Family Life

Perspective is defined as: Subjective evaluation of relative significance; a point of view. The texts "Half a Tale" by Banarasi and "The Remonstrantie" by Francisco Pelsaert feature largely different perspectives on many of the same topics. Banarasi, an Indian merchant, discusses Indian culture in a poetic autobiography. Francisco Pelsaert, a European merchant, and foreigner to India, describes various facets of Indian culture in a very clear, concise and structured report to his employers (Dutch East India Company). Both texts are effective in providing insight to Indian culture during the early 17th century, but the perspective of each writer must not be disregarded. The purpose of this essay will be to compare the two texts with respect to family life. This comparison will outline the similarities and differences between "Half a Tale" and "The Remonstrantie of Francisco Pelsaert" and identify the perspectives each has on Indian family life in the early 17th century.

Due to the fact that Banarasi belonged to an Indian family and that his accounts were personal experiences, one can conclude that his understanding