Nectar in a Sieve

by

Kamala Markandaya

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Nectar in a Sieve makes teaching easy.

Kunthi Character Analysis

Kunthi is Rukmani’s beautiful and alluring neighbor. Kunthi is aloof and arrogant because she comes from a wealthy background and considers life in the village beneath her. While Rukmani becomes close with the other village women, like Kali and Janaki, Kunthi is always rude and “insolent” to her. Once, after Rukmani visits Kenny in town, she encounters Kunthi dressed in a sheer sari and made up provocatively; even though it’s obvious that Kunthi is conducting an affair, she implies that Rukmani has been cheating on her husband. Later, Nathan reveals to Rukmani that he slept with Kunthi before and after their marriage; in fact, he fathered both of Kunthi’s two sons. While Rukmani and Irawaddy provide surprisingly positive depictions of sexuality, Kunthi’s sexuality is characterized as an explicit threat to the cohesion of the family.

Kunthi Quotes in Nectar in a Sieve

The Nectar in a Sieve quotes below are all either spoken by Kunthi or refer to Kunthi. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Suffering Theme Icon
).
Chapter 14 Quotes

It seemed to me that a new peace came to us then, freed at last from the necessity for lies and concealment and deceit, with the fear of betrayal lifted from us, and the power we ourselves had given her finally rested from Kunthi.

Related Characters: Rukmani (speaker), Nathan, Kunthi
Page Number: 85
Explanation and Analysis:
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Kunthi Quotes in Nectar in a Sieve

The Nectar in a Sieve quotes below are all either spoken by Kunthi or refer to Kunthi. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Suffering Theme Icon
).
Chapter 14 Quotes

It seemed to me that a new peace came to us then, freed at last from the necessity for lies and concealment and deceit, with the fear of betrayal lifted from us, and the power we ourselves had given her finally rested from Kunthi.

Related Characters: Rukmani (speaker), Nathan, Kunthi
Page Number: 85
Explanation and Analysis: