A Brief Biography of Rabindranath Tagore.

 

Rabindranath Tagore (7 May 1861 – 7 Aug 1941)

 

Rabindranath Tagore was born in Calcutta, India, on May 7, 1861. He was the son of famous philosopher and religious reformer Debendranath Tagore. Tagore was tutored throughout his youth and wrote much, despite his dislike in regular learning. In 1877, he travelled to England to study. He stayed for only fourteen months, attending school in Brighton, East Sussex, and University College, where he studied law and attended English literary courses.

 

He was a fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society. Known as "the Bard of Bengal". Tagore was known as Gurudeb, Kobiguru, and Biswokobi.

 

Throughout his career, Tagore produced and translated poetry as well as novels, short stories, dramas, essays, memoirs, and criticism. He was highly recognised for his musical works. Tagore's most famous piece of poetry is Gitanjali: Song Offerings, for which he won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. He was the first non-European and songwriter to receive the honour. Tagore published an English translation of his 1910 book Gitanjali in 1912. While in London, he shared these works with fans such as William Butler Yeats and Ezra Pound.

Other important Bengali poetry works are Sonar Tari (The Golden Boat) (1894) and Manasi (The Ideal One) (1890). Tagore frequently published originally in Bengali before translating his own work to English. He wrote novels, plays, and short stories in both languages, including Chitra and The Post Office. He is recognised for establishing the short story genre in Bengali literature, with some of his greatest work collected in The Hungry Stones and Other Stories and The Glimpses of Bengal Life. 

 

His short stories were particularly well-known in India, where many were based on his ten-year residence in Shilaidah and Shazadpur to handle his family's estates in the 1890s. During this time, he spent time on a houseboat on the Padma River and socialised with the surrounding locals. His compassion for them, as well as his belief in universal education, had a significant impact on both his stories and his next action. Tagore's writing reflected his views on Indian independence, the caste system, education, religion, and other social concerns.

 

Tagore's work as an educator and activist led him to establish an experimental school in Shantiniketan, a rural Bengal retreat founded by his father in 1863. There, he intended to combine Eastern and Western educational traditions. He thought that there could be a more natural approach for young people to learn, one that would encourage their creative thinking and instinct. He resided in the school, which later became the worldwide Visva-Bharati University.

 

Tagore left school in 1912 to read his work throughout Europe, America, and East Asia, as well as speak and campaign for Indian independence. In 1919, as a protest against the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, he turned a British knighthood in 1915. Six years later, Tagore and Leonard Elmhirst established the "Institute for Rural Reconstruction," which was a part of the Visva-Bharati University experiments.

 

Many of Tagore's worries stated in his early short tales were realised through the institute: he thought rural India was isolated from mainstream intellectual and urban life, and he aimed to enable collaborative education. He requested assistance from international artists, funders, and intellectuals for this endeavour.

 

While Tagore spent most of his time writing, teaching, and campaigning, he rose to prominence as a painter in his sixties, with several of his paintings winning awards at European shows.

Tagore died on August 7, 1941 in Calcutta.

Important Literary Works :

          Chitra (1914)

          Creative Unity (1922)

          The Crescent Moon (1913)

          The Cycle of Spring (1917)

          Fireflies (1928)

          Fruit-Gathering (1916)

          The Fugitive (1916)

          The Gardener (1913)

          Gitanjali: Song Offerings (1912)

          Glimpses of Bengal (1920)

          The Home and the World (1921)

 

Rabindranath Tagore's contribution to Indian Writing in English.

Rabindranath Tagore contributed significantly to the growth of Indian literature in English. Tagore was known for his versatility, having written novels, essays, short stories, travelogues, plays, and hundreds of songs, with his short pieces in particular receiving great praise. He is credited with creating the Bengali-language version of the short story genre. His writings are recognised for their rhythmic, hopeful, and lyrical nature.

Tagore's poetry was influenced by ancient Indian poetry, the Baul tradition, and the Upanishads, and his use of social realism and spiritual themes in his home language made his contributions to Indian literature connecting and profound.

Moreover, Tagore's participation in the Swadeshi movement against the British, as well as his intellectual writings like 'The Religion of Man,' transformed Indian philosophy and literature, showing his opposition to British rule and desire for international collaboration and tolerance.

Tagore's contributions to Indian writing in English are varied and have had a long-lasting influence on literature and philosophy, establishing him as a towering figure in Indian culture and a worldwide renowned thinker. While Tagore wrote mostly in Bengali and had his works translated into English, his influence on Indian writing in English is visible.

 

Tagore's own translations of his Bengali works into English enabled a broader worldwide audience to discover and appreciate his creative talent. His translations captured the spirit and style of his original writings, adding to the richness of Indian literature in English.

 
Essays and Lectures: Tagore's essays and lectures, many of which were presented in English, gave insightful perspectives on Indian culture, spirituality, and social concerns. His excellent presentation of these concepts in English contributed to a greater understanding of Indian thinking and philosophy among English-speaking audiences.

 

Tagore's literary legacy and philosophical beliefs have influenced generations of Indian authors in English. His outstanding effect on India's literary and intellectual environment has shaped the subjects, styles, and viewpoints of subsequent Indian writers who have chosen to write in English.

While Tagore's direct contributions to Indian writing in English may be limited in comparison to his contributions to Bengali literature, his effect on India's larger literary and cultural environment has certainly left an indelible mark on Indian writing in English. His ability to cross cultural differences and portray universal aspects of the human experience through English translations and essays has helped maintain Indian literature's long-term significance in the global literary canon.

A Brief Biography of Toru Dutt.

 

Toru Dutt (4 March 1856 – 30 August 1877)

Toru Dutt, also known as Tarulatha Dutt, was an Indian poet born in Bengal region in 1856 to the renowned Rambagan Dutt family. Toru was the youngest child of Govin Chandra Dutt and Kshetramoni Mitter, and he came from a writing family. Her father, Govind Chunder Dutt, a Government of India official, was a linguist who also produced poetry. Her mother, Kshetramoni Mitter, was a Hindu mythology scholar who translated the book The Blood of Christ into Bengali. Because to her father’s official position, the family traveled frequently.

 

Her family converted to Christianity and received baptism in 1862. Toru was just six at the time, therefore this was a significant event in her life. Though she was a faithful Christian her whole life, the Hindu system of belief never lost its attraction for her, and its influence can be observed in the majority of her writings. Toru Dutt and his family relocated to Mumbai for a year after experiencing social rejection and isolation as a result of their conversion to Christianity. Toru's brother Abju died of consumption shortly after returning to Calcutta in 1864.

 

Her family moved to France in 1869, following the death of her brother Abju. Her education in France included language, history, and the arts. Toru and her sister Aru learned French during their short time in France. Toru's interest with the French language and culture would last throughout her life, and her favourite authors were Victor Hugo and Pierre-Jean de Béranger.

Toru and her family eventually moved to the United Kingdom, where she attended the University of Cambridge and continued her French studies. Toru's personal and lyrical passion with the natural world was heavily influenced by the pastoral landscapes of southern England, as well as her childhood experiences on her family's country house in Baugmauree. Toru also met and became friends with Mary Martin while studying at Cambridge. Their correspondence continued even after the family returned to Bengal in 1873. Later, these letters were a valuable source of knowledge on Toru's life.

Toru began publishing her work while she was just 18 years old. Her first published writings were pieces on Henry Derozio and Leconte de Lisle, which appeared in Bengal Magazine in 1874. Her debut work, The Diary of Mademoiselle D'Arvers, was written in French.

She also began writing another novel, Bianca or The Young Spanish Maiden, which remains unfinished owing to her tragic death. Both works were set outside of India and had non-Indian protagonists.

 

Toru Dutt's literary career began with prose, but she is most recognised for her poetry now. Her debut collection, A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields, was a compilation of French poetry that she and her late sister Aru translated into English. Her work was initially published in 1876 by the Saptahik Sambad Press in Bhowanipore, India.

 

Unfortunately, Toru Dutt did not survive to see her achievement. She, like her siblings, died of consumption in 1877, at the age of 21. Her poetry collection, Ancient Ballads and Legends of Hindustan, which included translations and adaptations from Sanskrit literature, was released posthumously in 1882. Her most popular poems are "Sîta," "The Lotus," "Lakshman," "Our Casuarina Tree," "The Tree of Life," and "Buttoo."

 

Toru Dutt's biography, Life And Letters Of Toru Dutt, was published in 1921 by author Harihar Das.

Important Literary Works :

A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields

Bianca, or the Spanish Maiden

Le Journal de Mademoiselle d’Arvers

Ancient Ballads and Legends of Hindustan

Sîta

The Lotus

Lakshman

Our Casuarina Tree

The Tree of Life

Buttoo

 

Toru Dutt’s Contribution to Indian Writing in English (IWE).

Toru Dutt (1856  - 1877)

Toru Dutt contributed greatly to the development of Indian Writing in English (IWE) with her literary works, which showed a distinct combination of Indian subjects and Western conventions of literature. Her efforts helped shape the early environment of IWE and established a unique Indian literary voice in English.

For more than a century, Indian authors have had a global impact with their contributions to English literature. From Rabindranath Tagore to Salman Rushdie, Jhumpa Lahiri, Arvind Adiga, and Arundhati Roy, they have transformed the Indian experience into fascinating works of fiction that have received widespread notice and appreciation.

When we talk about firsts, we often forget the young girl from Bengal who started it all. Toru Dutt (1856–1877), a pioneer of Indian literature in English, was also the first Indian writer in French. She died aged 21, but had already left an impressive legacy.

Cultural Amalgamation : Toru Dutt's writings showed cultural synthesis by blending parts of Indian mythology, history, and folklore with Western literary traditions. This combination of cultural elements contributed to the development of a new literary tradition that was both Indian in origin and accessible to a larger, English-speaking readers.

 

Linguistic Expertise : Dutt's command of various languages, especially English and French, enabled her to collaborate with numerous literary traditions and create works that showed her linguistic diversity. Her ability to write in English while depending on Indian cultural elements benefited the growth and richness of IWE.

 

Translations : Dutt's translations of ancient Indian writings, such as the 'Mahabharata' and the 'Bhagavad Gita,' were instrumental in presenting Indian epics and philosophical works to English audiences. These translations helped to preserve Indian literary legacy while also allowing English-speaking readers to have a better knowledge of Indian culture and spirituality.

 

Representation of Indian Themes: Dutt's poetry and prose depicted Indian themes, landscapes, and cultural details in ways that connected with readers in India and abroad. Her writings opened a doorway into Indian society, traditions and values, increasing IWE's literary environment with diverse and precise portrayals of Indian life.

 

Inspiration for later authors: Dutt's pioneering efforts to mix Indian and Western literary traditions inspired later generations of Indian authors in English. Her ability to navigate different languages and cultures

 

A Brief Biography of Henry Louis Vivian Derozio.

 

Henry Louis Vivian Derozio (18 April 1809 - 26 December 1831)

Henry Louis Vivian Derozio was born on April 18, 1809 in Calcutta. His father, Francis Derozio, was a Christian Indo-Portuguese office worker, while his mother, Sophia Johnson Derozio, was English. From the age of six to fourteen, he attended David Drummond Dharmatala Academy School. Drummond showed him that reason is a far bigger value than traditional rituals. While a student, Derozio began reading the poetry of his contemporaries, including John Keats, Lord Byron, and Percy Shelley.

He founded the Young Bengal Movement in 1826. From 1826 until 1831, he served as the assistant professor of Hindu College in Calcutta. Derozio encouraged his students to think rationally and freely, to challenge all authority, and to value truth. He was also one of the first Indian educators to transmit Western learning and science to the young of Bengal.

Vivian Derozio stopped attending school when he was 14 years old. He began working at his father's office in Calcutta before moving to his uncle's indigo plant in Bhagalpur. He started composing poems and submitted it to the 'India Gazette'. His poetry career began in 1825, when his poems appeared in various newspapers and publications.

The orthodox Hindus believed that Derozio's teachings were at the basis of the Young Bengal group's beliefs and put pressure on the Hindu College's administration to remove him. Derozio had to walk out from Hindu College in April 1831 due to his radical teachings. He died of cholera at the age of 22 on December 26, 1831, in Calcutta.

Even after his death, his influence was carried on by his former students, known as the Young Bengals, many of whom rose to prominence in social reform, law, and media.

As a poet, Derozio was highly influenced by the English poet Byron, and as a result, many of his works were written in the romantic style. Derozio occasionally used the pseudonym "Juvenis". The majority of Derozio's poetry had adopted the Vatican style and skillfully conveyed the story of the Indian continent. Many of his poems displayed a nationalist spirit and anti-imperialist sentiment. This was owing to his strong love for his country, India, and his desire to rid it of all its problems. Derozio's rationalist viewpoint was informed by his thorough research on Thomas Paine, David Hume, and Jeremy Bentham.

Derozio was commonly regarded as an Anglo-Indian due to his mixed Portuguese, Indian, and English ancestry, yet he identified as Indian. During his lifetime, he was regarded as modern India's first 'national' poet, and the history of Anglo-Indian poetry is often traced back to him. His poems, particularly "To India - My Native Land" and "The Fakeer of Jungheera," are recognised as seminal works in Indian nationalistic poetry. His poetry was influenced by Romantic poets, particularly Lord Byron and Robert Southey.

Important Literary Works :

The Harp of India

Song of the Hindoostani Minstrel

The Fakeer of Jungheera: A Metrical Tale and Other Poems (1828)

To India - My Native Land

To the Pupils of the Hindu College

Henry Derozio's contribution to Indian Writing in English.

Henry Derozio contributed significantly to Indian English writing, influencing the genre's early growth. His impact developed beyond his own literary works to include his role as a teacher and mentor to the 'Young Bengal' group, as well as his support for social change and individual liberty. Here are some significant characteristics of Derozio's contribution to Indian English writing.

 

Poetry : Derozio's poetry played a significant role in developing the early period of Indian English poetry. His poetry frequently addressed issues of nationalism, freedom, social reform, and the condition of the downtrodden. His style was defined by emotional intensity and enthusiasm. Some of his most noteworthy compositions are "To India My Native Land," "The Fakeer of Jungheera," and "The Harp of India."

 

Journalism: Derozio also worked in journalism, contributing pieces to a variety of newspapers and publications. In his works, he promoted for social change, secularism, and the development of logical thought. He uses his position to spread awareness about caste discrimination, women's rights, and the importance of education reform.

Originative Inputs : Derozio's poetry and prose varied from the common literary traditions of the day, mixing his works with emotional depth and a demand for social transformation. His writings showed a particular Indian sensibility while expressed in English, helping to establish a unique Indian literary voice in English literature.

 

Acceptance for Social betterment : Derozio's literary works expressed his strong and active viewpoints on caste inequality, women's rights, and religious orthodoxy. Through his poems, he challenged traditional conventions and advocated for a more just and equal society, using literature as a vehicle for social transformation.

 

Guidance and Inspiration: Derozio, a teacher at Calcutta's Hindu College, influenced a group of young pupils who became known as the 'young Bengal' group. His intellectual mentoring and promotion of critical thinking among his pupils had a long-term influence on the development of Indian English literature, with many of them going on to become famous writers and thinkers in their own right.

 

Use of English as a Mean : Derozio's focus on individuality, rationality, and social justice had a significant impact on the literary scene during and after his lifetime. He displayed the ability to use the English language to portray Indian topics and ideas, so helping to establish Indian English literature as a separate and vital literary tradition.

Henry Derozio's contributions to Indian English writing were numerous, including his own creative production, his position as a mentor and influencer, and his support for social reform. His pioneering efforts cleared the way for future generations of Indian authors in English, changing the course of Indian English literature and establishing a literary legacy that remains relevant today.

A Brief Biography of Mulk Raj Anand.

 

Mulk Raj Anand (12 Dec 1905 – 28 Sep 2004)

 

Mulk Raj Anand, also known as the novelist, short story writer, essayist, and art critic. As a result, his works became an appeal for unity against exploitation and injustice. Anand has been an active participant in the political movement for independence from his school days. In college, he was jailed and imprisoned for his involvement in the Gandhian movement.

Later in England, he was interested in avant-garde activities and left-wing politics.

Anand's writing draws on both Eastern and Western intellectual traditions. His perspective on both Indian and Western intellectual traditions is critical and mixed up. Anand opposes authoritarian imperialism and supports Western rationalism and humanist ideals. Despite praising the creative traditions of Indian art, literature, and philosophy, he opposes discriminatory practices from the past. Anand's socialist beliefs and vision for an equitable society are largely influenced by Western culture.

Anand's debut novel, Untouchable (1935), marked a significant break from traditional Indian fiction writing. He chose Bakha, a sweeper child, as the protagonist of Untouchable. The novel Untouchable follows Bakha, a teenage sweeper from an outcaste colony in a North-Indian cantonment town.

Bakha's daily humiliations are repeated. He gets assaulted and insulted because he had touched a high caste Hindu. He is not permitted to enter the Temple. Furthermore, he is cursed for contaminating a wounded youngster he assists in arriving home. Finally, three different alternatives are presented. Colonel Hutchinson of the local Salvation Army believes that Christianity is the only solution to untouchability. Mahatma Gandhi promotes social transformation and equality for all Indians.

The work also raises doubts about the reality of the untouchable. Discrimination marginalises and isolates untouchables from mainstream society. Untouchable raises awareness of the issue and its impact on society.

Anand's following works, Coolie (1936) and Two Leaves and a Bud (1937), focus on the condition of a different group of poor people. Anand's literature now covers topics such as working class and urban-rural conflict. Coolie follows Munoo, an orphaned rural child from Kangra Hills, in his search for a better life. He works as a domestic servant, coolie, industrial labourer, and rickshaw puller in various areas from Bombay to Simla.

Munoo, a rural, forced to move to the city to protect himself. Coolie has a diverse cast of individuals from many social strata, as well as several exciting events. Two Leaves and a Bud takes place on a tea plantation in Assam. Gangu, an impoverished Punjabi villager, is attracted by promises to join a plantation. A British officer who attempted to rape Gangu's daughter kills him after he is forced to labour in poor sanitation and starves.

The Big Heart (1945) follows the story of Ananta, a teenage coppersmith with a kind heart. Ananta was a wise member of the Thathiar community. He advocates for the eradication of the caste system, which may cause conflict and stress.

Mahatma Gandhi's disciples share his fear of machinery. Ananta recognises the value of machinery. Controlling machines by labourers instead of capitalists may reduce their negative effects. Ananta is convinced that they will eventually master machines. The whole action, like in The Untouchables, takes place on a single day.

The following two novels written by Anand were autobiographical in nature. The Private Life of an Indian Prince (1953) and Seven Summers (1951) fall within this category. The Private Life of an Indian Prince explores the Prince's neurotic world. In this work, the hero goes through a mental fall apart similar to Anand's own. The following four works are regarded authentically autobiographical: Seven Summers (1954), Morning Face (1968), Confession of a Lover (1976), and The Bubble (1984).

Anand fought against social prejudice and exploitation throughout his life. His compassion and emotion for the underprivileged inspired him to become a writer. Anand writes in a genuine approach, mixing Indian words, phrases, expressions, and proverbs into English. He used literature to highlight the experiences of underprivileged groups and promote social change.

 

Important Literary Works :

Untouchable (1935)

Coolie (1936)

Two Leaves and a Bud (1937)

The Village (1939)

Lament on the Death of a Master of Arts (1939)

Across the Black Waters (1939)

The Sword and the Sickle (1942)

The Big Heart (1945)

Seven Summers: the Story of an Indian Childhood (1951)

 

Mulk Raj Anand’s contribution to Indian Writing in English.

 

Mulk Raj Anand made important contributions to Indian Writing in English (IWE) with his pioneering literary works that highlighted social realism, humanism, and the representation of the marginalised and excluded in Indian culture. His contributions to IWE are understood in several manners:

 

Representation of Social Realism: Anand's works, including 'Untouchable,' 'Coolie,' and 'Two Leaves and a Bud,' gave an enormous representation of the terrible reality experienced by India's lower castes, labourers, and marginalised populations. Anand's vivid and emotional storytelling put attention on the social injustices, inequality, and exploitation that exist in Indian society, expanding the IWE landscape with narratives that represent the various and complicated realities of Indian life.

 

Promoting Social Reform: Anand's literary works were a harsh critique of the caste system, colonial dictatorship, and systematic injustices experienced by the impoverished. Anand pushed for social reform and raised awareness about current social concerns by giving voice to the marginalised and emphasising their sufferings. His passion to write about social injustices helped shape IWE as a forum for social criticism and advocacy.

 

Humanistic Perspective: Anand's humanistic approach to writing, marked by a strong concern for the human situation, gave IWE a distinctive depth. His representation of the common features of human challenges, ambitions, and dedication crossed cultural borders and struck a chord with readers in India and throughout the world, adding to the worldwide appeal of Indian literature written in English.

 

Mulk Raj Anand's contributions to IWE were distinguished by his sympathetic representation of human difficulties, criticism of societal inequities, and support for social transformation. Anand's literary works have a lasting impact on the landscape of Indian literature in English, producing a legacy of literary expression that continues to echo and bring discussion on societal concerns and human experiences.