Christian Missionaries and Female Education in Bengal during East India Company’s Rule: a Discourse between Christianised Colonial Domination versus Women Emancipation

Abstract

The paper shows the role of distinct western missionaries who were bringing Christianity in Colonised India as a path of female education, which implanted ‗values of reformations', and ‗individual's right' among the natives. These missionaries under the banner of ‗Civilising Mission of White Men' instructed some modernizing process to the females of India within the framework of the ‗Acceptance of Imperial British Rule'. In particular, I examined the role of distinguished devotees and private organizations of European Missionaries engaged in imparting female education in Bengal. Other hand, I have tried to assess the way of responses of Bengali girls and women to the ‗New Education', which they received at the hands of missionary schoolmasters and schoolmistresses that produced an indigenous debate about Christian domination versus women emancipation. A very rich and suggestive literature is now appearing which examines the impact of modern schooling on Indian women and delineates ideological responses, particularly within Indian nationalist discourse. Finally, an attempt has been made to critically analyse the ideology and motives of the European women missionaries, and their limitation to the advancement of female education in Bengal.