Journal of Sukrtindra Oriental Research Institute ISSN 2229-3337, 2012
Genuine literature ultimately deals with life and the truth behind life. One of the concepts basi... more Genuine literature ultimately deals with life and the truth behind life. One of the concepts basic to Indian metaphysics is that of ‘Paramatma’ and ‘Jivatma’ and the conscious and unconscious urge of the ‘Jivatma’ to realise and be one with the ‘Paramatma’. The realisation of the unique non-dualistic Brahman is possible only after traversing many difficult paths of dualism and devotion and after encountering 'Maya' or delusion and countering it with the knowledge about the Atman. The highest philosophic principle of the Advaita propounds knowledge of the union of the self and the Brahman, a realisation of the existence of a non-dualistic Brahman. This paper aspires to establish through an analysis of some of the explicit and implicit statements in some prominent pieces of literature that the realisation of the Supreme appears in the form of thematic resonances in works of art. Sometimes literature proves to be more effective than all philosophies as they teach greater philosophic truths than pure philosophy.
Kiranavali (Journal of Sanskrit Research Foundation), 2011
The contemporary times compel us to inquire into the politics of everything. Language and literat... more The contemporary times compel us to inquire into the politics of everything. Language and literature have especially become political as they can be reckoned as vehicles carrying ideologies of multiple sorts. This awareness is in fact a consequence of the enhancing notion among the academia of the structures of power and domination that are at work in all walks of life. A work of art is no exception as it also happens to be a discursive formulation. This paper attempts to analyse Kalidasa's text Vikramorvasiyam (translated into English by Edward Byles Cowell) to prove the point that Kalidasa, the great Indian dramatist (often hailed as 'the Indian Shakespeare') was also a powerful agent of authority cleverly deploying through his dramatic discourse the ideology of the dominant patriarchal phallocentric society, thereby emphasizing the male hegemonic stance
LITTCRIT: An Indian Response to Literature Vol.37, No.2, 2011
Twentieth century had witnessed much academic discussion on power, ideology and the manipulation ... more Twentieth century had witnessed much academic discussion on power, ideology and the manipulation of knowledge through discourse to wield power and authority, thanks to Foucault. But can authority be gained and power enjoyed solely by virtue of the strength of an ideology? This paper attempts to analyse the structures of power that are at work in Wole Soyinka’s play Kongi’s Harvest and to establish the innate link of these power structures with concepts of culture. An intellectual of the calibre of Soyinka seems to have consciously woven these equations of culture and power into the very fabric of the play.
LITTCRIT: An Indian Response to Literature Vol.37, No.2, Dec 2011
Twentieth century had witnessed much academic discussion on power, ideology and the manipulation ... more Twentieth century had witnessed much academic discussion on power, ideology and the manipulation of knowledge through discourse to wield power and authority, thanks to Foucault. But can authority be gained and power enjoyed solely by virtue of the strength of an ideology? This paper attempts to analyse the structures of power that are at work in Wole Soyinka’s play Kongi’s Harvest and to establish the innate link of these power structures with concepts of culture. An intellectual of the calibre of Soyinka seems to have consciously woven these equations of culture and power into the very fabric of the play.
Roots International Journal of Multidisciplinary Researches Vol.4 Special Issue 8 , 2017
Multifarious definitions of literature compel critics and lay readers alike to think of literatur... more Multifarious definitions of literature compel critics and lay readers alike to think of literature as a criticism of life and as a reflection of the episodes from real life. But on serious analysis a master litterateur could be seen attempting a close and sincere scanning of the human mind in a work of art. The deeper the inroads made by the master craftsman into the sophisticated ways of functioning of the human mind, the greater the merit of the text. The incomprehensible nature of human mind offers challenges to the writer who wrestles to depict at least chunks of the grave inner realities. The 1993 work by the Australian author David Malouf, Remembering Babylon, which was shortlisted for Booker Prize, could be read as one such work that paints on a broad canvas the terrains of the working of the psyche. Many attempts have been made to understand the text from various perspectives. A common trait observable in all these is the tendency to read the work as a postcolonial text with a colonial theme. The present paper attempts to make psychoanalytical inroads into the text Remembering Babylon by David Malouf, where the aboriginal world becomes the very unconscious which is capable of terrifying the conscious White world. The paper also aspires to point out the juncture where the conscious mind probes into the spiritual realms of the unconscious.
Literary excellence is decided inevitably by the profundity and wholesomeness of the aesthetic ex... more Literary excellence is decided inevitably by the profundity and wholesomeness of the aesthetic experience awarded by a work of art. This aesthetic experience, founded on life itself is intricately woven into the concept of any artistic creation. Ideas and images heard and felt from the moment of conception onwards and later through the cultural warmth of a mother"s lap and her milk, throb as life-breath and spread as life-blood in genuine works of art. Jhumpa Lahiri was born to Bengali Indian parents in London, and raised in Rhode Island in the United States of America.
Literary excellence is decided inevitably by the profundity and wholesomeness of the aesthetic ex... more Literary excellence is decided inevitably by the profundity and wholesomeness of the aesthetic experience awarded by a work of art. This aesthetic experience, founded on life itself is intricately woven into the concept of any artistic creation. Ideas and images heard and felt from the moment of conception onwards and later through the cultural warmth of a mother"s lap and her milk, throb as life-breath and spread as life-blood in genuine works of art. Jhumpa Lahiri was born to Bengali Indian parents in London, and raised in Rhode Island in the United States of America.
Humour of multifarious kinds has always remained an irresistible part of literature. The fact tha... more Humour of multifarious kinds has always remained an irresistible part of literature. The fact that even tragedies allow a slot for humour reveals the significance of this element in any discourse. The present paper attempts to re-read some pieces of horror literature to analyse the use of humour in those texts. Certain concepts like the ‘uncanny’ of Freud later used by Bhabha, and a few Foucauldian concepts have been employed as tools for analysis.
Elaine Showalter in her essay “Feminist Criticism in the Wilderness” writes: “No theory, however ... more Elaine Showalter in her essay “Feminist Criticism in the Wilderness” writes: “No theory, however suggestive, can be a substitute for the close and extensive knowledge of women’s texts which constitutes our essential subject” (350). The present paper attempts to read the text of Mirabai’s poems from certain western critical perspectives in order to have ‘re-visions’ of the old text. The secrets that are unfurled by a woman’s text to a resisting reader are quite revelatory; especially so in the case of Mira’s devotional poems (Padāvali). The idea of analyzing the devotional poems of an Indian female from western perspectives, especially feminist perspectives may seem odd but the fact that the androcentric, phallocentric, phallocratic societies − both in the east and the west − have tried to dominate, suppress and marginalize the female nullifies the element of oddity.
Elaine Showalter in her essay “Feminist Criticism in the Wilderness” writes: “No theory, however ... more Elaine Showalter in her essay “Feminist Criticism in the Wilderness” writes: “No theory, however suggestive, can be a substitute for the close and extensive knowledge of women’s texts which constitutes our essential subject” (350). The present paper attempts to read the text of Mirabai’s poems from certain western critical perspectives in order to have ‘re-visions’ of the old text. The secrets that are unfurled by a woman’s text to a resisting reader are quite revelatory; especially so in the case of Mira’s devotional poems (Padāvali). The idea of analyzing the devotional poems of an Indian female from western perspectives, especially feminist perspectives may seem odd but the fact that the androcentric, phallocentric, phallocratic societies − both in the east and the west − have tried to dominate, suppress and marginalize the female nullifies the element of oddity.
Elaine Showalter in her essay "Feminist Criticism in the Wilderness" writes: "No theory, however ... more Elaine Showalter in her essay "Feminist Criticism in the Wilderness" writes: "No theory, however suggestive, can be a substitute for the close and extensive knowledge of women's texts which constitutes our essential subject" (350). The present paper attempts to read the text of Mirabai's poems from certain western critical perspectives in order to have 're-visions' of the old text. The secrets that are unfurled by a woman's text to a resisting reader are quite revelatory; especially so in the case of Mira's devotional poems (Padāvali). The idea of analyzing the devotional poems of an Indian female from western perspectives, especially feminist perspectives may seem odd but the fact that the androcentric, phallocentric, phallocratic societies − both in the east and the west − have tried to dominate, suppress and marginalize the female nullifies the element of oddity.
Journal of Sukrtindra Oriental Research Institute ISSN 2229-3337, 2012
Genuine literature ultimately deals with life and the truth behind life. One of the concepts basi... more Genuine literature ultimately deals with life and the truth behind life. One of the concepts basic to Indian metaphysics is that of ‘Paramatma’ and ‘Jivatma’ and the conscious and unconscious urge of the ‘Jivatma’ to realise and be one with the ‘Paramatma’. The realisation of the unique non-dualistic Brahman is possible only after traversing many difficult paths of dualism and devotion and after encountering 'Maya' or delusion and countering it with the knowledge about the Atman. The highest philosophic principle of the Advaita propounds knowledge of the union of the self and the Brahman, a realisation of the existence of a non-dualistic Brahman. This paper aspires to establish through an analysis of some of the explicit and implicit statements in some prominent pieces of literature that the realisation of the Supreme appears in the form of thematic resonances in works of art. Sometimes literature proves to be more effective than all philosophies as they teach greater philosophic truths than pure philosophy.
Kiranavali (Journal of Sanskrit Research Foundation), 2011
The contemporary times compel us to inquire into the politics of everything. Language and literat... more The contemporary times compel us to inquire into the politics of everything. Language and literature have especially become political as they can be reckoned as vehicles carrying ideologies of multiple sorts. This awareness is in fact a consequence of the enhancing notion among the academia of the structures of power and domination that are at work in all walks of life. A work of art is no exception as it also happens to be a discursive formulation. This paper attempts to analyse Kalidasa's text Vikramorvasiyam (translated into English by Edward Byles Cowell) to prove the point that Kalidasa, the great Indian dramatist (often hailed as 'the Indian Shakespeare') was also a powerful agent of authority cleverly deploying through his dramatic discourse the ideology of the dominant patriarchal phallocentric society, thereby emphasizing the male hegemonic stance
LITTCRIT: An Indian Response to Literature Vol.37, No.2, 2011
Twentieth century had witnessed much academic discussion on power, ideology and the manipulation ... more Twentieth century had witnessed much academic discussion on power, ideology and the manipulation of knowledge through discourse to wield power and authority, thanks to Foucault. But can authority be gained and power enjoyed solely by virtue of the strength of an ideology? This paper attempts to analyse the structures of power that are at work in Wole Soyinka’s play Kongi’s Harvest and to establish the innate link of these power structures with concepts of culture. An intellectual of the calibre of Soyinka seems to have consciously woven these equations of culture and power into the very fabric of the play.
LITTCRIT: An Indian Response to Literature Vol.37, No.2, Dec 2011
Twentieth century had witnessed much academic discussion on power, ideology and the manipulation ... more Twentieth century had witnessed much academic discussion on power, ideology and the manipulation of knowledge through discourse to wield power and authority, thanks to Foucault. But can authority be gained and power enjoyed solely by virtue of the strength of an ideology? This paper attempts to analyse the structures of power that are at work in Wole Soyinka’s play Kongi’s Harvest and to establish the innate link of these power structures with concepts of culture. An intellectual of the calibre of Soyinka seems to have consciously woven these equations of culture and power into the very fabric of the play.
Roots International Journal of Multidisciplinary Researches Vol.4 Special Issue 8 , 2017
Multifarious definitions of literature compel critics and lay readers alike to think of literatur... more Multifarious definitions of literature compel critics and lay readers alike to think of literature as a criticism of life and as a reflection of the episodes from real life. But on serious analysis a master litterateur could be seen attempting a close and sincere scanning of the human mind in a work of art. The deeper the inroads made by the master craftsman into the sophisticated ways of functioning of the human mind, the greater the merit of the text. The incomprehensible nature of human mind offers challenges to the writer who wrestles to depict at least chunks of the grave inner realities. The 1993 work by the Australian author David Malouf, Remembering Babylon, which was shortlisted for Booker Prize, could be read as one such work that paints on a broad canvas the terrains of the working of the psyche. Many attempts have been made to understand the text from various perspectives. A common trait observable in all these is the tendency to read the work as a postcolonial text with a colonial theme. The present paper attempts to make psychoanalytical inroads into the text Remembering Babylon by David Malouf, where the aboriginal world becomes the very unconscious which is capable of terrifying the conscious White world. The paper also aspires to point out the juncture where the conscious mind probes into the spiritual realms of the unconscious.
Literary excellence is decided inevitably by the profundity and wholesomeness of the aesthetic ex... more Literary excellence is decided inevitably by the profundity and wholesomeness of the aesthetic experience awarded by a work of art. This aesthetic experience, founded on life itself is intricately woven into the concept of any artistic creation. Ideas and images heard and felt from the moment of conception onwards and later through the cultural warmth of a mother"s lap and her milk, throb as life-breath and spread as life-blood in genuine works of art. Jhumpa Lahiri was born to Bengali Indian parents in London, and raised in Rhode Island in the United States of America.
Literary excellence is decided inevitably by the profundity and wholesomeness of the aesthetic ex... more Literary excellence is decided inevitably by the profundity and wholesomeness of the aesthetic experience awarded by a work of art. This aesthetic experience, founded on life itself is intricately woven into the concept of any artistic creation. Ideas and images heard and felt from the moment of conception onwards and later through the cultural warmth of a mother"s lap and her milk, throb as life-breath and spread as life-blood in genuine works of art. Jhumpa Lahiri was born to Bengali Indian parents in London, and raised in Rhode Island in the United States of America.
Humour of multifarious kinds has always remained an irresistible part of literature. The fact tha... more Humour of multifarious kinds has always remained an irresistible part of literature. The fact that even tragedies allow a slot for humour reveals the significance of this element in any discourse. The present paper attempts to re-read some pieces of horror literature to analyse the use of humour in those texts. Certain concepts like the ‘uncanny’ of Freud later used by Bhabha, and a few Foucauldian concepts have been employed as tools for analysis.
Elaine Showalter in her essay “Feminist Criticism in the Wilderness” writes: “No theory, however ... more Elaine Showalter in her essay “Feminist Criticism in the Wilderness” writes: “No theory, however suggestive, can be a substitute for the close and extensive knowledge of women’s texts which constitutes our essential subject” (350). The present paper attempts to read the text of Mirabai’s poems from certain western critical perspectives in order to have ‘re-visions’ of the old text. The secrets that are unfurled by a woman’s text to a resisting reader are quite revelatory; especially so in the case of Mira’s devotional poems (Padāvali). The idea of analyzing the devotional poems of an Indian female from western perspectives, especially feminist perspectives may seem odd but the fact that the androcentric, phallocentric, phallocratic societies − both in the east and the west − have tried to dominate, suppress and marginalize the female nullifies the element of oddity.
Elaine Showalter in her essay “Feminist Criticism in the Wilderness” writes: “No theory, however ... more Elaine Showalter in her essay “Feminist Criticism in the Wilderness” writes: “No theory, however suggestive, can be a substitute for the close and extensive knowledge of women’s texts which constitutes our essential subject” (350). The present paper attempts to read the text of Mirabai’s poems from certain western critical perspectives in order to have ‘re-visions’ of the old text. The secrets that are unfurled by a woman’s text to a resisting reader are quite revelatory; especially so in the case of Mira’s devotional poems (Padāvali). The idea of analyzing the devotional poems of an Indian female from western perspectives, especially feminist perspectives may seem odd but the fact that the androcentric, phallocentric, phallocratic societies − both in the east and the west − have tried to dominate, suppress and marginalize the female nullifies the element of oddity.
Elaine Showalter in her essay "Feminist Criticism in the Wilderness" writes: "No theory, however ... more Elaine Showalter in her essay "Feminist Criticism in the Wilderness" writes: "No theory, however suggestive, can be a substitute for the close and extensive knowledge of women's texts which constitutes our essential subject" (350). The present paper attempts to read the text of Mirabai's poems from certain western critical perspectives in order to have 're-visions' of the old text. The secrets that are unfurled by a woman's text to a resisting reader are quite revelatory; especially so in the case of Mira's devotional poems (Padāvali). The idea of analyzing the devotional poems of an Indian female from western perspectives, especially feminist perspectives may seem odd but the fact that the androcentric, phallocentric, phallocratic societies − both in the east and the west − have tried to dominate, suppress and marginalize the female nullifies the element of oddity.
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Papers by Raji B Nair
This paper aspires to establish through an analysis of some of the explicit and implicit statements in some prominent pieces of literature that the realisation of the Supreme appears in the form of thematic resonances in works of art. Sometimes literature proves to be more effective than all philosophies as they teach greater philosophic truths than pure philosophy.
This paper attempts to analyse Kalidasa's text Vikramorvasiyam (translated into English by Edward Byles Cowell) to prove the point that Kalidasa, the great Indian dramatist (often hailed as 'the Indian Shakespeare') was also a powerful agent of authority cleverly deploying through his dramatic discourse the ideology of the dominant patriarchal phallocentric society, thereby emphasizing the male hegemonic stance
This paper attempts to analyse the structures of power that are at work in Wole Soyinka’s play Kongi’s Harvest and to establish the innate link of these power structures with concepts of culture. An intellectual of the calibre of Soyinka seems to have consciously woven these equations of culture and power into the very fabric of the play.
This paper attempts to analyse the structures of power that are at work in Wole Soyinka’s play Kongi’s Harvest and to establish the innate link of these power structures with concepts of culture. An intellectual of the calibre of Soyinka seems to have consciously woven these equations of culture and power into the very fabric of the play.
Keywords: identity, aborigine, unconscious, psychoanalytical, spirituality, primitive
innocence, cultured barbarism
This paper aspires to establish through an analysis of some of the explicit and implicit statements in some prominent pieces of literature that the realisation of the Supreme appears in the form of thematic resonances in works of art. Sometimes literature proves to be more effective than all philosophies as they teach greater philosophic truths than pure philosophy.
This paper attempts to analyse Kalidasa's text Vikramorvasiyam (translated into English by Edward Byles Cowell) to prove the point that Kalidasa, the great Indian dramatist (often hailed as 'the Indian Shakespeare') was also a powerful agent of authority cleverly deploying through his dramatic discourse the ideology of the dominant patriarchal phallocentric society, thereby emphasizing the male hegemonic stance
This paper attempts to analyse the structures of power that are at work in Wole Soyinka’s play Kongi’s Harvest and to establish the innate link of these power structures with concepts of culture. An intellectual of the calibre of Soyinka seems to have consciously woven these equations of culture and power into the very fabric of the play.
This paper attempts to analyse the structures of power that are at work in Wole Soyinka’s play Kongi’s Harvest and to establish the innate link of these power structures with concepts of culture. An intellectual of the calibre of Soyinka seems to have consciously woven these equations of culture and power into the very fabric of the play.
Keywords: identity, aborigine, unconscious, psychoanalytical, spirituality, primitive
innocence, cultured barbarism