reason why Paulette finds it
difficult to live in Burnham’s house their house and due to
this she wants to escape to Mauritius. She is brought up in
such an atmosphere where she is taught every culture has
to be respected.
III. CONCLUSION Ghosh has tried to depict sufferings
women from all sections of Indian society during the
nineteenth century. He has dealt with social problems like
sati, rape by brother of the groom in the name of
marriage to conceal impotency of groom. The misery and
isolation of widowhood with reference to women of
Brahman family in Calcutta who are send to Brindavan.
Ghosh gives us a ray of hope that if women get support
from their male counterparts as in the case of Deeti who is
supported by Kalua. They can be empowered to become
independent and can become leader as Deeti in the novel.
They are more than equal to men in the novel. He has
tried to depict women’s search for identity and their right
to live a life of freedom and dignity. In his novel women
are strong, they travel and take decisions to live an
independent life. They are not controlled by men. They
are individuals with freedom and progress.