The Glass Palace
Encyclopedia
The Glass Palace is a 2000
historical novel
by India
n writer Amitav Ghosh
. The novel sets in Burma, India
, and Malay
, spans a century from the fall of the Konbaung Dynasty
in Mandalay
, through the Second World War to modern times. Focusing mainly on the early 20th Century, it explores a broad range of issues, ranging from the changing economic landscape of Burma and India, to pertinent questions about what constitutes a nation
and how these change as society is swept along by the tide of modernity.
The name of the novel derives from the Glass Palace Chronicle
, which is an old Burmese historical work commissioned by King Bagyidaw
in 1829.
to find a woman called Ma Cho. He is the last surviving member of his family and comes from Burma from India with a bright entrepreneurial spirit and a hunger for success.
Rajkumar's work as an assistant on Ma Cho's food stall takes place in the shadow of the Glass Palace, in which King Thibaw
and his wife reside with their daughters, the princesses. As the British invasion comes to topple the incumbent regime, everyday citizens of Mandalay are able to enter the enshrined building, and it is then that Rajkumar spots Dolly, one of the princesses' assistants, and instantly falling in love with her. However, the entire Royal Family and their entourage are quickly extradited by the British and forced into house arrest thousands of miles away on the West coast of India.
merchant (Ma Cho's sometime lover), we are given a glimpse into the awkward beginnings of a new life for King Thebaw and his family as they try to settle into the port town of Ratnagiri
, north of Goa
. Events conspire to weave Outram House (the name of the residence the British provide to house the family and what remains of their assistants) more firmly into the life of Ratnagiri than had been expected. King Thebaw is revered by the local community, and in time the family come to feel secure and even happy in their new surroundings. The arrival of a new Collector
stirs up feelings of resentment towards the colonial regime, but Uma, the Collector's headstrong wife, is able to help bridge the gap by befriending Dolly.
Meanwhile, Rajkumar has been enduring the hardships of the teak trade, having witnessed man and beast working together on an epic scale as elephants transport large volumes of wood down from the forests for sale into the British Empire
's vastly expanding markets. Being the opportunist that he is, Rajkumar starts to make his own way in world after receiving advice from his new friend and colleague Doh Say. Borrowing cash from Saya John, he makes the journey to India to recruit poverty-stricken village-dwellers into the comparatively lucrative (yet undoubtedly perilous) world of early oil-mining in Burma. Having made enough money this way, Rajkumar does what has been his dream for some time: buy a timber-yard of his own, with Doh Say as business partner.
Having built a more than modest commercial empire, Rajkumar had one piece of unfinished business: to track down the only girl he'd ever loved, Dolly. Through an Indian connection in Rangoon (Yangon
), Rajkumar makes contact with Ratnagiri via Uma, and is accordingly granted an audience with the Collector and his wife over a meal that of course stiffly conforms to colonial best practice. To his surprise, Dolly is present, and after some drama, he finally persuades her to leave the family she has been exiled with, and return with him to Burma as his wife.
Timmy (son of Matthew and Elsa who moves to America)
, but Amitav Ghosh
was not aware that his publishers had submitted his book, and he withdrew it upon learning that he had won the regional round. It is also winner of Grand Prize for Fiction, Frankfurt eBook Award, 2001 and New York Times Notable Books of 2001.
The Glass Palace was translated and published into over 25 languages. It was also translated into Burmese
by writer Nay Win Myint
and published serialized at one of Burma's leading literary magazines Shwe Amyutay. Since the last part of novel is an extended elegy to Aung San Suu Kyi
, Burmese Press Scrutiny Board
asked for many cuts in the translation.
2000 in literature
The year 2000 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* February 13 - Final original Peanuts comic strip is published...
historical novel
Historical fiction
Historical fiction tells a story that is set in the past. That setting is usually real and drawn from history, and often contains actual historical persons, but the principal characters tend to be fictional...
by India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n writer Amitav Ghosh
Amitav Ghosh
Amitav Ghosh , is a Bengali Indian author best known for his work in the English language.-Life:Ghosh was born in Calcutta on July 11, 1956, to Lieutenant Colonel Shailendra Chandra Ghosh, a retired officer of the pre-independence Indian Army, and was educated at The Doon School; St...
. The novel sets in Burma, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and Malay
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula is a peninsula in Southeast Asia. The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its terminus, is the southern-most point of the Asian mainland...
, spans a century from the fall of the Konbaung Dynasty
Konbaung dynasty
The Konbaung Dynasty was the last dynasty that ruled Burma from 1752 to 1885. The dynasty created the second largest empire in Burmese history, and continued the administrative reforms begun by the Toungoo dynasty, laying the foundations of modern state of Burma...
in Mandalay
Mandalay
Mandalay is the second-largest city and the last royal capital of Burma. Located north of Yangon on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, the city has a population of one million, and is the capital of Mandalay Region ....
, through the Second World War to modern times. Focusing mainly on the early 20th Century, it explores a broad range of issues, ranging from the changing economic landscape of Burma and India, to pertinent questions about what constitutes a nation
Nation
A nation may refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government irrespective of their ethnic make-up...
and how these change as society is swept along by the tide of modernity.
The name of the novel derives from the Glass Palace Chronicle
Glass Palace Chronicle
The Glass Palace Chronicle of the kings of Burma is a historical work written in Burmese commissioned by King Bagyidaw in 1829, and compiled by scholars to consolidate and compile all works of the history of Burmese rulers...
, which is an old Burmese historical work commissioned by King Bagyidaw
Bagyidaw
Bagyidaw Bagyidaw's reign saw the First Anglo-Burmese War , which marked the beginning of the end of the highly militaristic Konbaung dynasty. Bagyidaw inherited the largest Burmese empire, second only to King Bayinnaung's, but also one that shared a long ill-defined borders with British India...
in 1829.
Part One - Mandalay
The novel starts with a teenage boy called Rajkumar running through the city of MandalayMandalay
Mandalay is the second-largest city and the last royal capital of Burma. Located north of Yangon on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, the city has a population of one million, and is the capital of Mandalay Region ....
to find a woman called Ma Cho. He is the last surviving member of his family and comes from Burma from India with a bright entrepreneurial spirit and a hunger for success.
Rajkumar's work as an assistant on Ma Cho's food stall takes place in the shadow of the Glass Palace, in which King Thibaw
Thibaw Min
Thibaw Min was the last king of the Konbaung dynasty of Burma . His reign ended when Burma was defeated by the forces of the British Empire in the Third Anglo-Burmese War, on 29 November 1885, prior to its official annexation on 1 January 1886....
and his wife reside with their daughters, the princesses. As the British invasion comes to topple the incumbent regime, everyday citizens of Mandalay are able to enter the enshrined building, and it is then that Rajkumar spots Dolly, one of the princesses' assistants, and instantly falling in love with her. However, the entire Royal Family and their entourage are quickly extradited by the British and forced into house arrest thousands of miles away on the West coast of India.
Part Two - Ratnagiri
Whilst Rajkumar's quickly evolving career begins to take shape with the help of Saya John, a successful teakTeak
Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...
merchant (Ma Cho's sometime lover), we are given a glimpse into the awkward beginnings of a new life for King Thebaw and his family as they try to settle into the port town of Ratnagiri
Ratnagiri
Ratnāgiri is a port city on the Arabian Sea coast in Ratnagiri district in the southwestern part of Maharashtra, India. The district is a part of Konkan.The Sahyadri mountains border Ratnagiri to the east...
, north of Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
. Events conspire to weave Outram House (the name of the residence the British provide to house the family and what remains of their assistants) more firmly into the life of Ratnagiri than had been expected. King Thebaw is revered by the local community, and in time the family come to feel secure and even happy in their new surroundings. The arrival of a new Collector
District collector
The District Collector is the district head of administration of the bureaucracy in a state of India. Though he/she is appointed and is under general supervision of the state government, he/she has to be a member of the elite IAS recruited by the Central Government...
stirs up feelings of resentment towards the colonial regime, but Uma, the Collector's headstrong wife, is able to help bridge the gap by befriending Dolly.
Meanwhile, Rajkumar has been enduring the hardships of the teak trade, having witnessed man and beast working together on an epic scale as elephants transport large volumes of wood down from the forests for sale into the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
's vastly expanding markets. Being the opportunist that he is, Rajkumar starts to make his own way in world after receiving advice from his new friend and colleague Doh Say. Borrowing cash from Saya John, he makes the journey to India to recruit poverty-stricken village-dwellers into the comparatively lucrative (yet undoubtedly perilous) world of early oil-mining in Burma. Having made enough money this way, Rajkumar does what has been his dream for some time: buy a timber-yard of his own, with Doh Say as business partner.
Having built a more than modest commercial empire, Rajkumar had one piece of unfinished business: to track down the only girl he'd ever loved, Dolly. Through an Indian connection in Rangoon (Yangon
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
), Rajkumar makes contact with Ratnagiri via Uma, and is accordingly granted an audience with the Collector and his wife over a meal that of course stiffly conforms to colonial best practice. To his surprise, Dolly is present, and after some drama, he finally persuades her to leave the family she has been exiled with, and return with him to Burma as his wife.
Part Three - The Money Tree
Saya John prides himself on being able to spot the next big commodity, and on their return to Rangoon, he hands Rajkumar and Dolly a small clump of odd elastic material: rubber.Part Six - The Front
The story of the Japanese invasion of Malaya and Burma and the subsequent family losses of lives and properties.Burmese Royal Family
- Thibaw MinThibaw MinThibaw Min was the last king of the Konbaung dynasty of Burma . His reign ended when Burma was defeated by the forces of the British Empire in the Third Anglo-Burmese War, on 29 November 1885, prior to its official annexation on 1 January 1886....
(the last king of the Konbaung kingdom of BurmaKonbaung dynastyThe Konbaung Dynasty was the last dynasty that ruled Burma from 1752 to 1885. The dynasty created the second largest empire in Burmese history, and continued the administrative reforms begun by the Toungoo dynasty, laying the foundations of modern state of Burma...
who were exiled to RatnagiriRatnagiriRatnāgiri is a port city on the Arabian Sea coast in Ratnagiri district in the southwestern part of Maharashtra, India. The district is a part of Konkan.The Sahyadri mountains border Ratnagiri to the east...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
) - Dies in exile of a heart attack - SupayalatSupayalatSupayalat was the last queen of Burma who reigned in Mandalay , born to King Mindon Min and Queen of Alenandaw . The British corruption of her name was 'Soup Plate'...
(the last queen of Burma) - Hteiksu Myatpayagyi
- Hteiksu Myatpayalat
- Hteiksu Myatpaya
- Hteiksu Myatpayalay
Rajkumar's Family
- Rajkumar Raha (the central character)
- Dolly Sein (Lady-in-waiting to Queen SupayalatSupayalatSupayalat was the last queen of Burma who reigned in Mandalay , born to King Mindon Min and Queen of Alenandaw . The British corruption of her name was 'Soup Plate'...
and marries to Rajkumar) - Neel Raha (Rajkumar and Dolly's elder son) - Neel dies trying to take his father's place in the family business. Bombs scare the elephants and he is crushed by falling timber
- Dinu Raha (Rajkumar and Dolly's younger son)
- Ilongo (illegitimate child of Rajkumar)
- Jaya (Neel and Manju's daughter)
Saya John's Family
- Saya John - Dies when bayoneted by a Japanese soldier
- Matthew (Saya John's son) - Dies in an accident
- Elsa Hoffman (Matthew's wife) - Dies in the accident which kills Matthew
- Alison (Matthew and Elsa's Daughter) - Dies in a battle of sorts, she kills 4 soldiers and then shoots herself
Timmy (son of Matthew and Elsa who moves to America)
Uma Dey's Family
- Beni Prasad Dey (District Collector at RatnagiriRatnagiriRatnāgiri is a port city on the Arabian Sea coast in Ratnagiri district in the southwestern part of Maharashtra, India. The district is a part of Konkan.The Sahyadri mountains border Ratnagiri to the east...
and marries to Uma)- Dies trying to take a boat out to sea - Uma Dey (Madame Collector and Dolly's best friend)
- Manju (Uma's niece and marries to Neel) - Commits suicide after Neel dies by falling off a raft
- Arjun (Uma's nephew) - Dies in battle with his batman Kishan Singh
- Bela (Uma's youngest niece)
Awards and translations
The Glass Palace was the Eurasian regional winner in the "Best Book" category of the 2001 Commonwealth Writers' PrizeCommonwealth Writers' Prize
Commonwealth Writers is an initiative by the Commonwealth Foundation to unearth, develop and promote the best new fiction from across the Commonwealth. It's flagship are two literary awards and a website...
, but Amitav Ghosh
Amitav Ghosh
Amitav Ghosh , is a Bengali Indian author best known for his work in the English language.-Life:Ghosh was born in Calcutta on July 11, 1956, to Lieutenant Colonel Shailendra Chandra Ghosh, a retired officer of the pre-independence Indian Army, and was educated at The Doon School; St...
was not aware that his publishers had submitted his book, and he withdrew it upon learning that he had won the regional round. It is also winner of Grand Prize for Fiction, Frankfurt eBook Award, 2001 and New York Times Notable Books of 2001.
The Glass Palace was translated and published into over 25 languages. It was also translated into Burmese
Burmese language
The Burmese language is the official language of Burma. Although the constitution officially recognizes it as the Myanmar language, most English speakers continue to refer to the language as Burmese. Burmese is the native language of the Bamar and related sub-ethnic groups of the Bamar, as well as...
by writer Nay Win Myint
Nay Win Myint
Nay Win Myint is a Burmese writer and was born in Magyae Division, Pwint Phyu Township. He specialises in writing short novels and won the Myanmar National Literature Award in 1992. He also writes under pseudonyms such as Win Phwe, Aung Maung. Win Myint also works as a journalist and has...
and published serialized at one of Burma's leading literary magazines Shwe Amyutay. Since the last part of novel is an extended elegy to Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi, AC is a Burmese opposition politician and the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy. In the 1990 general election, her National League for Democracy party won 59% of the national votes and 81% of the seats in Parliament. She had, however, already been detained...
, Burmese Press Scrutiny Board
Press Scrutiny and Registration Division
The Press Scrutiny and Registration Division is a division under the Ministry of Information, responsible for censorship of media in Burma today. Its current director is Major Tint Swe. PSRD censors all forms of media, ranging from publications such as newspapers and magazines and other published...
asked for many cuts in the translation.