Question: Discuss the role of Hamidullah in A Passage to India.
Answer: Hamidullah, the leading barrister of Chandrapore, plays the role of a conciliator in A Passage to India. A well-educated, cultured, and kind man, he does all he can to improve relations among the people around him. When he argues, he does so with great caution and many reservations, so that no friction is caused. Having enjoyed a warm and intimate friendship with Englishmen when he was a student at Cambridge twenty years earlier, Hamidullah regrets the present racial division in India. He serves on a committee of notables that vainly tries to promote understanding among the different communities of India. As the leading barrister of Chandrapore, this dignified man holds a respected position in society.
When Aziz is arrested, Hamidullah is deeply hurt. He is convinced that his nephew has been falsely accused. Therefore, he tries to gain the widest possible community support in Aziz’s defense. Following the trial, he rejoices at Aziz’s acquittal and, becoming somewhat aggressive, insists that an orderly demonstration be organized to show the English that the Indians are not afraid.
A generous and imaginative man, Hamidullah cannot fully understand Adela’s behavior. Her honest admission of her mistake appears insincere to him because, in his view, her heart was not involved, and she felt no deep passion or remorse for those she had wronged. Thus, Hamidullah represents moderation, dignity, and the desire for communal harmony in the novel.
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