The King of the Dark Chamber Paperback / softback

The King of the Dark Chamber (1918) is a play by Rabindranath Tagore.

Translated into English by Tagore after he received the 1913 Nobel Prize in Literature, The King of the Dark Chamber is a symbolic drama exploring themes of faith, power, citizenship, and love.

Part meditation on human government, part reflection on humanity’s connection to god, Tagore’s play is a masterpiece of Indian literature. “My faith is, to go on obeying the King—it does not matter whether he is a real one or a pretender.

What do we know of Kings that we should judge them! It is like throwing stones in the dark—you are almost sure of hitting your mark.

I go on obeying and acknowledging—if it is a real King, well and good: if not, what harm is there?” What is the nature of kingship?

If a nation is prosperous, and its people happy, should they question their ruler?

Such questions abound in The King of the Dark Chamber, a symbolic story of a King who rules through absence alone.

While he is more widely known as a poet, Tagore was also a gifted playwright who used the stage to explore timeless, universal themes.

With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Rabindranath Tagore’s The King of the Dark Chamber is a classic of Indian literature reimagined for modern readers.