1] Write a note on S. Radhakrishnan's perspective on Hinduism.
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, (born Sept. 5, 1888, Tiruttani, India—died April 16, 1975, Madras [now Chennai]), scholar and statesman who was president of India from 1962 to 1967. He served as professor of philosophy at Mysore (1918–21) and Calcutta (1921–31; 1937–41) universities and as vice chancellor of Andhra University (1931–36). He was professor of Eastern religions and ethics at the University of Oxford in England (1936–52) and vice chancellor of Benares Hindu University (1939–48) in India. From 1953 to 1962 he was chancellor of the University of Delhi.
Radhakrishnan led the Indian delegation to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO; 1946–52) and was elected chairman of UNESCO’s executive board (1948–49). From 1949 to 1952 he served as Indian ambassador to the Soviet Union. On his return to India in 1952 he was elected vice president, and on May 11, 1962, he was elected president, succeeding Rajendra Prasad, who was the first president of independent India. Radhakrishnan retired from politics five years later.
Radhakrishnan’s written works include Indian Philosophy, 2 vol. (1923–27), The Philosophy of the Upanishads (1924), An Idealist View of Life (1932), Eastern Religions and Western Thought (1939), and East and West: Some Reflections (1955). In his lectures and books he tried to interpret Indian thought for Westerners.
Radhakrishnan sought to define, defend, and promulgate his religion, a religion he variously identified as Hinduism, Vedanta, and the religion of the Spirit. He sought to demonstrate that his Hinduism was both philosophically coherent and ethically viable. Radhakrishnan’s concern for experience and his extensive knowledge of the Western philosophical and literary traditions has earned him the reputation of being a bridge-builder between India and the West. He often appears to feel at home in the Indian as well as the Western philosophical contexts, and draws from both Western and Indian sources throughout his writing. Because of this, Radhakrishnan has been held up in academic circles as a representative of Hinduism to the West. His lengthy writing career and his many published works have been influential in shaping the West’s understanding of Hinduism, India, and the East.
2] "The autobiography of an unknown Indian" is 'more of a national than personal history'. Explain
The Autobiography of An Unknown Indian” is the most widely known work of famous thinker and writer Nirad C. Chaudhuri, an Indian English literary artist of the 20th century. He had written this autobiographical account when he was around 50. Although he was born in 1879 in Kishoreganj, a small town of at present Bangladesh, yet his autobiographical description relates his mental and intellectual development, his life and growth connected to Indian atmosphere exclusive Calcutta. His observation of vanishing landmark the connotation of this dual-changing Indian situation and historical forces that were making the exit of British from Indian an imminent affair.
Although, this book is by nature an account of autobiography yet it is more concerned with the story of the struggle of a civilization with a hostile environment in which the destiny of the British rule become necessarily involved. It is about the maturity of a scholar’s mind in that environment. It seeks to show how the mind and character of a typical Indian were made, shaped and quickened by the same British rule.
This Autobiography has been divided into four different books in which each book has four chapters. “Autobiography” with his views of “Indian History”. He believes that that the tropical land of India has ever been a corrupting influence on its people. The land was rejuvenated only when foreign invasions took place. He hopes that in the future the USA alone or along or along with the British Commonwealth may come to rejuvenate India again.
The Autobiography ends here; “In the words of Nirad C. Chaudhuri himself”. It is more of a national than personal history.
Task 2
Write a note on How Kaikini differs from other Indian poets in his poems.
Jayant Kaikini is one of the most popular writers in Kannada literature. He is a man of many diverse talents and has made a name for himself through his significantly different work. Apart from being a renowned poet and short story writer, he also serves as a scriptwriter for Kannada movies.He is valued as one of the best writers among the younger generation in Kannada literature and has revolutionized the field by giving it a fresh new perspective. He has it's own style of writing. According to him, "Style is nothing but how you perceive things unconditionally".
Famous poems:-
- Rangadindondishtu Doora (1974)
- Kotitheertha (1982)
- Shravana Madhyahna (1987)
- Neelimale (1997)
- Jayant Kaikini Kavithegalu (2003)
- Ondu Jilebi (2008)
Write a critical note on the poems by Nissim Ezekiel.
Nissim Ezekiel is a great Indo-Anglican poet. Versatility is the outstanding characteristic of his poetry. The Indian contemporary scene, modern urban life, human relationship, love and sex and spiritual values are the major themes of his poetry. He has experimented endlessly with form and craft. Flawless craftsmanship makes his poetry unique.
Ezekiel is a poet of city life. In his poem we find the description of Bombay. It is symbol of any modern city. Through this symbol the poet has presented the ugliness, dirt, wickedness, inhumanity and squalor of life. According to him the city reduces human personality to a zero.
Ezekiel has centred his attention on marital, family and human relationship. As a sharp observer of marital life the poet says that husbands and wives should try to create harmony for a successful marital life. Some of his poems deal with domestic life. In these poems the poet draws memorable pictures of his parents and children. There is a confessional note also in them.
Ezekiel is great craftsman. He has a rich sense of humour and wit. To attack on absurdities and follies of life, he takes help of irony. He shows keen sense of form and structure. Words are chosen and used carefully. He frequently uses the colloquial English. His conversational tone is interesting. Ezekiel's symbols and images are evocative.
Thus, Ezekiel is a versatile poet. He has prepared grand path for the new poets. He has made a valuable contribution to stylistic felicities in Indo- Anglican poetry.
Task3
India is not a country", says Raja Rao, "India is an idea, a Metaphysic". Explain with example.
Raja Rao, (born November 8, 1908, Hasan, Mysore [now Karnataka], India—died July 8, 2006, Austin, Texas, U.S.), author who was among the most-significant Indian novelists writing in English during the middle decades of the 20th century.
One of the central characters of Raja Rao's book The Serpent and The Rope said, “India is not a country like France is, or like England; India is an idea, a metaphysic.” In fact, Raja Rao himself had once told a UNESCO official, who wanted him to write a book on India, that India didn't exist!
What were the reasons that writers of post - Independence Indian writing in English preferred to write in English rather than their mother tongue. Explain with example.
The phrase „Indo-Anglian‟ was used to describe the original creative writing in English by the Indians. It is the literature written by the Indians whose mother-tongue is not English.
The evolution of Indian fiction in English may be broadly divided into four stages. The Post-Independence Era which is the third phase has a two-fold effect on Indian writing in English. The radical changes like poverty, hunger, death, diseased., which were brought about by the Partition of the country, on the one hand made the writers dream about a finer future and on the other hand widened their vision, sharpened their self-examining faculty. Thereby provided fertile soil for many novelists to flourish and a considerable number of novels were produced. Some prominent writers of this period are-BhabaniBhattacharya, Manohar Malgonkar, Kushwant Singh, Sudhin Ghosh, G.V.
Desani, Ananthanarayanan, J. Menon Marath and others.
Words:- 2000
No comments:
Post a Comment