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The Empress: the plot

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Tanika Gupta's play, first staged by the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2013, begins in 1887, the year of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, and follows Indian characters in Victorian Britain.

Arrival

Rani Das, a sixteen-year-old ayah (nanny), sails from India to England with the British family she works for. On board she meets Hari, a lascar (Indian sailor), the political campaigner Dadabhai Naoroji, and Abdul Karim, who is travelling to serve Queen Victoria.
When they arrive, Rani's employers abandon her at the docks.

Two journeys

Rani struggles to survive in London. She finds help from Lascar Sally, who gives lodging to sailors, and later at the Ayahs' Home. She is exploited by Lord Oakham, who leaves her pregnant.
Meanwhile Abdul becomes Queen Victoria's close companion and teacher, teaching her Urdu, but the royal household resents him.

Endings

Rani becomes Naoroji's secretary and grows more independent and politically aware.
After Queen Victoria dies in 1901, Abdul's letters with her are destroyed and he is sent back to India.
Rani and Hari are reconciled.
Worked example

Why does Gupta tell two parallel stories (Rani's and Abdul's)?

  1. Abdul rises to the top of society, close to the Queen.
  2. Rani is abandoned and struggles at the bottom.
  3. Together they show how Indians in Britain were treated at every level, and how fragile their position was.

Answer: To contrast life at the top and bottom of Victorian society and show that both were vulnerable because of racism and empire.

Key idea

Voyage in 1887, Rani abandoned at the docks, hardship and exploitation by Lord Oakham, Abdul's friendship with Victoria, Rani becomes Naoroji's secretary, Abdul sent home after 1901, Rani and Hari reconciled.

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