Olivia+and+Beth+visit+Nawab’s+mother+28-30

Olivia and Beth’s visit to the Palace depicts the differences between Olivia and the other women of India. The section starts by stating that Olivia had troubles communicating with the Begum, the Nawab’s mother, because she could not speak Urdu, the language of the Palace. Olivia “would also have preferred to recline on the floor”, but she knew that “it would not have been etiquette”. Compared to Olivia, the other women who were in the palace have obviously had meeting with the Begum, because they were very comfortable with the situation. The “ladies on the floor appeared pleased, and often they laughed out loud and clapped their hands together”. This contrasts with Olivia, because she, the new-comer, “could not participate”. She was rather more interested in whether the Nawab was going to join them This further highlights the differences between Olivia and the other women, not only in their actions, but their thoughts and motivations as well.