The Unequal Marriage of the Nawab:
Sandy, the wife of the Nawab had got her education in Switzerland as well as at some other places in Europe. Though the Nawab loved his wife much, bought many precious and beautiful things for her, yet she hated purdah to live with the family of the Nawab. About her the Nawab had told Olivia in these words, “I miss her very much. She was supposed to be in purdah upstairs but she often likes everyone to come and be with me. You see, she was a modern girl; she went to school in Switzerland and all the rest. She was not like our other Indian ladies - but, yes, like you, Olivia. She was like you, also beautiful like you.” He had brought the camera material, sanitary equipment, pianos, etc. but how a modern European girl like Sandy could manage to live in purdah. She had left him only because of such causes.
Such information of the Nawab made Olivia realise that the Nawab was a married man but his wife had left him because she could not live in purdah with his family. According to Harry, “their marriage was unequal because the parents of Sandy did not like to marry their daughter with an ordinary Nawab.” Harry added that such unequal marriages are often broken.
Nawab's love and intimacy with Olivia:
The Nawab had started loving Olivia because of two reasons. First, his wife had left him because, being an English lady she could not live in purdah with his family. Secondly, the husband of Olivia, Douglas was too busy to find time for Olivia as well as to satisfy her sexual desire. Both of them were in great need of their partners. With his reason the Nawab started loving Olivia because he had found her very beautiful and attractive. Olivia also responded with an equal feeling of love for the Nawab. Their mutual attraction and the feelings of love are well described in these significant words, “His eyes often rested on her and she let him study her while pretending not to notice. She liked it as she had liked the way he had looked at her when she had first come in. His eyes had lit up he checked himself immediately, out she had seen it and realised that, here at last was one person in India to be interested in her the way she was used to.” In this way, both the Nawab and Olivia came closer to each other by way of their attraction for each other with a loving heart and bright eyes of love.
The main problem of Olivia was that she lived all alone in her big house practically having no work to do. She did not like to live in the company of other women like Mrs. Crawford and Mrs. Minnies. Olivia was asked to go to Simla by her above two friends, yet she refused to go there with them because she wanted to live with her husband.
Olivia was always a welcome guest in the palace of the Nawab because his wife had left him. He used to send Harry to invite Olivia to come to his palace for their mutual meeting. He also visited her at her house when her husband had gone to his office. He had also taken her on picnic to the shrine of Baba Firdaus because he had been much impressed by her wonderful beauty and sweet behaviour. In this way, their intimacy developed more and more and it changed into their deep love as well as sexual contact.
The Ancestors of the Nawab:
Major Minnies and Douglas had different views about the character of Nawab. It was the news that the Nawab's gang of dacoits had committed dacoity in the area of Mr. Crawford. On the other hand, Major Minnies regarded the Nawab as a good man saying that he was “a fine man. He had some fine qualities and if only these were combined with a little self - restraint, self - discipline …” Douglas also had an adverse opinion about the Nawab saying “He is a menace to himself, to us, and the wretched inhabitants of his wretched little state. The worst type of ruler worst type of Indian you can have.” Major Minnies had a favour for the Nawab because he was regarded a “fascinating man … and terrifically handsome. He is a prince.”
The ancestor of the Nawab, Amanullah Khan was an adventurous and they had bravely fought many battles with great success. In the same way, according to Major Minnies the Nawab also had the spirit of adventure inherited from his ancestor. He could not sit silently in his palace, so he lived the life of adventure. Major Minnies also admired the father of the Nawab. His father was also a great lover of different kinds of Art and he had supported many dancing girls of Europe. He also loved Urdu poetry.
The Spirit of Adventure:
There were different opinions about the Nawab. Douglas judged the Nawab by his acts of criminal nature, so, according to him he needed punishment for such action but Major Minnies wanted to say that his activities were based on his psychological complexes showing his spirit of adventure. Both of them differed like the polish and the social judge. According to Douglas, “The Nawab should have been punished severely but Major Minnies suggested psychological treatment.” Major Minnies regarded the Nawab as a true prince who had the spirit of adventure. He wished that the Nawab should not be treated as a criminal. In the same way, he regarded the father of the Nawab as a great and wonderful man.
The Nawab as a Good Husband:
The close study of the story of the novel shows that the Nawab was truly a good husband. His English wife, Sandy had left him and gone to England because she had rejected to live under purdah. He not only loved her as a good husband but he had also bought a large number of precious and beautiful things because he loved her much. Later the Nawab had shown all those things to Olivia to have gone to him in his palace. The Nawab was much interested in music, so he wanted that his wife Sandy (Zahira) should also learn playing the Sitar but she could not play the Sitar.
The Nawab as a Good Friend:
This story shows that the Nawab was also a good friend of Olivia because he never tried to take liberty with her. He was always ready to do any service to her. He never wanted to create a rift between Olivia and her husband, Douglas. With this reason her husband never suspected the Nawab for loving his wife against him. Though the Nawab - used to meet Olivia when her husband had gone to his office, yet there was no misunderstanding between the husband and wife. Major Minnies had been regarding the Nawab as a good friend, fine gentleman and an ideal prince.
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