"The Freaks" by Kamala Das

Is love a necessity in marriage?

One of the poems from "Summer in Calcutta" is titled "The Freaks". As a confessional poet, Kamala Das expresses her discontent in her marital relationship. She married early, even before she was able to understand what she desired. She writes of giving herself over to her spouse so he can abuse and take advantage of her sexually. The poem's themes include a lack of affection and a submissive, strange sexual behaviour.

She gives an account of her perception of him at the opening of the poem. She does not seem to be feeling love for her spouse in the description, which could be because she is not getting any emotional response from him. The man's view of himself as superior than that of an equal, signifying patriarchy, is evident. She searches for even the hint of affection in his touch, but he is just motivated by sexual desire, so she is left feeling let down and focuses on her desire just like him as she calls herself "freak". She accepts herself without being partial.

                            "The heart, 

               An empty cistern, waiting

            Through long hours, fills itself

             With coiling snakes of silence..."

Her heart is visible to be empty, devoid of all emotions but resentment, although it ought to be full of love and affection. In her married life, love is not real; rather, it is merely a trap that she is caught in. She is devoid of all affection and has a monotonous, mechanical life. She presents a negative picture of a couple who aren't in love which is quite opposite to the portrayal of a  relationship.

Now it brings back to the question " Is love really a necessity in marriage or is it just an utopian concept?" It's an image that needs to be pondered upon.