AZIZ-FIELDING RELATIONSHIP

      

A PASSAGE TO INDIA is built upon the relationship between Aziz and fielding is the most significant relationship established in the novel. In spite of so many barriers of race and characters, the two men succeed in creating a unique relationship that stands out as evidence off the power of goodwill and kindness.

      In their very first meeting when they are still strangers, their desire for genuine friendship brings them together. There is of course the contrast between fielding and Aziz, the easy going English man and the Muslim doctor. Dr. Aziz features as one of the central characters in Forster’s novel ‘A Passage to India’, who practices medicine at Chandrapore. He is a devout Muslim and happy with his job at the local hospital .on the other hand, Cyril Fielding, in E. M. Forster’s ‘A Passage to India’ is a simple yet extraordinary character. He is a significant deviation from the common Britishers in the novel. Popularly known as the schoolmaster, as many English characters too call him, Fielding is generally sympathetic towards the natives.

The two men come even closer in their first meeting at Aziz’s house as Aziz has fallen ill and Fielding comes to visit him. Fielding drives away Aziz’s dejection mood and Aziz gratefully appreciates fielding’s gesture. He shows fielding his dead wife photograph, some things which he, as a Muslim, could have done only for closest relatives. The initiate gesture seals their brotherhood and is appreciated by fielding as such.

The fundamental differences of character and outlook between Aziz and Fielding rise to the surface after Aziz’s arrest and release. Aziz is determined to take revenge upon Adela for running his career. Fielding, moved by pity for helpless Adela urges Aziz not to persist in his demand for compensation. Aziz refuses and Fielding is distressed to find that Aziz’s unforgiving and revengeful attitude is based on his sexual snobbery. Aziz thinks that Fielding’s is pleading for Adela because he wants to marry her for her money, and this idea leads him to break  friendship with Fielding

 When Aziz and Fielding meet each other again in the last section of the novel, there is no joyous reunion between the two friends. During the festival of Sri Krishna’s birthday, Aziz happens to meet Ralph, son of Mrs. Moore. At first, Aziz wants to take revenge on the helpless boy for what the British had done to him. But the memory of Mrs. Moore softened his mind and he also finds Ralph like his mother. So he warms towards the boy and in friendship takes him out on the river where the festivities are taking place. Meanwhile, Fielding and his wife are also in another boat, having come to witness the Hindu ceremony of pushing a clay-model of Gokul, Krishna’s absorbed in enjoying the ceremony that their 8boats collide with each other. The boats capsize and Fielding, Ralph, and Stella together are plunged in the water and the holy water seemed to wash away all the suspicions, hatred and pettiness. Aziz finds that not Adela but Stella is Fielding’s wife. The relationship between Aziz and Fielding becomes somewhat normal once again. The day before Fielding’s departure, Aziz accompanied his friend for a ride in the jungle of Mau. They bring their horses nearer to embrace each other but the horses swerve apart. This indicates that sub-human India is hostile to inter-racial friendship and therefore, their union by necessity is transitory.

To sum up, in the concluding chapter the writer makes is clear that friendship is possible only among equals. As long as the British were masters in India, there could be no lasting bond of friendship between the English and the Indians.