Important  notes on Indian English novelist Jhumpa Lahiri 

Personal Background

• Full Name: Nilanjana Sudeshna "Jhumpa" Lahiri.
• Birth: Born on July 11, 1967, in London, England, to Bengali immigrant parents from India.
• Nationality:
  • British by birth, American by upbringing, and later Italian by immersion.
• Family:
  • Her father was a librarian, and her mother was a teacher.
  • Married to Alberto Vourvoulias-Bush, a journalist, and they have two children.
• Education:
  • Bachelor's degree in English Literature from Barnard College.
  • Master’s degrees in English, Creative Writing, and Comparative Literature from Boston University.
  • Ph.D. in Renaissance Studies from Boston University.

Literary Career

Jhumpa Lahiri is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author known for exploring themes of immigration, identity, and cultural dislocation. Her works often delve into the lives of Bengali immigrants in the West.

Major Works

1. Short Stories

• Interpreter of Maladies (1999):
  • A debut collection of nine short stories.
  • Themes: Indian-American experiences, marital tensions, and cultural clashes.
  • Won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (2000).
  • Notable stories:
    • A Temporary Matter: A couple confronts their grief over a stillbirth.
    • When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine: A child observes cultural differences through a family friend.
    • The Third and Final Continent: A humorous and poignant account of an immigrant’s adaptation.

2. Novels

• The Namesake (2003):

  • A novel about Gogol Ganguli, the son of Bengali immigrants, grappling with his cultural identity.
  • Explores generational conflicts and the challenges of assimilation.
  • Adapted into a critically acclaimed film by Mira Nair in 2006.

• The Lowland (2013):

  • A historical family saga set in India and the U.S.
  • Themes: Naxalite movement, loss, and family bonds.
  • Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and the National Book Award.
  • In this novel, the female protagonist Gauri falls in love with and marries Udayan Mitra.
  • Udayan is caught up in the banned Naxalite movement and is eventually killed by the police in stark views of his parents and wife.
  • Throughout the novel Gauri is haunted by the memories of her first husband.

• Whereabouts (2021):

  • Originally written in Italian (Dove mi trovo) and later translated by Lahiri herself.
  • A sparse, introspective novel about a woman’s solitary life in an unnamed city.

3. Non-Fiction

• In Other Words (2016):

  • A memoir written in Italian (In Altre Parole), chronicling her journey of learning and writing in a new language.
  • Themes: Language, exile, and identity.

• Translating Myself and Others (2022):

  • A collection of essays on her experiences as a writer and translator, exploring linguistic identity and translation challenges.

4. Translations

• Lahiri has translated works from Italian to English, such as The Penguin Book of Italian Short Stories (2019), which she curated and edited.

Themes in Lahiri’s Work

• Identity and Displacement:

  • Focuses on immigrant families, especially the Bengali-American diaspora.
  • Explores the duality of cultural belonging and alienation.

• Family and Relationships:

  • Examines generational conflicts and evolving family dynamics.
  • Love, marriage, and loss are recurring motifs.

• Cultural Clashes:

  • Highlights the struggles of assimilating into a foreign culture while preserving one’s roots.

• Language and Communication:

  • Explores how language shapes identity and relationships.

Awards and Honors

• Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (2000) for Interpreter of Maladies.
• Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award (2008) for Unaccustomed Earth.
• National Humanities Medal (2014) from the U.S. government.
• Man Booker Prize Finalist (2013) for The Lowland.
• Pen/Hemingway Award for Debut Fiction (2000) for Interpreter of Maladies.

Writing Style

• Simple, elegant, and precise prose.
• Rich in cultural and emotional depth.
• Masterful use of symbolism and metaphors.
• Focus on small, intimate details that evoke universal emotions.

Interesting Facts

• The nickname "Jhumpa" was given by her teacher, as her formal name was difficult to pronounce.
• Her fascination with Italy and the Italian language led her to relocate to Rome and write extensively in Italian.
• She has been a professor of Creative Writing at Princeton University and a director of Princeton's Program in Creative Writing.
• Her writing often reflects her personal experiences as a child of immigrants navigating two cultures.

Jhumpa Lahiri’s works have made significant contributions to contemporary literature, particularly in exploring the complexities of immigration, identity, and cultural transitions. Her journey into writing in a foreign language adds a unique dimension to her literary repertoire, solidifying her status as an influential global author.

 Important notes on Indian English writer Vikram Seth.

Personal Background

• Birth: Vikram Seth was born on June 20, 1952, in Kolkata (Calcutta), India.
• Family: His father, Prem Seth, was an executive in the Bata Shoe Company, and his mother, Leila Seth, was the first woman Chief Justice of a High Court in India.
• Education:
  • Studied at The Doon School, Dehradun.
  • Graduated from Corpus Christi College, Oxford, with a degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE).
  • Pursued postgraduate studies in Economics at Stanford University.
  • Studied classical Chinese poetry at Nanjing University in China. Vikram Seth is an Indian poet and a novelist.

Literary Career

Vikram Seth is a versatile writer who excels in both prose and poetry. His works are celebrated for their breadth, depth, and musicality.

Major Works

1. Novels

• A Suitable Boy (1993):

  • One of the longest novels in English, with over 1,300 pages.
  • A sweeping epic set in post-independence India, focusing on the lives of four families and the protagonist Lata Mehra's search for a suitable husband.
  • Explores themes of politics, religion, love, and social change.
  • Lata finally finds Haresh as a suitable boy.

• An Equal Music (1999):

  • A story centered on a violinist named Michael Holme and his unfulfilled love for pianist Julia McNicholl.
  • Known for its intricate portrayal of Western classical music.

• The Golden Gate (1986):

  • A novel written entirely in verse, using the rhyming tetrameter of Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin.
  • Set in California, it captures the lives of young professionals in San Francisco.
  • It brought Seth, Sahitya Akademi Award in 1988.
  • Protagonist -John Brown

• A Suitable Girl (forthcoming):

  • A sequel to A Suitable Boy, set in modern-day India.

2. Poetry

• Mappings (1980): Seth's first published work, exploring themes of identity and self-discovery.
• The Humble Administrator’s Garden (1985): Divided into three sections, it reflects on Seth’s travels in India, China, and California.
• All You Who Sleep Tonight (1990): A collection of poems about love, loss, and longing.
• Beastly tales(1991]
• Three Chinese Poets (1992): Translations of Chinese poetry by Wang Wei, Li Bai, and Du Fu.
• The Frog and the Nightingale (1994)
• Summer Requiem (2015): A deeply introspective collection reflecting on the passage of time and mortality.
• 
  

3. Non-Fiction

• From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet (1983):
  • A travelogue based on Seth's journey hitchhiking from China to India.
  • Offers a vivid depiction of landscapes and cultures.

Themes in Seth’s Work

• Exploration of human relationships, love, and longing.
• Deep cultural and historical insights into Indian society.
• Celebration of music, art, and poetry.
• Cross-cultural experiences, inspired by his travels and education.

Awards and Honors

• Padma Shri (2007): Awarded by the Government of India.
• WH Smith Literary Award (1994) for A Suitable Boy.
• Commonwealth Writers’ Prize (1986) for The Golden Gate.
• Princeton University’s E.M. Forster Award for distinguished prose achievement.

Writing Style

• Known for his versatility across genres and forms.
• Uses a lyrical and fluid narrative style, blending prose and poetry.
• Strong character development and detailed cultural contexts.

Interesting Facts

• Vikram Seth is also a musician, proficient in playing the flute and the cello.
• Openly identifies as bisexual and has spoken about the struggles of being part of the LGBTQ+ community in India.
• Took a hiatus from writing due to legal disputes with his publishers but remains one of the most respected writers of contemporary Indian literature.

Legacy

Vikram Seth's works are a testament to his mastery of language and his ability to traverse cultures, genres, and emotions. His contributions have enriched Indian English literature, making him a global literary icon.

Thematic Significance of "Tolerant Soil" and "Childlike Submissiveness" in Jayanta Mahapatra's Grass

Jayanta Mahapatra’s Grass is a contemplative poem that examines themes of mortality, resilience, and the continuity of life. The motifs of "tolerant soil" and "childlike submissiveness" hold profound thematic significance, reflecting the speaker's meditations on the inevitability of death, the persistence of nature, and the acceptance of human vulnerability.

"Tolerant Soil"

• Symbol of Endurance:
  The “tolerant soil” symbolizes nature’s ability to endure and renew itself despite the destruction caused by human actions. It absorbs the remnants of history—graves, ruins, and bloodshed—and allows life to continue. This tolerance signifies the soil's silent acceptance of mortality and decay, mirroring the resilience of grass, which grows over the dead.

• Connection to Mortality:
  The soil serves as a reminder of the inevitability of death and the transient nature of human life. It tolerates the weight of history and suffering, embodying nature’s indifference to human struggles.

• Personal Struggle:
  For the speaker, the “tolerant soil” may reflect an internal struggle to come to terms with personal loss, guilt, or grief. Just as the soil absorbs and transforms death into life, the speaker grapples with accepting life’s impermanence and moving forward.

"Childlike Submissiveness"

• Symbol of Vulnerability:
  The phrase "childlike submissiveness" conveys an attitude of surrender to life’s uncontrollable forces, much like a child submits to authority or fate. It reflects the speaker’s realization that resistance to the inevitability of death and change is futile.

• Theme of Acceptance:
  This submissiveness is not a sign of weakness but a recognition of life’s natural cycle. The speaker identifies with the grass, which grows unassumingly and accepts its role in the larger scheme of life and death.

• Connection to Personal Reflection:
  The “childlike submissiveness” may parallel the speaker’s personal journey toward humility and acceptance. It reflects an emotional surrender to the truths of mortality and the recognition that human struggles are part of a larger, impersonal order governed by nature.

 Relation to the Speaker’s Personal Struggles and Reflections

• Meditations on Mortality:
  Both the "tolerant soil" and "childlike submissiveness" underscore the speaker's engagement with death and impermanence. The speaker reflects on how the grass and soil quietly persist in the face of historical and personal tragedy, offering a model for endurance.

• Reconciliation with Loss:
  The imagery suggests that the speaker seeks reconciliation with personal grief, finding solace in the idea that life continues beyond individual suffering. Just as the grass grows back over graves, the speaker acknowledges the possibility of healing and renewal.

• Universal Connection:
  The themes link the speaker’s struggles to a broader human condition. The soil and grass serve as metaphors for how humanity must accept its place in the cycle of life, death, and regeneration. This acceptance allows the speaker to reflect on their own insignificance and find peace in surrendering to nature’s inevitability.

Conclusion

The "tolerant soil" and "childlike submissiveness" in Grass symbolize nature's resilience and humanity's need for humility in the face of mortality. They reflect the speaker’s journey toward accepting personal struggles, loss, and the transient nature of existence. By embracing these themes, Mahapatra connects individual grief to universal truths, offering a meditative perspective on life and death.

Analysis of Mortality in John Keats’s Ode to a Nightingale and Jayanta Mahapatra’s Grass

Both John Keats and Jayanta Mahapatra explore the theme of mortality in their poems, but their approaches differ significantly due to cultural, historical, and philosophical perspectives. While Keats’s Ode to a Nightingale reflects a Romantic fascination with beauty, transience, and escapism, Mahapatra’s Grass takes a more grounded, existential approach rooted in Indian cultural and historical consciousness.

1. Mortality in Ode to a Nightingale

In Keats’s poem, mortality is central to the speaker's reflections on life and the desire to transcend its inevitable sorrows.

• Romantic Ideals: Keats sees mortality as a painful aspect of human existence, contrasting it with the eternal song of the nightingale. The bird symbolizes a timeless, otherworldly beauty that offers an escape from the decay and suffering of life.
• Escapism vs. Reality: The speaker dreams of merging with the nightingale’s eternal world through death, imagining it as a release:

  "Now more than ever seems it rich to die,
  To cease upon the midnight with no pain."
  However, he ultimately recognizes that such an escape is illusory, and the nightingale’s immortality is only a poetic construct.

• Personal Context: Keats, who faced illness and the loss of loved ones, imbues the poem with a personal longing for relief from the pain of life, making his meditation on mortality deeply emotional and subjective.

2. Mortality in Grass

Jayanta Mahapatra’s Grass takes a more stoic and philosophical approach to mortality, rooted in Indian cultural and historical sensibilities.

• Symbolism of Grass: Grass in Mahapatra’s poem symbolizes both fragility and resilience. It grows over graves and historical ruins, embodying the cycle of life, death, and renewal. Mortality is not seen as an end but as a part of nature’s eternal process.
• Collective Mortality: Mahapatra reflects on historical suffering and collective human mortality, evoking the memory of violence, colonialism, and death. This contrasts with Keats’s more personal and introspective focus.
• Acceptance of Death: Unlike Keats’s yearning to transcend mortality, Mahapatra accepts it as a natural and inevitable truth. Grass becomes a silent witness to human transience, signifying the continuity of life beyond individual deaths.

3. Comparative Analysis

4. Conclusion

Keats and Mahapatra approach mortality from different vantage points. Keats, as a Romantic poet, views it as a painful limitation that art and imagination temporarily transcend, while Mahapatra’s existential lens sees death as an integral part of the natural and historical cycle. Both poets, however, underscore the inevitability of mortality, enriching their works with profound reflections on life and death.

Comparative Study of Sonnets by Sir Thomas Wyatt and Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey

Sir Thomas Wyatt and Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, are pivotal figures in English poetry, credited with introducing the sonnet form to England. They adapted the Petrarchan sonnet for an English audience and influenced the development of the English (or Shakespearean) sonnet. Despite their shared contributions, their styles and thematic approaches exhibit notable differences.

Similarities Between Wyatt and Surrey’s Sonnets

1. Influence of Petrarch:

   • Both poets drew inspiration from the Italian poet Petrarch. Their sonnets often deal with themes of unrequited love, inner conflict, and human frailty.
   • They adapted Petrarch’s sonnet form to English, experimenting with rhyme schemes to suit the vernacular.

2. Exploration of Love and Courtly Themes:

   • Both poets explored the complexities of love, particularly its pain and unfulfilled longing.
   • Their sonnets reflect the conventions of courtly love, including admiration for an idealized, unattainable woman.

3. Use of Symbolism and Allegory:

   • Wyatt and Surrey both employed rich imagery and allegorical elements to express emotional depth and personal struggles.

4. Early English Renaissance Poetics:

   • As poets in King Henry VIII’s court, both reflected the intellectual and artistic ideals of the Renaissance, blending classical influences with personal expression.

Differences Between Wyatt and Surrey’s Sonnets

Examples of Sonnets

1. Sir Thomas Wyatt – "Whoso List to Hunt"

   • Theme: The unattainability of love, possibly referencing his rumored relationship with Anne Boleyn.
   • Imagery: The metaphor of hunting a deer represents the pursuit of love, with the phrase "Noli me tangere" (Do not touch me) symbolizing forbidden love.
   • Tone: Cynical and resigned, reflecting the futility of his pursuit.

2. Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey – "Love, That Doth Reign and Live Within My Thought"

   • Theme: The nobility of love, inspired by a Petrarchan sonnet.
   • Imagery: The allegory of love as a king living in the poet’s heart, with martial metaphors portraying love’s struggles.
   • Tone: Chivalric and idealistic, emphasizing loyalty and honor in love.

Critical Comparison

• Emotional Depth vs. Artistic Refinement: Wyatt’s poetry is often seen as emotionally intense, while Surrey’s work is praised for its technical mastery and poetic elegance.
• Historical and Personal Context: Wyatt’s experiences in King Henry VIII’s tumultuous court influenced his darker, more cynical tone. In contrast, Surrey’s noble lineage and chivalric ideals shaped his more optimistic outlook.
• Influence on English Poetry: Wyatt introduced the sonnet, but Surrey’s development of the English sonnet form had a greater impact on later poets like Shakespeare and Sidney.

Conclusion

Sir Thomas Wyatt and Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, laid the foundation for the English Renaissance sonnet. While Wyatt introduced the form with raw emotion and introspection, Surrey refined it with elegance and structural innovation. Together, their works represent the dual legacy of emotional resonance and formal perfection in early English poetry.

 The Recent War Situation: A Reflection through War Literature

War has always been a catalyst for profound change—social, political, and psychological. Whether it’s a local skirmish or a global conflict, war leaves an indelible mark on societies and individuals. In contemporary times, the echoes of war resonate not only through headlines but also through the voices of writers who document, critique, and reflect upon these turbulent times. War literature, a genre that delves into the complexities of conflict, offers invaluable insights into the human experience during wartime. Through the lens of recent global conflicts, we can understand how war continues to shape our world, as well as how literature provides solace, critique, and understanding.

The Ongoing Wars of Our Time

In recent years, we have witnessed several ongoing and escalating conflicts that have caught global attention. The war in Ukraine, sparked by Russia’s invasion in February 2022, has been one of the most devastating events of the 21st century. With images of destruction and millions displaced, the war has reminded the world of the brutal consequences of unchecked military aggression. Similarly, the war in Yemen, often referred to as the "forgotten war," continues to rage, resulting in a dire humanitarian crisis. In the midst of these conflicts, the voices of those directly affected are being heard more than ever—through social media, news outlets, and, importantly, literature.

The Role of War Literature

War literature serves not only as a historical record but as a medium for emotional and intellectual engagement with the horrors of war. Writers, both combatants and civilians, have used their pens to express the profound psychological scars that war leaves behind. For example, consider the novels and poetry of the 20th century, which are still relevant today.

1. Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front (1929):
This classic novel set during World War I captures the brutal realities of trench warfare. It offers an intimate look at the disillusionment and trauma soldiers face, providing a raw and unflinching depiction of the horror and futility of war. Though set in the past, Remarque's work remains relevant in understanding the universal costs of conflict. The film adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front in 2022 brought these timeless themes back into focus, striking a chord with modern audiences and showing how war continues to reshape lives across generations.

2. Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried (1990):
In the realm of modern war literature, O’Brien’s collection of short stories about the Vietnam War stands as a powerful narrative of both physical and emotional survival. The book is a testament to how soldiers carry the weight of war—not only in terms of the equipment they physically carry but also in the intangible burdens of fear, grief, and guilt. O’Brien’s exploration of memory and trauma is still highly relevant for veterans of contemporary wars, offering insight into the long-lasting impact of combat experiences.

3. Svetlana Alexievich's War's Unwomanly Face (1983):
Svetlana Alexievich, a Belarusian journalist and Nobel laureate, provides an entirely different perspective on war in this oral history of Soviet women who served during World War II. Through interviews with these women, Alexievich illuminates the psychological and emotional toll that war took on them. Her work highlights the untold stories of women in war, who have often been overshadowed by male-dominated narratives. This humanizing approach can be applied to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, where women, as both soldiers and civilians, bear a significant portion of the burden.

Literature Reflecting the Current Global Context

The wars of today have sparked a new generation of writers, many of whom have lived through or been affected by these conflicts. The experience of war, particularly in terms of displacement and trauma, is now being explored in literature more than ever.

1. "The Beekeeper of Aleppo" by Christy Lefteri (2019):
This novel focuses on the Syrian refugee crisis, which remains one of the most pressing issues of the 21st century. The book tells the story of Nuri, a beekeeper, who flees Syria with his wife to escape the war. The narrative is a poignant reflection on the struggles of refugees, the psychological wounds of war, and the longing for home. Lefteri’s novel shows how war extends beyond the battlefield, affecting people long after they leave their homeland.

2. The Night in Day by Agha Shahid Ali (2021):
Agha Shahid Ali’s poetry, especially his works written about the conflict in Kashmir, showcases the sorrow and displacement that arises from territorial wars. His collection is not just about the horrors of the conflict, but the deep personal loss and the erosion of a sense of identity and belonging. Poetry such as his helps convey the emotional and psychological effects of war, where words become an act of resistance and remembrance.

Conclusion: The Power of War Literature

War literature serves as a necessary antidote to the sanitized versions of war we often see in the media and official narratives. By presenting personal stories and emotions, it humanizes those who suffer through conflict and challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths. In today’s wars—whether in Ukraine, Yemen, Syria, or elsewhere—the voices of those affected continue to resonate through literature. These works not only bear witness to the horrors of war but also provide insight into resilience, survival, and the ways in which people rebuild in the aftermath.

War literature reminds us that while wars may fade from the headlines, their impact endures—through stories, voices, and memories that refuse to be silenced. It is through these works that we continue to learn from the past and strive for a more peaceful future.

 Michael Madhusudan Dutta ( 1824- 1873) 

★ He was a popular Bengali poet and dramatist.

★ He was a pioneer of Bengali drama.

★He is also considered as a father of Bengali sonnets.

★ His famous work "Maghnad Bodh Kavya" is a tragic epic.

Important works: 

1) Tilottamma (1860) 

2) Meghnad Bodh Kavya( ballad of Meghnad's Demise; 1861) 

These notes are very important for NTA NET, SET and others examination.

 Toru Dutt(1856-1877) 

★ Toru Dutt was an Indian poet who wrote in English and French.

★ Her father was Gobind Chandra Dutt, Sister Aru Dutt and brother Abju Dutt.Their family became Christian in 1852.

★ She died at a very young age of 21. 

★ She was born in Calcutta. She was a poet, novelist and translator. She translated some sonnets of de Cramont and regarded him as one of the best modern French poets.

★ She is considered as the "First English writing women of India".

★ Edmund Goose wrote about her that " she brought with her from Europe a store of knowledge that would have sufficed to make an English or French girl seemed learning."

Important works : 

1) Our Casurina Tree

2) Tree of Life

3) The Lotus 

4) Bougmaree

5) France

6) Amon Pere

7) Le Journel De Medmoiselle d'Arvers ( 1879).  This is the first novel in French by an Indian writer. 

8) Bianca or the Young Spanish Maiden ( 1879). It is the first novel in English by an Indian writer.

These notes are very important for NTA NET, SET and others examination.

Shashi Deshpande (1938-2016)

> Shashi Despande is an award winning Indian novelist. She is a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award for the novel "That Long Silence" in 1990. 

>She was born in "Karnataka" and known as 'Daughter of Kannada'. >She published her first collection of short stories in 1978 and her first novel "the dark holds no terror "in 1980

 > She was awarded Padma Shri in 2009.

 >Her novel Shadow Play was shortlisted for The Hindu Literary Prize in 2014.

>She has written 4 children books, 9 novels and a number of short stories and essays. >In 2015, she resigned from her position on the Sahitya Akademi General Council and returned her Sahitya Akademi Award.

>She joined the protest against Akademi's perceived inaction and silence on the murder of M. M. Kalburgi.

>Shashi Deshpande denied accepting that she is a feminist writer by saying "I don't like to call myself a feminist writer. I say I am a feminist but I don't write to propagate an ism".

Important works of Deshpande:

1) The Dark Holds No Terror ( 1980) 

2) If I die Today (1982)

3) Come Up and Be Dead (1989)

4) That Long Silence: The Unavoidable Silence of an Indian Woman (1989)

5) Small Remedies (2000)

6) In the Country of Deceit (2008)

7) Roots and Shadows (1973)

Children Books:

1) A Summer Adventure 

2) The Hidden Treasure

 3)  The Only Witness 

4)  The Narayanpur Incident (1995)

 Sri Aurobindo( 1872- 1950)

>Sri Aurobindo (Aurobindo Ghose) was an Indian nationalist, philosopher, yogi, guru and poet.

>He introduced his visions on human progress and spiritual evolution. He was imprisoned by the British for writing articles against British rule in India. 

>His main literary works are "The Life Divine" which deals with theoretical aspects of Integral Yoga Savitri: a Legend and a Symbol an Epic Poem which refers to passage in The Mahabahatra where characters actualize integral yoga in their lives.

>His works also include Philosophy, poetry, translations and commentaries on Vedas, Upnishads and Bhagavad Gita.

>He was nominated for the Noble Prize for literature in 1943 and for Peace Prize in 1950.

> He started a monthly philosophical magazine called “Arya”. 

> Letters on Yoga appeared in 3 volumes.

➤ The American philosopher Ken Wilber has called Aurobindo "India's greatest modern philosopher sage".

Important Works of Aurobindo

1) Savitri: A Legend and a Symbol

It is an epic poem in blank verse based upon the theology of Mahabharata.

2) The Life Divine

3) The Synthesis of Yoga

4) Hymus to the Mystic Fire

> Famous Quote by Sri Aurobindo:

"The voice of poetry comes from a region above us, a plane of our being above and beyond our personal intelligence".

 Ruskin Bond ( 1934-) 

>Ruskin bond is an Indian author of British descent. 

>The Indian Council of Child Education, has recognized his role in the growth of children's literature in India. 

>He got Sahitya Akademi Award in the year 1992, for "Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra", his published works in English. It contains 14 stories.

 >He was awarded Padma Shree Award in the year 1999 and Padma Bhusan in 2014.

>Bond said: "The past is always with us, for it feeds the present".

>Bond's "A Fight of Pigeons" novel set in 1857 about Ruth Labadoor and her family of Hindus and Muslims is adapted into film "Junoon".

Important Works of Ruskin Bond

1) The Room of the Roof (1956)

2) The Blue Umbrella (1974)

3) The Night Train at Deoli and Other Stories (1988)

 4) The Best of Ruskin Bond (2000) 

 5) Our Trees still Grow in Dehra (1991)

 6) Out of Darkness (Lyrical Poem)

These notes are very important for NTA NET, SET and others examination. 

 Toru Dutta ( 1856-1877) 

> Toru Dutt was an Indian poet who wrote in English and French.

> She died at a very young age of 21. She was a poet, novelist and translator. She was born in Calcutta.

> She translated some sonnets of de Cramont and regarded him as one of the best modern French poets. 

> She is considered as the "First English writing women of India".

 > Edmund goose wrote about her that "she brought with her from Europe a store of knowledge that would have sufliced to make an English or French girl seemed learned."

Most important Works of Toru Dutt: 

>Our Casurina Tree

>Tree of life

> The Lotus

> Bougmaree

> France

> Amon Pere  :It is praised world-wide and considered "faultless". 

> Le Journel De Medmoiselle d'Arvers (1879)

*This is the first novel in French by an Indian writer.

* It was published poshtumously.

> Bianca, or the Young Spanish Maiden ( 1879) 

* It is the first novel in English by an Indian writer. 

 Important Literary Terms for students of  WBCSSC, NET, SET

Anti-sentimental comedy

This type of comedy basically comes as a kind of protest against the sentimental drama. It discarded the sentimental elements like overdose of pathos, note of seriousness and moral purpose. Instead, such comedies try to produce hearty or often hilarious laughter. Ex. - Goldsmith's She Stoops to Conquer.

Absurd Drama

Absurd drama is a new invention in the mid 20th century in the field of theatre. This kind of drama is based upon the belief that the human condition is essentially and ineradicably absurd, and that this condition can be adequately represented only in this kind of play. Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot, Malone Dies, The Unnamable are examples of Absurd drama.

Ambiguity

Ambiguity in literature can be called the language of paradox. It is the assertion of the union of opposites. True poem, like Keats" "Ode on a Grecian Urn", is an amalgamation of varied experiences, widely different from and even opposite to each other. Here ambiguity or paradox synthesizes and reconciles these experiences. Keats in this odc expresses a life which is above life, but it is at the same time a kind of death.

Autobiographical Essay

When in the essay the author will speak out his vital experiences of life, either external or emotional, it will become autobiographical. That means, in such essay the personal or subjective elements must be much more strongly present. Ex: Dream Children: A Reverie by Charles Lamb.

Personal Essay

In this kind of essay the author brings out his personality in much more bolder details than in the formal essays or any other kind. The author assumes a tone of intimacy with the readers, deals with everyday matters in a relaxed, self-revelatory fashion. It is also called familiar essay. By nature it is subjective to a great extent.

 Important Partition Novels

1) Train to Pakistan (1956)- Khuswant Singh

2) Tamas (1974) - Bhishm Sahini

3) A Bend in the Ganges (1965) - Manohar Malgaonkar

4) Ice Candy Man (1998) - Bapsi Sidhwa

5) Midnight's Children ( 1980) - Salman Rushdi

6) Clear Light of the Day - Anita Desai

7) Sunlight on a Broken Column(1961) - Attia Hussain

8) The Dark Dancer- B. Rajan

9) Azadi- Chaman Nahal

10) The Shadow Lines- Amitava Ghosh

11) A Storm in Chandigarh- Nayantara Sehgal

12) The Suitable Boy- Vikram Seth

13) The Rape- Raj Gill

14) What the Body Remembers- Shauna Singh Baldwin

15) A Golden Age- Tahmina Anam

16) The other Sides of Silence: Voices from the Partition of India- Urvashi Butalia

17) Freedom at Midnight- Larry Collins

18) Zero Defect- Aarohan Atwals

19) Twilight in Delhi- Ahmad Ali 

20) Guilty Men of India's Partition- Ram Manohar Lohia

21) India After Gandhi: The History of World's Largest Democracy- Ramchandra Guha

22) Looking Through Glass- Mukul Keshavan

23) Pinjar( Skeleton) - Amrita Pritam

24) Interpreter of Maladies- Jhumpa Lahiri

25) A Fine Balance- Rohinton Mistry

This list is for NET,  SET and JRF students of English Literature. 

 List of Important Odes in English literature

1) An Ode for Ben Jonson- Robert Herrick

2) On Solitude- Abraham Cowley

3) To Vergill, On death of Duke of Wellingtone- Alfred Tennyson

4) An Ode to himself- Ben Jonson

5) Hail Bishop Valentine, A Hymn to God the Father- John Donne

6) Nativity Ode- Milton

7) On Cromwell's Return from Ireland- Andrew Marvell

8) Alexender's feast, Anne Killigreue- John Dryden

9) To Adversity, The Bard, The Progress of Poesey- Thomas Grey

10) To Evenning- William Collins

11) Ocean an Ode- Edward Young

12) Ode to Winter- Thomas Campwell

13) To Napoleon Bonapart, To Thomas More- Lord Byron

14) On Duty, Imitation of Immortality- Wordsworth

15) Dejection an Ode- S.T Coleridge

16) Ode on a Grecian Urn, Ode on Indolence, Ode on Melancholy, Ode to a nightingale, and Ode to Psyche- John Keats

Important Nobel Prize Winners in Literature

Sully Prudhomme - 1901

Rudyard Kipling- 1907

Rabindranath Tagore- 1913

W.B. Yeats- 1923

George Bernard Shaw- 1925

Thomas Mann- 1929

Sinclair Lewis- 1930

John Galsworthy- 1932

Luigi Pirandello- 1934

Eugene O' Neill- 1936

Pearl S. Buck- 1938

Hermann Hesse- 1946

T.S. Eliot- 1948

William  Faulkner- 1949

Bertrand Russel- 1950

Sir Winston Churchill- 1953

Ernest Hemingway- 1954

Albert Camus- 1957

John Steinbeck- 1962

Jean Paul Sarte- 1964

Samuel Beckett- 1969

Patrik White- 1973

Gabriel Garcia Marquez- 1982

William Golding- 1983

Wole Soyinka- 1986

Nadine Gordimer- 1991

Derek Walcott- 1992

Tony Morrison- 1993

Seamus Heany- 1995

Gunter Grass- 1999

V.S Naipaul- 2001

J.M Coetzee- 2003

Harold Pinter- 2005

Doris Lessing- 2007

Alice Munroe- 2013

Svetlana Alexieich- 2015

Bob Dylon- 2016

Kazuo Ishiguro- 2017

Olga Tokerczuk- 2018

Peter Handke- 2019

Louis Gluke- 2020

Abdulrazak Gurnah- 2021