There is no doubt that the dominant rasa in Kalidas’s Shakuntala is the shringara rasa. Critics h... more There is no doubt that the dominant rasa in Kalidas’s Shakuntala is the shringara rasa. Critics have agreed that the romance between Dushyanta and Shakuntala, their union despite the separation as well as the portrayal of Shakuntala as nature herself all reinforce it. Interestingly though, Shakuntala’s personification as nature which is an important contributor of the Shringara rasa in this play differs quite drastically from the original Shakuntala from the Mahabharata. In this context, this research paper explores the political function of Shringara rasa in Kalidasa’s version of the Shakuntala-Dushyanta story.
You can still have a Culture without the Baggage: A Rhetorical Analysis of Barbara Ehrenreich's "... more You can still have a Culture without the Baggage: A Rhetorical Analysis of Barbara Ehrenreich's "Cultural Baggage" Barbara Ehrenreich's essay "Cultural Baggage" is an answer to her acquaintance's question "And what is your ethnic background, if I may ask?" To which her answer is "None". This essay elaborates and justifies that "None" in a context of the 1960s and 70s where Americans were proudly reclaiming their ethnic and religious heritages. In doing so, the writer successfully persuades the readers to believe that having no heritage is also a "genuine heritage" by appealing to their emotions.
In the play Chandalika (1938), Rabindranath Tagore transforms a popular Buddhist legend regarding... more In the play Chandalika (1938), Rabindranath Tagore transforms a popular Buddhist legend regarding the lust of a girl of an untouchable caste after a disciple of Buddha into one of selfawareness. This paper focuses on this retelling by Tagore and argues that by making Prakriti, the protagonist of the play, he also makes a dalit woman an agent of her own fate. Through a study of relevant literature and textual analysis, this paper finds that Prakriti's longing for Ananda is the soul's longing for the Supreme Soul and not just the desire of a woman for a man, as some critics have argued. With her awakening, this paper concludes that Prakriti resists the very purpose of life itself, as set by Hinduism.
“The Lunatic” by Mahakavi Laxmi Prasad Devkota is considered as one of his most seminal works. Th... more “The Lunatic” by Mahakavi Laxmi Prasad Devkota is considered as one of his most seminal works. The autobiographic elements in this poem bring the readers closer to the man behind the poet. However, this is also the poem that reveals the great anguish Devkota had to suffer as the people close to him misunderstood his plight. In this context, this paper studies this poem through Erving Goffman’s concept of face-work and argues that although Devkota at a primary glance seems to lose face by calling himself a lunatic but this self-declaration itself is the performance of his poetic, moonstruck self.
Kabir Singh, the bollywood remake of the 2017 Telugu movie Arjun Reddy, was the second highest gr... more Kabir Singh, the bollywood remake of the 2017 Telugu movie Arjun Reddy, was the second highest grossing movie of 2019. Interestingly, it was also highly criticized for glamorizing misogyny and toxic masculinity. Yet another interesting fact about this movie is that its plot seems quite parallel with that of the drama Shakuntala by the ancient poet Kalidasa. In this context, this paper studies masculinity in the heroes of these two texts: Kabir Singh and King Dushyanta and argues that popular representations change in time and space with the modern entertainment industry's commercial motivation and yet patriarchy remains unchanged.
“Laajwanti” by Rajinder Singh Bedi revolves around the recovery and rehabilitation efforts taken ... more “Laajwanti” by Rajinder Singh Bedi revolves around the recovery and rehabilitation efforts taken by India and Pakistan to return the women abducted by both the countries. On the Indian side, the myth of Sita returning from Lanka took a center stage on the political as well as cultural discourse. In this story too, when Sundar Lal returns home with Laajwanti, their return has been compared with Ram and Sita returning from Banabas. Considering how Sita is the archetype of the perfect ‘pativrata’ Indian woman, this paper argues that the cultural trauma of Indian partition can only be understood if we go back into this Ram-Sita myth of the Indian culture because Laajwanti’s silence, as well as the silence that is often encountered while speaking of women during Partition is deeply rooted in Sita’s silence.
“The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane has been widely interpreted as a tale of nature’s indifference t... more “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane has been widely interpreted as a tale of nature’s indifference towards human suffering because nature does not seem much concerned about four men, sailing on the sea, in a boat. And critics have agreed upon this meaning of the story. However, with this agreement, they have also unanimously defined nature in its relation to human beings – which is what anthropocentrism calls attention to. In this context, this research uncovers the not-so subtle anthropocentrism that this story embodies that has till date remained in the dark.
Flannery O’Connor in “Good Country People” introduces Hulga, the central character, as an intelle... more Flannery O’Connor in “Good Country People” introduces Hulga, the central character, as an intellectual woman who does not let her disability disable her, rather she draws confidence from it. However, by the end of the story, O’Connor plays an evil joke upon her. She is left bereft not only of her artificial leg but also her confident self. And this happens when she is fooled by Manley Pointer, who sparks romantic interest in her. Critics agree that O’Connor satirizes Hulga’s intellect and put forth their reasons to justify why: her play with nihilism, her disregard for Christian faith, her personal heartbreak. Interestingly though, they leave out how she negates her intellectuality. In this context, this paper continues the discussion on ‘why’ O’Connor betrays Hulga’s intellectuality and also explores ‘how’ she does so.
Guilty Conscience in Ibsen's The Master Builder Henry Ibsen's The Master Builder presents the sto... more Guilty Conscience in Ibsen's The Master Builder Henry Ibsen's The Master Builder presents the story of Mr. Solness, a builder who meets his end when he rises up to the challenge of climbing as high as he builds. The character of Mr. Solness has been interpreted in many ways. Some see him as a person sowing impossible dreams, some focus on his paternalistic nature owing to his reluctance to see the younger generation take over his aristocratic legacy. There are plenty who define him by his relationship with the young ladies: Kaia and Hilda. However, only a few take into consideration the guilty conscience that forms his character and guides the actions he takes. This paper argues that Mr. Solness's dreams, fear of younger generation as well as relationships are guided by his guilty conscience. And this guilt not only destroys his professional joy, but above all, eats up his conjugal bliss.
The phrase “so it goes” appears 106 times throughout the novel Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonneg... more The phrase “so it goes” appears 106 times throughout the novel Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. However, the dictionaries fail to supply its meaning. Internet searches also lead back to the novel itself to define this phrase. So this paper is an attempt to unearth what Vonnegut actually meant by “so it goes” and the relevance of this phrase within the novel.
What but design of darkness to appall? –
If design govern in a thing so small.
In the above line... more What but design of darkness to appall? – If design govern in a thing so small. In the above lines from Robert Frost’s poem “Design”, the speaker meditates upon the death of a moth and finds that death planned in advance. This plan appears to be perfect but at the same time a dark one. However, by leaving the question unanswered, the speaker not only hints at the fear inspiring aspect of this design but also on its alternate possibility of relief.
Gustav von Aschenbach, the protagonist of Thomas Mann's Death in Venice, in his fifties, falls in... more Gustav von Aschenbach, the protagonist of Thomas Mann's Death in Venice, in his fifties, falls in love with a boy of fourteen. He follows the boy with an inexhaustible passion. That is why this work of fiction attracts the attention of almost every scholar engaged in the discussion of pedophilia in literary studies. However, his infatuation is often categorized as the portrayal of degeneration in the modernist literature. This paper begs to differ from those critics and argues that Aschenbach's fascination with Tadzio does not show his degeneration, rather, his desire for regeneration.
On April 12, 1963, eight white clergymen of Alabama issued a statement titled “A Call for Unity” ... more On April 12, 1963, eight white clergymen of Alabama issued a statement titled “A Call for Unity” condemning the demonstration in Birmingham led by Martin Luther King Jr. as a part of the civil rights movement. “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was King’s response to that statement. The Alabama clergymen put forward four major blames against the demonstrators: being outsiders, untimely, extremists and having a willingness to break laws. King brings forward religious references and responds to each of these blames like a true man of religion. So this paper studies the religious aspect of his ideological “I”.
The play A Number by Caryl Churchill shows the features of postmodern plays. It does not follow t... more The play A Number by Caryl Churchill shows the features of postmodern plays. It does not follow the traditional beginning, middle and end structure. Language is our only guide to find out what happened in the play but language also fails to deliver the truth when the main character Salter presents different versions of the same story to each of his sons. We are unable to decide if B1 is the original son, we don't know what happens to the mother, we are not sure if the Scientists are the ones to be blamed. So this paper studies how the language used in the drama makes it difficult to find out the truth about the characters.
Anil’s Ghost has been often read in the context of Sri Lanka’s civil war or as a novel depicting ... more Anil’s Ghost has been often read in the context of Sri Lanka’s civil war or as a novel depicting postcolonial trauma. However, I would like to argue that despite being set in the backdrop of the Sri Lankan civil war, the characters in this novel are not traumatized by the war memories; rather, they have some personal injuries and personal memories that often haunt them. If we are to follow Cathy Caruth’s definition, for Anil, Sararth and Gamini love and marriage are the sources of trauma.
This paper argues that Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein challenges the 19th century masculinity at two... more This paper argues that Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein challenges the 19th century masculinity at two levels. First, being the novel itself a text by a female author. And second by presenting masculinity as self-destructive and suggesting that the only way to rescue men from this imposed self-destruction is by rekindling the sparks of tenderness buried under their mask of manliness. In doing so, Shelly advocates for the sensitive aspect of human nature over the 19th century dichotomy between masculine sense and feminine sensibility through her tough yet tender male characters: Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein and the monster.
"And of Clay We are Created" by Isabelle Allende presents nature in its full form. The tale of a ... more "And of Clay We are Created" by Isabelle Allende presents nature in its full form. The tale of a little girl trapped in a mud pit for three days not just portrays the human frailty in front of nature; it also reveals how nature weaves life in us; knitting with love. Although, at a surface level, the story seems to be a tale of how nature claims life, with a closer look, it equally becomes a tale of how nature calms life.
This paper claims that in "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock", Prufrock being fed up from the m... more This paper claims that in "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock", Prufrock being fed up from the modern life, wants to go back to nature by committing suicide. He is a modern man living in an industrialized city covered with yellow fog and yellow smoke. He has tasted his life, enjoyed all that life had to offer. But now as he is at the lap of old age, he finds his life insignificant. He is afraid of dying an insignificant death. Hence the question, Do I dare? Do I dare disturb the universe and take my life?
This paper argues that Emily Grierson has not been presented as a murderer, rather as a victim in... more This paper argues that Emily Grierson has not been presented as a murderer, rather as a victim in William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily". As the plot unravels, we come to realize that she has been first oppressed by her father and then by the town and its people. The events of the story have been arranged in such a way that the reader feels sympathetic towards the protagonist despite the revelation of her being a murderer.
There is no doubt that the dominant rasa in Kalidas’s Shakuntala is the shringara rasa. Critics h... more There is no doubt that the dominant rasa in Kalidas’s Shakuntala is the shringara rasa. Critics have agreed that the romance between Dushyanta and Shakuntala, their union despite the separation as well as the portrayal of Shakuntala as nature herself all reinforce it. Interestingly though, Shakuntala’s personification as nature which is an important contributor of the Shringara rasa in this play differs quite drastically from the original Shakuntala from the Mahabharata. In this context, this research paper explores the political function of Shringara rasa in Kalidasa’s version of the Shakuntala-Dushyanta story.
You can still have a Culture without the Baggage: A Rhetorical Analysis of Barbara Ehrenreich's "... more You can still have a Culture without the Baggage: A Rhetorical Analysis of Barbara Ehrenreich's "Cultural Baggage" Barbara Ehrenreich's essay "Cultural Baggage" is an answer to her acquaintance's question "And what is your ethnic background, if I may ask?" To which her answer is "None". This essay elaborates and justifies that "None" in a context of the 1960s and 70s where Americans were proudly reclaiming their ethnic and religious heritages. In doing so, the writer successfully persuades the readers to believe that having no heritage is also a "genuine heritage" by appealing to their emotions.
In the play Chandalika (1938), Rabindranath Tagore transforms a popular Buddhist legend regarding... more In the play Chandalika (1938), Rabindranath Tagore transforms a popular Buddhist legend regarding the lust of a girl of an untouchable caste after a disciple of Buddha into one of selfawareness. This paper focuses on this retelling by Tagore and argues that by making Prakriti, the protagonist of the play, he also makes a dalit woman an agent of her own fate. Through a study of relevant literature and textual analysis, this paper finds that Prakriti's longing for Ananda is the soul's longing for the Supreme Soul and not just the desire of a woman for a man, as some critics have argued. With her awakening, this paper concludes that Prakriti resists the very purpose of life itself, as set by Hinduism.
“The Lunatic” by Mahakavi Laxmi Prasad Devkota is considered as one of his most seminal works. Th... more “The Lunatic” by Mahakavi Laxmi Prasad Devkota is considered as one of his most seminal works. The autobiographic elements in this poem bring the readers closer to the man behind the poet. However, this is also the poem that reveals the great anguish Devkota had to suffer as the people close to him misunderstood his plight. In this context, this paper studies this poem through Erving Goffman’s concept of face-work and argues that although Devkota at a primary glance seems to lose face by calling himself a lunatic but this self-declaration itself is the performance of his poetic, moonstruck self.
Kabir Singh, the bollywood remake of the 2017 Telugu movie Arjun Reddy, was the second highest gr... more Kabir Singh, the bollywood remake of the 2017 Telugu movie Arjun Reddy, was the second highest grossing movie of 2019. Interestingly, it was also highly criticized for glamorizing misogyny and toxic masculinity. Yet another interesting fact about this movie is that its plot seems quite parallel with that of the drama Shakuntala by the ancient poet Kalidasa. In this context, this paper studies masculinity in the heroes of these two texts: Kabir Singh and King Dushyanta and argues that popular representations change in time and space with the modern entertainment industry's commercial motivation and yet patriarchy remains unchanged.
“Laajwanti” by Rajinder Singh Bedi revolves around the recovery and rehabilitation efforts taken ... more “Laajwanti” by Rajinder Singh Bedi revolves around the recovery and rehabilitation efforts taken by India and Pakistan to return the women abducted by both the countries. On the Indian side, the myth of Sita returning from Lanka took a center stage on the political as well as cultural discourse. In this story too, when Sundar Lal returns home with Laajwanti, their return has been compared with Ram and Sita returning from Banabas. Considering how Sita is the archetype of the perfect ‘pativrata’ Indian woman, this paper argues that the cultural trauma of Indian partition can only be understood if we go back into this Ram-Sita myth of the Indian culture because Laajwanti’s silence, as well as the silence that is often encountered while speaking of women during Partition is deeply rooted in Sita’s silence.
“The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane has been widely interpreted as a tale of nature’s indifference t... more “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane has been widely interpreted as a tale of nature’s indifference towards human suffering because nature does not seem much concerned about four men, sailing on the sea, in a boat. And critics have agreed upon this meaning of the story. However, with this agreement, they have also unanimously defined nature in its relation to human beings – which is what anthropocentrism calls attention to. In this context, this research uncovers the not-so subtle anthropocentrism that this story embodies that has till date remained in the dark.
Flannery O’Connor in “Good Country People” introduces Hulga, the central character, as an intelle... more Flannery O’Connor in “Good Country People” introduces Hulga, the central character, as an intellectual woman who does not let her disability disable her, rather she draws confidence from it. However, by the end of the story, O’Connor plays an evil joke upon her. She is left bereft not only of her artificial leg but also her confident self. And this happens when she is fooled by Manley Pointer, who sparks romantic interest in her. Critics agree that O’Connor satirizes Hulga’s intellect and put forth their reasons to justify why: her play with nihilism, her disregard for Christian faith, her personal heartbreak. Interestingly though, they leave out how she negates her intellectuality. In this context, this paper continues the discussion on ‘why’ O’Connor betrays Hulga’s intellectuality and also explores ‘how’ she does so.
Guilty Conscience in Ibsen's The Master Builder Henry Ibsen's The Master Builder presents the sto... more Guilty Conscience in Ibsen's The Master Builder Henry Ibsen's The Master Builder presents the story of Mr. Solness, a builder who meets his end when he rises up to the challenge of climbing as high as he builds. The character of Mr. Solness has been interpreted in many ways. Some see him as a person sowing impossible dreams, some focus on his paternalistic nature owing to his reluctance to see the younger generation take over his aristocratic legacy. There are plenty who define him by his relationship with the young ladies: Kaia and Hilda. However, only a few take into consideration the guilty conscience that forms his character and guides the actions he takes. This paper argues that Mr. Solness's dreams, fear of younger generation as well as relationships are guided by his guilty conscience. And this guilt not only destroys his professional joy, but above all, eats up his conjugal bliss.
The phrase “so it goes” appears 106 times throughout the novel Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonneg... more The phrase “so it goes” appears 106 times throughout the novel Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. However, the dictionaries fail to supply its meaning. Internet searches also lead back to the novel itself to define this phrase. So this paper is an attempt to unearth what Vonnegut actually meant by “so it goes” and the relevance of this phrase within the novel.
What but design of darkness to appall? –
If design govern in a thing so small.
In the above line... more What but design of darkness to appall? – If design govern in a thing so small. In the above lines from Robert Frost’s poem “Design”, the speaker meditates upon the death of a moth and finds that death planned in advance. This plan appears to be perfect but at the same time a dark one. However, by leaving the question unanswered, the speaker not only hints at the fear inspiring aspect of this design but also on its alternate possibility of relief.
Gustav von Aschenbach, the protagonist of Thomas Mann's Death in Venice, in his fifties, falls in... more Gustav von Aschenbach, the protagonist of Thomas Mann's Death in Venice, in his fifties, falls in love with a boy of fourteen. He follows the boy with an inexhaustible passion. That is why this work of fiction attracts the attention of almost every scholar engaged in the discussion of pedophilia in literary studies. However, his infatuation is often categorized as the portrayal of degeneration in the modernist literature. This paper begs to differ from those critics and argues that Aschenbach's fascination with Tadzio does not show his degeneration, rather, his desire for regeneration.
On April 12, 1963, eight white clergymen of Alabama issued a statement titled “A Call for Unity” ... more On April 12, 1963, eight white clergymen of Alabama issued a statement titled “A Call for Unity” condemning the demonstration in Birmingham led by Martin Luther King Jr. as a part of the civil rights movement. “Letter from Birmingham Jail” was King’s response to that statement. The Alabama clergymen put forward four major blames against the demonstrators: being outsiders, untimely, extremists and having a willingness to break laws. King brings forward religious references and responds to each of these blames like a true man of religion. So this paper studies the religious aspect of his ideological “I”.
The play A Number by Caryl Churchill shows the features of postmodern plays. It does not follow t... more The play A Number by Caryl Churchill shows the features of postmodern plays. It does not follow the traditional beginning, middle and end structure. Language is our only guide to find out what happened in the play but language also fails to deliver the truth when the main character Salter presents different versions of the same story to each of his sons. We are unable to decide if B1 is the original son, we don't know what happens to the mother, we are not sure if the Scientists are the ones to be blamed. So this paper studies how the language used in the drama makes it difficult to find out the truth about the characters.
Anil’s Ghost has been often read in the context of Sri Lanka’s civil war or as a novel depicting ... more Anil’s Ghost has been often read in the context of Sri Lanka’s civil war or as a novel depicting postcolonial trauma. However, I would like to argue that despite being set in the backdrop of the Sri Lankan civil war, the characters in this novel are not traumatized by the war memories; rather, they have some personal injuries and personal memories that often haunt them. If we are to follow Cathy Caruth’s definition, for Anil, Sararth and Gamini love and marriage are the sources of trauma.
This paper argues that Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein challenges the 19th century masculinity at two... more This paper argues that Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein challenges the 19th century masculinity at two levels. First, being the novel itself a text by a female author. And second by presenting masculinity as self-destructive and suggesting that the only way to rescue men from this imposed self-destruction is by rekindling the sparks of tenderness buried under their mask of manliness. In doing so, Shelly advocates for the sensitive aspect of human nature over the 19th century dichotomy between masculine sense and feminine sensibility through her tough yet tender male characters: Robert Walton, Victor Frankenstein and the monster.
"And of Clay We are Created" by Isabelle Allende presents nature in its full form. The tale of a ... more "And of Clay We are Created" by Isabelle Allende presents nature in its full form. The tale of a little girl trapped in a mud pit for three days not just portrays the human frailty in front of nature; it also reveals how nature weaves life in us; knitting with love. Although, at a surface level, the story seems to be a tale of how nature claims life, with a closer look, it equally becomes a tale of how nature calms life.
This paper claims that in "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock", Prufrock being fed up from the m... more This paper claims that in "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock", Prufrock being fed up from the modern life, wants to go back to nature by committing suicide. He is a modern man living in an industrialized city covered with yellow fog and yellow smoke. He has tasted his life, enjoyed all that life had to offer. But now as he is at the lap of old age, he finds his life insignificant. He is afraid of dying an insignificant death. Hence the question, Do I dare? Do I dare disturb the universe and take my life?
This paper argues that Emily Grierson has not been presented as a murderer, rather as a victim in... more This paper argues that Emily Grierson has not been presented as a murderer, rather as a victim in William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily". As the plot unravels, we come to realize that she has been first oppressed by her father and then by the town and its people. The events of the story have been arranged in such a way that the reader feels sympathetic towards the protagonist despite the revelation of her being a murderer.
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Papers by Gatha Rijal
If design govern in a thing so small.
In the above lines from Robert Frost’s poem “Design”, the speaker meditates upon the death of a moth and finds that death planned in advance. This plan appears to be perfect but at the same time a dark one. However, by leaving the question unanswered, the speaker not only hints at the fear inspiring aspect of this design but also on its alternate possibility of relief.
If design govern in a thing so small.
In the above lines from Robert Frost’s poem “Design”, the speaker meditates upon the death of a moth and finds that death planned in advance. This plan appears to be perfect but at the same time a dark one. However, by leaving the question unanswered, the speaker not only hints at the fear inspiring aspect of this design but also on its alternate possibility of relief.