Letter to Lord Chelmsford Rejecting Knighthood Characters
RT
Rabindranath Tagore
Protagonist
Courageous
Humanistic
Morally principled
Philosophically minded
The writer and central figure of the letter, Tagore is a poet, humanist, philosopher, and moral voice of India. He renounced his Knighthood in 1919 as a protest against the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Through his words he expressed the pain and humiliation of the Indian nation, declaring that badges of honour make shame glaring. He symbolizes courage, truth, and humanity.
LC
Lord Chelmsford
Antagonist
Authoritative
Representative of colonial power
Complicit in injustice
Formally courteous
The Viceroy of India and recipient of Tagore's letter, Lord Chelmsford presided over the administration during which the Jallianwala Bagh massacre occurred. Although Tagore addresses him respectfully as 'Your Excellency,' he firmly condemns the cruelty carried out under his governance. Lord Chelmsford symbolizes the British administration that attempted to justify injustice in the name of order.
GR
General Reginald Edward Harry Dyer
Antagonist
Also known as: General Dyer
Brutal
Ruthless
Authoritarian
Morally blind
A British Indian Army officer infamous for ordering troops to open fire on thousands of unarmed men, women, and children gathered at Jallianwala Bagh on 13 April 1919. The massacre resulted in approximately 379 official deaths and over a thousand injuries, with actual figures believed to be far higher. Though Tagore does not name him directly in the letter, Dyer's brutality forms the moral centre of Tagore's protest.
TP
The People of Punjab
Symbolic
Innocent
Unarmed
Suffering
Morally strong
Though not mentioned directly by name in the letter, the people of Punjab are key figures as the victims of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Unarmed and helpless, their suffering and spilled blood gave power to Tagore's words of protest. They represent the wounded soul of the Indian nation.
TB
The British Government
Antagonist
Oppressive
Arrogant
Brutal
Morally blind
The British Government appears in the letter as an abstract yet powerful character whose rule is portrayed as oppressive and cruel. Tagore describes its inhuman treatment of the people of Punjab as without parallel in the history of civilised governments. It stands as a symbol of arrogance, brutality, and moral blindness.
AP
Anglo-Indian Press
Minor
Callous
Lacking empathy
Morally declined
Complicit
Mentioned in the letter as newspapers that mocked the suffering of Indians rather than showing compassion. They represent the moral decline of the colonial press, where humanity and empathy are absent.
TI
The Indian People
Supporting
Silently suffering
Resilient
Nationally conscious
Morally strong
Described as the silent heroes of the letter, the Indian people suffer in a dumb anguish of terror. Tagore speaks on their behalf throughout the letter. They symbolize the awakening national consciousness, moral strength, and unity of the Indian people.
HM
His Majesty the King
Minor
Also known as: King George V
Symbolically authoritative
Distant
Source of political honour
Figurehead
King George V, from whom Tagore received the Knighthood title in 1915. In the letter, Tagore renounces that honour to protest the absence of British justice. The King stands as a symbolic figure representing the source of political authority and titles, which shrink in value before moral truth.
K
Knighthood
Symbolic
Also known as: Badge of Honour
Prestigious
Politically powerful
Ultimately shameful
Symbolically loaded
The Knighthood title serves as a symbolic character representing power, prestige, and royal favour. In Tagore's eyes it becomes a symbol of shame and subjugation, as these badges of honour turn into marks of disgrace. Renouncing the title becomes an act of moral liberation and spiritual freedom.