Middle march as a study of Provincial Life

Name                  :        Gohil Hetalba I.

Std                       :        M.A. I        Sem :          II

Roll No.              :        8

Topic                   :    Middle march as a study of Provincial Life

Papers                :        Paper No.  6  Victorian Age

Submitted To     :        Dr. Dilip Barad

                                      Department of English M.K. Bhavnagar

University

“MIDDLE MARCH” AS A STUDY OF PROVNCIAL LIFE.”

·        GEORGE ELIOT (1819 – 1880)

                   Many Ann Evans wrote under the pen name of George Eliot. She had religious and spiritual speculation. Her novels deal with the tragedy at ordinaries lives unfolded with an intense sympathy and deep in sight into the truth of character. For her the development of human soul, or the study of its relationship to the greater things beyond itself, is the all important theme. There is little striking incident in her novels, but her plots are skillfully managed. Behind all her writing there lies a sense of the tragedy of life, in which sin or folly brings its own retribution.

·        INTRO

                   Middle March is a study of provincial life and the scene is laid in the provincial town of Middle March in the first half of the nineteenth century. It is a love story principally dealing with the affairs of Dorothea Brooke and Mr. Rossamond unicyending in despair. “In Middle March the psychology tends more clearly towards an intuitive idea of mind and consciousness. Her most powerful novel, even if it is not inspired or the most harmoniously constructed, is the last in which the activity of her courageous, ever moving mind has been expressed in terms of scenes and figures family to herself and thus endowed with artistic reality.

-         Cazamin

·        SETTING OF THE NOVEL

                   Middle March is George Eliot’s sixth novel. The reaction to the novel has been a mixed one. Contemporary reviewers, in general, admired it four its life likeness for its characters which they felt were very true to life. In Middle march, the novelist returns once again to the English Midlands in which her girlhood had been passed and which had fertilized her imagination. The location of Middle march has been left indeterminate and vag the setting has not been precisely delineated, as is the case with the other early novels like ‘Adam Bede’. ‘Mill on the Floss and Silas Murder But most critics identify Middle march with ‘Coventry with which George Eliot was well familiar. The action takes place in Middle march or in localities close to it like Tipton Grange. Lowick manour Freshitt Hall, etc. George Eliot is once again on familiar grounds and Midland scenes and sights have been realistically and feelingly sketched. The time of action of the novel is the period immediately preceding the reform Act of 1832.

                   Middle march acquires a symbolic significance, symbolic of English, rural life in the 1830’s. What happens in Middle march was happening in provincial society all over England. Contemporary political and social problems are harmonized with private and personal life.

·        MULTIPLICITY OF CHARACTERS

                   The canvas of Middle march is a crowded one. It is a long novel running into over eight hundred minutely printed pages in the penguin edition. There is a host of characters, so many that all of them cannot even be named in the space. The main characters may be divided into four groups. The first one is Brooks – consisting of Mr. Edword Brooke, his two nieces- Dorothea, the elder sister and Celia, the younger one. The reside at Tipton Grance near the town of Middle march secondly, there are the Vincy the father and head of the family is Mr. Walter Vincy, The elder son is Fred Vincy, the daughter is Rosamand Vincy and Mrs. Lucy Vincy, wife of Walter Vincy. The third one is the Garth family including Caleb Garth, Mary Garth, Mrs. Garth, Alfred Garth and Christy Garth. The fourth family is of Mr.EdwardCasaubon, a clergy and scholar, residing at Lowick Manour, and his cousin Ladislaw other important characters are Peter Featherstone, a rich miser who is the owner of stone court. Joshu Rigg, Nicholas Bultstrode a rich miser who is the owner of stone court. Joshu Rigg, Nicholas Bulstrode a rich banker his wife Harriet Bulstrode, Sir James Chettam, an amiable Baronet who marries Celia, and Tertius Lydgate a doctor of advanced views and an outsider in Middle March of the Minour character, the more important ones are Mr. and Mrs. Cadwallader Reverend Mr. Tykes the curate, Trumbull, the auctioneer etc. The list is a long one and it is by no means exhaustive or all inclusive.

·        TITLE

                   As the title suggest, the novel gives us a realistic, vivid and comprehensive picture of provincial life of England. The picture is such that if there is any hero in the novel it is the society of Middle march. The novelist remembers her early girlhood and this gives the picture of truthfulness and vividness of her portrait of provincial life. In the 1830’s provincial life was the same in every part of England for the railways had not yet destroyed rural isolation and seclusion. The action in the novel takes place in Middle march or the neighboring parishes of Tipton, Lawic or Freshets. A host of characters belonging to every profession, age group and walk of life have been brought in, and through their action and interactions life in a limited region Middle march and its environs has been faithfully recorded. As Quentin Anderson points out, “it is a landscape of opinion”, and not any natural landscape, which is dominant in the novel?

·        TRADITIONAL SOCIETY

                   The limited isolated community has certain well marked characteristics. Everything new or transformation is seen with suspension. Railways which are yet distant and far off are regarded as a threat to the agriculture and their conservative life style, class distinction are taken for granted and every class carries with it, its own privileges class difference protects a person, even when he or she behaves in a way inappropriate for the class to which he or she belongs shields her effectively. It never goes away from the mind of Mr. Brooke, or anybody else that his activities in favour of the reform Bill could work in the direction of reducing his hereditary privileges as a land owner. Nor does Lydgate see the slightest incongruity between his professional ambitions, his deep interest in science, and his traditional way of life.

·        FAMILY BACKGROUND

                   A.O.J.Cockshut says about the society of Middle march “Birth still counts for a good deal, but money is more important, the strength of the position of a man like Mr. Brooke is that he combines both advantages, and has never really been forced into the recognition that to advantages are separable”. In this society manly was everything. It was considered superior to the education George Eliot was aware of the merchant class hangering behind upper class people. Fred went far riding horse, trading and dull sporting dinners. To live as gentleman needed lots of money played an important role as to degrade the person’s morality. Status was given importance characters were eager to get rank in the society.

·        TRADE IN MIDDLE MARCH

                   Rosamond was attracted to wards Lydgate because of his Northumberland connections. The idea of professional status is not fully developed. There are also honest workmen who devoted themselves to their own trade Caleb Garth is one of that kind. “His classification of human employment was rather crude… He divided them into business, politics, preaching, learning and amusement. He had nothing to say against the last four; but he regarded them as a reverential pagan regarded other gods of their own. It is an irony that Fred Vincy disgusts his middle class father by taking work under this excellent business man, and the renouncing upper class ambition. Even Mr. Brooke does not like his two nieces tos meet the daughter of manufacture except on public occasions; his double standards are seen here.

·        WOMAN AND THE SOCIETY OF MIDDLE MARCH

                   Celia is an interesting representive of the kind of woman who is entirely happy with the feminine, nursery world. Their uncle as usual unconsciously expressed the conventional view with perfect exactness when he says to Casaubon Dorothea’s husband : “Get Dorothea to read few light things Smollett; Roderick Random, Humphrey clinker; they are a little broad, but she may read anything now she’s married you know.” Woman’s reading her public acts depends on the marital status. They are expected to obey and fall in line, as Mary Evans herself was expected to do as a girl. This society was transitional. The poor tenants raised their voice against their landlords. They demanded better conditions of living Mr. Hawley regards Mr. Brooke to be a –

“Damned bad landlord.”

Their feelings changed though the old order still continues.

·        CONFLICT IN THE TOWN

                   Old and new both existed in Middle march. Old was dominant but new was future. Religion was divided into two. One is the practical kindly, unidiomatic tradition of Anglicanism, the best representative of which is Mr.Farebrother. The other is vehement and fanatical, is loosely called EvangelicalBulstrode and Tyke represented this trend. In Middle march, the two sects are in conflict, and the order is suspicious of the new. A.O.J.Cokshu –

                   “The relations between the Evangelical and the old fashioned, decent, traditional Anglicanism are well given in the exchange between Mr.Vincy and Balustrade at the end of chapter 13. Mr.Vincy is asking Bulstrode to give Mr. Featherstone a certificate that Vincy’s son had not been borrowing money on the doubtful security of his expectations from Featherstone’s will. Balustrade accuses Vincy of “worldliness and inconsistent folly”, and asks how he can give a certificate in proof of a negative proposition about which he can have no certainly.”

                   For Mrs.Farebrother, Anglicanism is linked with class system –

                   “When I was youngs, Mr.Lydgate, there never was question about right and wrong. We knew our catechism and that was enough. We rearmed our creed and our duty every church parson had the same opinions.

·        MELANCHOLY IN MIDDLE MARCH

                   R.H.Hutton says, “It is a world not in sympathy with lofty aspirations, and to make this world convincing, and real, it was essential for her to give such a solidity and complexity to her picture of the world by which her hero’s and heroine’s idealism was to be more or less tested and partly subjugated as would justify the impression that she understood fully the character of the struggle. We doubt if any other novelist, whoever wrote could have succeeded equally well in this melancholy design, could have framed as complete a picture of English country and country town society with all its rigidities, jealousies and pettiness, with its through good nature, stereotyped habits at thought, and very limited accessibility to higher ideas and have threaded all these pictures together by a story, if not of the deepest interest still admirably fitted for its peculiar purpose of showing how euplastic in such an age as ours to the glowing emotion of an ideal purpose.”

·        THEMES IN THE NOVEL

                    There is the theme of the noble aspiration frustrated body by a repressive environment manner of opportunity and “The spots of commonness” in the character concerned. Dorothea and Lydgate are the two main characters who are frustrated in this way. There is also the theme of Theresa complex exemplified through the story of Dorothea who is said to be a self projection, an externalization of the Theresa complex in the novelist herself. The theme of self education is there in this novel. A depiction of the slow process through which a character sheds his ego and his delusions and attains spiritual regeneration and a better and filler life. Another theme is the clash of the old and the new, a depiction of how the past shapes the future and how the future is controlled and determined by present.

·        PLOT OF THE NOVEL

                   The novel’s plot is complicated. It is made up of four different stories.

[A]  Dorothea – Casaubon – Ladislaw story :-

                   Dorothea marries a man twice to herself. He dies within a year of their marriage. Dorothea inherits Casaubon’s property if she does not marry Ladislaw, Casaubon’s protégé. But in the end of the novel Dorothea takes right decision and marries will and thus disinherits Mr.casaubon’s property. She understood that her first decision was just lofty aspiration.

[B]  Rosamond – Lydgate story :-

                   Both married each other in false impression. Rosamond wanted to live extravagant life like upper class people where as Lydgate though was a doctor could not earn that much. Both left Middle march. Lydgate died later on Rosamond marries well to do physician and settles elsewhere.

[C]  Fred Vincy – Mary Garth story :-

                   Their childhood loves grows to maturity. Fred becomes a good person marries Mary, inherits his uncle’s previous estate and lives peacefully with his children. He and marry had to suffer a lot but things ended well.

[D]  Bulstrode’s Episode :-

                   His way of livelihood, the relation of his shady past and its consequences. He was blackmailed for past deeds.

                    There is also the story of miser Featherstone who made two wills and thus created fuss. These different stands were interwoven into an organic whole. Middle march like other novels has faults. The novel is full of pessimism, gloom and melancholy. There is also a character and incidents are concerned.

·        CONCLUSION

                   The novel has some weak points yet it can be called classic.

                  

           “The book is full of high feeling, wisdom and acuteness. It contains some of the most moving dramatic scenes on pure literature. A scene like that of Dorothea in her night of agony, a scene like that in which the greatness of her nature ennobles for a moment the smallness of Rosamond’s is consummate a like in conception and in style. The characters are admirable in their vigor and individuality, as well as in the vividness and fullness of illustration with which they are exhibited.”

                   It gives us a complete, realistic view of English provincial society in 1830’s and this setting is closely integrated with the four or five stories which form the plot of the novel. The result is an artistic harmony which makes “Middle march George Eliot’s greatest work, and says, Edith Simcox –

                   “It has scarcely a superior and very few equals in the whole range of English fiction.”    

                  

    

compare and contrast between Elinor and Marianne

Name                  :        Gohil Hetalba I.

Std                       :        M.A. I        Sem :          II

Roll No.              :        08

Topic                   :        Compare and contrast between  Elinor and Marianne

Papers                :        The Romantic Literature

Submitted To     :        Dr. Dilip Barad

                                      Department of English M.K. Bhavnagar

University

v    Introduction :

Jane Austen was born on December 16, 1775 at the parsonage house of Steventon in Hampshire. Her father, George Austen. Who was a reactor in the parish was fellow at Oxford and Scholar.

Jane Austen had five brother and one sister. Her eldest brother was James well read in English literature. He could also write well. Jane was influenced by him in her reading habits. Edward, her second brother, was adopted by a wealthy relative in kent. Although Jane was Sekparated from him in childhood. The spent happy time together later in her life. Her third brother, Henary become a clergyman. He helped Jane to publish her novels. Francis and Charles, her two younger brothers, were sailors. Who served in the Great War. They both rose to the rank of Admirals and Jane was proud of them. Cassandra, her only sister, was Jane's Favorite sibling. She was sensible and calm but not as cheerful as Jane. The sisters shared a fine rapport.

More than half her life Jane Austen spent in Steventon Parsonage. This countryside upon the hills of North Hants "with broad and leafy hedgrows, beanth which grew the primrose, the anemone and the wild hydeinth" inspired Jane to write three of her novels.

In 1816 Jane Austen's health began to fail. She remained cheerful to the end. On the morning of July 18, 1817 she breathed her last breath, after uttering the worlds "Nothing but death".

George Eliot refers to Jane Austen as "The greatest artist that has ever written" Tennyson and Macaulay consider as equal to Shakespeare.

Jane Austen was one of the greatest women novelists during the nineteenth century. She was one of the supreme artists in fiction. Her main works are sense and sensibility, pride and prejudice, Mansfield park, Emma North anger Abbey, and persuasion. In the opinion of W.L. Cross, "She is one of the sincerest examples in our literature of art for art's sake".

Sense & Sensibility is satirical in tone and here in a subdued ironical tone. Jane Austen ridicules sentimentalist Elinor represents sense and her sister Marianne stands for sensibility. The satire is mostly directed against sensibility and sentimentality depicted in the character of Marianne. Jane Austen also ridicules the selfishness and worldly wisdom of Mrs. John Dashwood and the henpecked nature of John Dashwood. The style is forcefully ironical and the dialogues through which the comedy is represented are satirical.

In Jane Austen's sense and sensibility the two main characters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood represent sense and sensibility, respectively. Webster's Dictionary defines sense as practical intelligence reasonable thought; something sensible or reasonable Elinor Dashwood fits into the definition of word perfectly. She is down to Earth sensible practical and rational. The dictionary defines sensibility as capacity for being affected emotionally or intellectually Marianne Dashwood fits into this definition quite well. She is ruled by her emotion and has delicate and sensitive feelings. As sister, the two girls are very close and sometimes very much alike, but more than not, as different as night and day.

Elinor Dashwood is the eldest of the two sisters. She fits the common stereotype of the eldest being the practical and rational sibling. She doesn't often let her emotion show and often has to make up for Marianne's shortcomings, caused by her overactive, emotions, Marianne is a very emotional girl. Who has a dramatic opinion on everything. She lets her emotion and her heart lead her, instead of her mind upon living their dear home Noreland Marianne exclaims "oh! Happy house could you know what I suffer in now viewing you form whence perhaps I may view you no more". Although Elinor is also saddened at having to leave Noraland. She quietly keeps it to herself. While her sister bursts forth a sorrowful good bye.

The flighty emotionally of Marianne can be instantly seen upon the arrival of John Willoughby. She instantly falls in love with him and becomes obsessed with everything that has anything to do with him. She has no qualms about expressing the fact that she very much enjoys spending time with him for she "abhors all concealment where no real disgrace could attend unreserved". Her heart lessly laughs at the affections of Colonel Brandon to which Elinor responds that he" is a sensibleman; and sense will always have attractions for [her]. Here we see a sharp contrast between the two sisters. Marianne widly loves the charming and handsome Willoughby, while Elinor likes the sensible, quiet colonel Brandon.

So in love is Marianne that abandons all her common sense, when Willoughby offers her a horse. She immediately accepts, not talking into the ownership of a horse. And even when the sensible Elinor points out the complications of accepting such a gift, Marianne is "most unwilling to comprehend all the unhappy truths which attend the affair".

When Willoughby suddenly and abruptly leaves the Dashwoods heartbroken and shows her sorrowful emotions quite freely. Being the emotional girl that she is "Marianne in all probability not merely giving way to violent sorrow as a relief, but feeding and encouraging it as a duty". She mopes around, doesn’t eat much, and cries a lot. She thinks it would be "very inexcusable had she been able to sleep at all the first night after parting from Willoughby. Not only does she feel genuine sorrow on Willoughby’s departure but she also thinks it's her duty to feel that way.

Marianne knows how much her sisters like Edward Ferrar. But Elinor acts differently around him than Marianne acts around Willoughby’s. She remains composed and keeps her thoughts and feelings to herself. She notices that when Edward comes to visit at Barton he is not himself, but she says nothing and doesn't obsess and worry over it as Marianne would. And when Edward must take his leave of them. Elinor remains calm and unemotional she busies herself with other matters and doesn't shut herself off form the family. But Marianne doesn't understand her sister lack of concern for "Such behavior as this, so exactly the reverse of her own. Appeared no more meritorious to Marianne than her own appeared no more meritorious to Marianne than her own had seemed faulty to her".

Elinor again shows her calm rationality. When she hears of Edward's secret engagement to Lucy steels she is angry and saddened but quietly listens to all that Lucy tells her regarding the engagement. Afterword’s, she carefully considers all that Lucy has told her, and she Endeavour’s to discover more by engaging Lucy in private conversation once again. Elinor cleverly and colorfully extract from Lucy the information extracts from Lucy the information. She wants to know. Unlike Marianne she doesn’t fly to into a passion over the matter but ponders in her heart all that she has recently learned.

Marianne can't stand Mrs. Jennings but when Mrs. Jennings invites the Dashwood sisters to town with her Marianne immediately declares. She will go and that she can easily put up with the woman. However her only desire and goal is to be closer to Willoughby. Elinor cannot ignore the "rapture of delightful expectation which fills the whole soul and beams in the eyes of Marianne. Marianne is very much excited about seeing Willoughby and doesn't try to hide it. But tremens is her grief when Willoughby ignores her and the acts as if he had never any affection for her. His cold-hearted note to her breaks her heart and for many weeks. She is sick with grief she, somewhat selfishly, refuses to participate in various affairs with Elinor and is sad and down trodden she doesn't leave the house for several weeks, both she has no desire to seek amusement and because she doesn’t want to accidently run into Willoughby. So sensitive is she that she wallows in her grief for a long period of time before beginning to return to herself.

When Elinor and Marianne meet Mrs. Ferrars she is quite rude to Elinor and very nice and polite to Lucy Steele. But Elinor refused to be bothered by it, for it is not in "Mrs Fearrars power to distress her by it and the difference of her manners to the Miss Steeles only amuses her". However, Marianne will not stand for this and she honorably defends her sister against the subtle remarks against her. "Urged by a strong impulse of affectionate Sensibility, she moved.... to her sister's chair... and said' Dear, dear Elinor don't mind them. Don't let them make you unhappy'. At which point she bursts into tears. If their roles had been reversed, Elinor would have sensibly defended her sister by steering the conversation to another point, instead of retorting back and then becoming overwhelmed with emotion. This is a perfect example of how the two sisters are so different. While Elinor bears the criticism silently and calmly, her sister must react passionately.

Fanny is quite distressed by the news that her brother Edward is going to Marry Lucy. Being related to her, Elinor sees it her duty to go and see how she is doing, even though she can't stand the woman. This is typical, practical Elinor, dutifully doing what is right. Marianne, however who is "not contended with absolutely refusing to go herself, is very urgent to prevent her sister's going at all". Marianne doesn't see the point of visiting a women whom she despises be she relative or not. Again Marianne is following her emotions and sensibilities rather than her duties and common sense.

At Cleveland, Marianne again abandons her sense by walking around in the damp and cold and then sitting around in wet clothes and shoes it’s a result,    she becomes quite ill. Elinor is very worried about her, but keeps her head and dutifully attends to her sister night and day. While Marianne is ill, Willoughby unexpectedly shows up. He tells Elinor all the particulars of why he broke Marianne's heart and how much he regrets what he had to do. He begs forgiveness and asks Elinor to tell Marianne the whole story. Elinor doesn't cry for her sister, as Marianne would have done, but she does feel a little more compassionate for Willoughby.

At the End of the novel, there are two instances when the sisters reverse rolls, when Marianne acts as Elinor would and vice versa. Upon finally returning home to Barton, Marianne tells Elinor that she is finally at peace with herself and can move on and forget Willoughby. After hearing what Willoughby told Elinor, she can finally leave the past behind and forgive him for what he did. This is the kind of sensible action that we would normally see in Elinor. But just as we see a little sense in Marianne, we also see a little sensibility in Elinor. She had been struggling for quite some time with the distress of Edward's engagement to Lucy. But Edward visits Barton and informs the Dashwood that Lucy has married his brother Robert & that he is no longer engaged. So incredibly happy is Elinor, that she runs out of the room, "and as soon as the door closed, bursts into tears of joy, which at first she thought would never cease". This is just as Marianne would react in such a situation. This proves that though the two sisters are very much different in their thoughts and actions, they are also very much the same.

Marianne Dashwood is a sensitive emotional and compassionate girl. Elinor Dashwood is a practical, rational, and sensible girl. These two sisters each have their own personalities, all their own. As a result, the two girls are good complements to each other. Elinor's sense balance Marianne's sensibility. And while Marianne will always be the sister with the strong sense, they will always have a little bit of the other sister in themselves.

v    Conclusion :

Emily Bronte points out that in Miss Austen's work one should not expect, "Anything like warmth or enthusiasm, anything energetic and poignant" Jane Austen chose a limited background for her novels. Her novels would be recognized as 'domestic' or 'tea-table' novels. There are no adventures in her books, no abstract ideas, no romantic reveries no death scenes. She lived through the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars but no shadow of their storm is allowed to confuse the firm bright clarity of her vision.

Cross says' 'She was a realist. She gave a new to the novel an art and a style, which it once had held, particularly in fielding, but which it had since lost'.

'Jane Austen's realistic English drawing-rooms, like the unfurnished ante chambers of French classical  dram are theatrics in which elemental human folly and inconsistency play out their eternal comedy. Thackeray painted on a vast canvas but his range of characters is small. He always respects his characters. Jane Austen does not repeat her characters. Jane Austen's good women, Anne Eliot Elinor Dashwood, price, are all different. In her six novels, not even a single character is repeated.

Jane Austen hits at the essential. Her characters are universal types. Miss Bates represents the type of all bores, Mrs. Eliton the type of all undisciplined romantics. In sense and sensibility. She satires’ too much of sensibility in the character of John Dashwood. She satirises hen pecked husbands and in the character of his wife she finds nothing but contempt for selfishness.

The character of Jane Austen are minutely portrayed and accurately described. She has been endowed with the one essential gift of the novelist, the power to create living characters. Her characters are not type but individuals. Her male figures are of soft temper but her female characters are almost perfect. She creates living characters both male and female and draws them in their private aspect.

          

paper:3,Literary theory and criticism.Wordsworth as critic

NAME                :      GOHIL  HETALBA. I.

ROLL NO.         :      12

SUB                    :      Literary Theory & Criticism

M.A.                   :      SEM – I

TOPIC               :      Words Worth as a Critics

GUIDED BY     :      Dr. DILIP BARAD

SUBMIT TO      :      Department of English

                                  Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji                               Bhavnagar University

v    Wordsworth as a Critics :

          Wordsworth was born in 1770 and died in 1850. He was primarily a poet and not a critics. He belongs to the age of Romantic critics. His views on Poetry are extremely important and can be found in the preface to the Lyrical Ballads' (1800). The preface was first published as a short advertisement in 1798. In 1800 AD he wrote the detailed preface and in 1803 he further prefacted the preface. Coleridge claimed that the 1802 preface was an 'Half a child of my own brain. The most important addition in the 1802 preface is the long account of nature, qualification and functions of a poet, the demonstulation of his functions of a poet, the demonstolation of his superiority over the mas of poetic pleasure. World scoolth added an appendix on poetic diction.

          The aim of writing the preface was to introduce  to the readers poems of a new kind, both in theme and style. Wordsworth evaluate early poetry and how new poetry is different and can be appereciated. The dominan theme of the preface is words worth view of poetic diction and thus subject of poetry.  

v    Wordsworth Conception of poetry :

          After his attack on the diction of the Neo-classical poets and the poets of his time wordsworth moves to his conception of poetry and its function. Wordsworth defines poetry as 'The spentaneous' ever flow of powerful feelings recollected in tranquility. The two parts of the definition are opposite to each other. The first one is sudden while the second one suggests a deliberate recalling to memory thus wordworth is giving an idea  of a poetic process. It suggests both emotional and mental activities. The four stages in the poetic composition are :

Ø    Observation

Ø    Recollection

Ø    Contemplation

Ø    Imaginative expression

          In this way, wordsworth has give emphasise to emotion but he has also indicated that emotion has to be expressed by thought. The critics view of the poet gives the poet a very high status.

          According to him the poet is a man speaking to man. He differs from other men not in nature but in the degree of talent. The poet wordsworth says is a the man of greater sensibility, observation, reflection imagination and has great powers of communication. He can see what other cannot see and he can communicate his comprehending to the soul of the readers.

          Talking about the function of poetry wordsworth says that it gives him pleasure. By pleasure here, he means knowledge and understanding. He considers poetry to be superior to history philosophy and science. For wordsworth poetry is the pursuit of the truth and a great force for good. He differs from neo-classical critics because for him poetry appeals to feelings and not the intellect.

          Wordsworth's view on meters makes a distinction between use of metre and the use of poetic diction. The use of metre are fixed. It gives the sense of restrained contrast, it gives pleasure by softening the emotion, grace and dignity and shows the skills of the poet. But in diction he says there are no rules but he advocates the use of simple everyday language. Words worth's theory of poetic diction is very important but it thus been criticized, Coleridge was the first to criticize his theory of landing. Diction is not just words but also arrangement of words, imagery, etc wordsworth does not define what he meant by fiction.

          Wordsworth said that the language of the rustics need purification Coleridge says in that case threre will be no difference between rustics diction and diction of others. Secondally he fells that there is no difference between language of poetry and prose. Criticizing him Coleridge point out that the use of metre and the arrangement of words in a poem makes poetry different from prose. T.S. eliot also points out that wordsworth on one hand talk about using the real language of men and on the other hand he speaks of selection. This is nothing but contradictory views.

          The literary criticism of William wordsworth is usually considered the menifesto of the English romantic movement. The single for the break with the age of neo-classicism. After severe criticism by other critics wordsworth had to write criticism in self defence and justification of the type of poetry he was writing. only a through study of his critical writings can prove his worth as a literary critics and can also bring originality of his views with regard to the natural of poetry, poetic creation, and poetic diction.

v    Importance of "Preface to the 'Lyrical Ballads" :

          With sidney's 'Apology for poetory' and shelley's 'Defence of poetry' wordsworth's preface is also a critical document of great importance. It has an account of creative process of a great poet. This nation  gave a blow to faulty poetic diction of the 18th century and then came a fresh breeze in the hot-house of literary conventions.

v    Theory of Poetry :

          Words worth was against the stereotyped mode of writing. According to him the faculty of recreating an emotion belongs to the poet. Words worth believes that the artistic creation is the result of observation, impressions, fellings, thoughts, and their interactions. 'Tintern Abbey' and 'Yarrow Revisited are examples of this type of poetries. Subject matter was chosen from humble and rustic life the passion of heart find a better place in which they can attain their maturity. Words worth rejects the use of personifications in poetry, because personifications do not form a part of the language really used by men words worth recommends naturalness and universality.

          Words worth criticism marks the beginning of a new Romantic school of criticism. He was against the new-classical attitude because their was no slope for originality and freedom. Wordsworth's value to English literary criticism is very significant.

v    Wrods worth's Achievements as a Critics :

          Words worth is not among the best English critics and his position as a critics is not as high as that of Coleridge. But still his criticism has a value and wordsworth was against neo-classism in his views on the nature of poetry. Poetic diction and also in his Judgement of poetry. The neo-classicists believed in set rules and principles and adhered to them closely and rigidly either when writing poetry or when judging poetry. Wrodsworth posed and important problem – that a poem might be flawless and perfect from the point of view of metre diction etc and yet it may fall to please the reader. The ultimate test of the beauty and literary excellence of a work therefore, is not in its out wardly perfect structure but somewhere else. It lies, according to wordsworth, in the healthy pleasure which a poem afforded to the reader. Thus words worth gave first priority to pleasure in poetry than to any other thing in it. This impression istic approach towards literature was a major contribution to English critical idea. He says good poems are produced only by a man who has thought long and deeply.

v    The main defect of words worth :

          His defect as a critic is that he shows a lack of balance in his critical approach. He constantly overstates in everything. There is some truth in most of the things he says but it is marred by his tendency to over state wordsworth says that impolished language of rustic is the only fit medium of poetic composition. He confronted in demolishing outmoded beliefs and principles and of course, nobody can criticise a dogma without himself becoming a little dogmatic.

v    Theory of Poetic diction in Words worth :

          Words worth is the English critic of Romantic Age. People's tendency arose towards  Romanticism. The broke off from the neo-classical ideas. Wordworth and coeridge are considered to be the beginners in Romanticism. In it he discussed Theory of poetry subject matter of poetry, theory of poetic, diction etc. Today I am going to discuss. The Theory of poetic diction in the preface to the Lyrical Ballads.

          Basically wordswroth is a poet, However, his criticism is small  but whatever he says about poetry is full of sincerity, passion and truth. He knows about poetry in real sense and whatever he says is valuable and worth thinking. When wordsworth started writing, it was the Era of Neo-classical criticism. When poetry was judged on the basis of rules devised by Aristotle and other ancients, who cared for rules, forms but ignored the substance the soul of poetry. He is the first critic who turned from the form of the poetry to the substance. He is the first critics who builds the theory of poetry. His emphasis is on novelty. Experiment liberty, inspiration and imagination as contrasted with the classical's emphasis on authority, restraint and tradition.

          Poetry is communication and it is the pleasure that poet communicates. Traditionally it has been believed that the function of the poetry is to interest and delight but words worth says that the function of the poetry is to give pleasure. Words worth says that poetry is most Philosophical.

          Regarding process of poetic creation he says that all good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. The process of storm is claim when the man recollects some past emotional experience.

          Wordsworth's preface has been badly criticised by some of the contemporary critics but the preface is probably the most important single document in the History of English criticism. It provide the readers his most important views and reforms on poetry.

          Wordsworth insists on humble and rustic life. He also talks of simple language. Which is rustic and simple.  

v    Conclusion :

          Wordsworth loved nature so his themes are also natural. His language is also natural. He says that there is neither and nore can be any difference between language of prose and verse. The only difference is that the poet uses metre. Words worth says since metre add an additional source of pleasure so it is useful. The poet speaks through the character so his language should be proper and a simple diction should be prefered.

          In those days most of the writers or poets glorified Royal families where as wordsworth wants the glory of all. He wants the poets to write and communicate in such a way that no class remains untouched. He wants to write in local language as our Tulsidas write Ramayan in the local dialect again as the original in Sanskrit seemed though for common people.

Re-writing the myth of Ramayana In Kanthapura

NAME: GOHIL HETALBA I.

ROLL NO.  : 12

PAPER : Indian Writing in English

M.A. 1  SEM – I

TOPIC : Re-writing the myth of Ramayana

In Kanthapura

SUBMITTED TO,

 Department of English

Maharaja Krishanakumarsinhji 

Bhavnagar University

YEAR: 2012 – 2013

     The Re-writing of Myth of Ramayan in Kanthapura

              

Introduction :

          Raj Rao was born in 1909 in the village of Hassana in Mysore. He lived in France from 1908 to 1939, returned to India on the outbreak of world war – I in 1940. It was in France, thousands of miles away form India, that his first novel, Kanthapura was written. He won the sanity Academi Award for his the serpent & the Rope which has been called the best Indo-Anglian novel ever written. He was awarded the Padma Bhysam by the Government of India in 1969.

          He gives a glowing descriptor of the village, 'Kanthapura'. There are five passage of outstanding description which reach poetic climax. Moorthy gets so much engrossed in the congress movement that he ignores even his mother's affection. His education and study of various cultures & languages led him to condemn idol worship and he believed that mankind should adopt simple living and high thinking. In 1828 he founded the Brahmo samay in culcutta as he thought universal brotherhood needed to be emphasized and he did not believe in caste, creed and nationality. He believed in equality for the women and encouraged Hindus to leave aside the meaningless beliefs, superstitions and custom and instead look into the true essence of Hindusim. He was indeed the father of modern India.

          He didein 1833 during a visit to Bristol England and in 1997, a statue was built in memory of this great forword thinking reformer in the same city.

          Raja Rao's Kanthapura has a reconstruction of his own village Harihalli or Hariharapura Kanthapura has a reconstruction of his own village Harihalli or Kanthapura is the miniature of India. This book gives us social, political, religious, and mythical scenario of 1930s. Kanthapura deals with the condition of Indian. Village during the struggle for Indepence. The villager when the meet, they don't say 'How are you?' How do you do ? or 'Good Morning', but they say 'Ram Ram', 'Sita Ram', etc They are fond of tale – telling and tate – listning, probably because they used to recite and transmit epic and purans from generation to generation as also from their love for mythicizing.

          In 'Kanthapura' tales within tales are found like cabbage peels. Tales form mythology became part of their life that trequently leave their conversation with them. Noorthy and seenu becomes Rama and brother laxman, needing a sita to make the picture complete. Sometimes Morrthy becomes prahalad and Hanusman. Mohandas Gandhi comes to destroy the Red-men as Krishna had the serpent Kali, Gandhi and Moorthy are compared respectively to Ram and Hanuman were as Jawaharlal to Bharath. The people believe that Gandhiji might not have to go to sea to manufacture salt because the gods might spare this ordeal even before his vow is fulfilled as they had for Harish – Chandra.

          According to a critic – "There are no exact points of correspondence in those analogies but they leave an immediate impact on the illiterate Indian villagers and explain to them the political situation of India in the twenties very successfully." According to Raja Rao Moorthy is to Gandhi as Hanuman is to Rama.

          The women folk in the village fraw inspiration from the great goddess showing tremendous courage when they come in contact with the British soldiers, Ramgamma a childless widow, the daughter of of learned father Ramkrishnayya of the Brahmin community, in the course of the novel becomes the source of inspiration not only for the women of the village but also for young men who look up to her as aunt Rangamma. She emerges as the symbol of courage and boldness or otherwise can be seen as Kenchamma the incarnate.

          Rangamma grew up listerning to her father read chapters from puranas and discussed ved with him. She used to listen to Harikatha. Were men are glorified as destroyer of evil and protector of the weak. Later, Moorthy, followed of Gandhiji, draws parallels from epics like Ramayana, Rama stands for Gandhiji, abducated sita for the country under British rule and Ravan, the demon for British rulers. Here women are depicted as weak, helpless and dependant on men. This as psychological bearing on the innocent believe that their freedom lies in the hands of men like moorthy. While males draw paralles from purans to promote nationalism reducing the participation of women to the minimum. Moorthy quote examples from purans and epic which are fictional discourse. Rangamma wide reading helps her to persuade the innocent and ignorant villagers. She educates the women of the lite led by the contemporary women of the city (west).

          If we talk about the novelist, he is a writer who uses metaphysical themes by involving characters with imaginary ideas, out looks and backgrounds. We are forced to examine the personal political, spiritual, and cutureal values in his work kanthapura. Rao contrasts Indian Philosophy and spiritualism with western society's emphasis, on dualism and rationalism. Rao's here gain his insights into the nature of identity existence illusion and reality his work contains insights emblems mantras, metaphors, and other carries of meanings and instructions that enable the individual to achieve through his own meditations a better understanding of the self through knowledge and truth.

          The central myth of Kanthapura is givien mythical background.
The myth is of Ramayan where the story goes like this Rama is the hero and sita is his wife. Laxman  is Rama's brother. The villain is Ravana In myth Ravan. In myth Ravan wants to mary sita. He goes to forest where Rama, Laxman and Sita lived.

          Taking the advantages of Sita's loneliness in the cottage Ravan kidnaps her and brings her to Lanka. To rescue Sita from Ravan. Rama, Laxman, Hanuman and other attack Lanka-Ravan's country. They rescue Sita after a long fight.

          Here in Kanthapura the central myth is of Rama-Sita, Ravan, which is used to illustrate the fight between Mahatma Gandhi and the British is Rama and Ravan. Siva is the three eyed God so is sworaj. Parvati wooed and won Siva through Penances, so does Gandhi Endeavour to attain independence, through ordeals. Independence is like Sita swllied at the hands of Ravan and Gandhi, like Rama strives to regain her. Gandhi's visit to England for the Round Table conference if like the visit to England for the Round Table conference is like the visit of Rama to Lanka after Ravan's defeat Gandhiji as per as Indian history is concerned attended the Round Table conference in order to Negotitate for Indian Freedom. British asked support in world war and gave fake promises to free us after the world war. Anyways, its history now let's come to Kanthapura's mythical mingle.

          In Gandhiji is Rama, Jawaharlal Nehru is Bharat. Further the Mahathma is called Mohandan, Mohan is lord Krishna's name. At early age of his life he defeated venomous serpent. Same way Gandhi tries to slay the serpent of the foreign rule. Here it should be noted that Rama and Krishna both are the incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Moorthy is the hero of Kanthapura who sees Lord Krishna safe on the pipal leat and Prahlad safe through the fire. Moorthy Ram and Seenu – Laxman are to be seen. The agent of the Swami also uses the notion of Ram Rajaya and of the rule of ten headed Ravan.

          The technique of story telling is Indian and like the technique of the Mahabharat and the Ramayan. it tells an interesting tale, without Punctuating and Prepositions but developing the tempo of Indian life. The technique corresponds with the theme. The grandma narrates the story, through in English is an idiom, different from that at the British and the corresponds to a generation caught in the of exploitation, injustice and slavery the yearn for independence. Kanthapura is a tediously long tale.

          The Indian sensibility is best shown in the images of Proverbs., Pharoses, indiums, Pictures and literal translation of Indian expression. The image are drawn from Indian mythology, legends, history and natural Phenomena found in India. It is in the image that the three strands of the story are clothed. The all embracing character of the Indian religion is conveyed through the installation and consecration of the Linya, the Rama festival, the Krishna festival and many other marked mass celebration, congregational Prayer, Drawing all segments of the society of Kanthapura to a comman frown.

          The temile has always been a seat of ancient culture & it is still a source of solace & comfort for the troubled humanity. The Kanthapuraians installed a 'Lingam' in first sighted by Moorthy, & they come everyday for Bhajans & Harikathas & religious – cum – Political meetings Moorthy fasts on the verandah of the temple which lated becomes a centre of strong political activity.

          Ranga Gowda is the symbol of commonsense & stolidity, a sort of Sardar Patel to Moorthy, the village Mahatma. The river Himavathy is her self a Presence & the Goddess kenchmma of the Hill, the Protectoress of the People & guardian of Kanthapura is also a Presence.

          Kanthapura's puranic texture is reflected in its abundant application of the Hindu myths & legends.           

               Conclusion :

          Raja Rao skillfully expolits the traditional mythological device in driving home a point an well as the south Indian folk idom in making the action of the novel authentic artistically conkncing. It is a beautiful combination of fact & fiction, myth & history.

          Kanthapura is Raja Rao's Ramayan. 

Renaissance literature:character of Eve, Adam and Satan

 Character of Adam, Eve, and Satan

NAME                :      GOHIL HETALBA I.

ROLL NO.         :      12

PAPER              :      THE RENAISSANCE                                              LITERTURE

M.A.                   :      SEM – I

TOPIC               :      Character of Adam Eve and Satan

SUBMIT TO      :      Department of English

                                  Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji                               Bhavnagar University

YEAR                :      2012 – 2013

               Character Study of Adam Eve & Satan

          Adam, Eve and Satan are the characters of an epic called paradise Lost written by John Milton. John Milton was born in London in Bread street. Cheapside on the 9th December 1608. In 1625, Milton matriculated at Christ's college, Cambridge. He obtained B.A. Degree in 1629 and his M.A. in 1632 at the same university. He was born in the period of religious and political strite.  There was a blow of literature in his time. He got blind in his later days. He died on 8th November, 1674 a month short of his sixty-sixth birthday.

          Milton's important works are :

Ø    On, the moarning of christ's nativity (1629).

Ø    L' Allegro (1631).

Ø    II penseroso (1631)

Ø    Arcades (1633 or 1634)

Ø    Lycidas (1637)

Ø    Comus A mask (1634)

Ø    Paradise Lost (1658-1665)

Ø    Paradise Regained (1666)

Ø    Samson Agonistes (1667)

          Paradise Lost was first published in 1667 and the second edition was published in 1674. The use of blank verse instead of rhyme for paradise lost and epic poem, was a blod innovation.

          Milton was a Christian poet and got Christian theme in paradise lost. This epic shows him as a Christian Humanist using all the resources of the European literary tradition that had come down to him – biblical, medieval, classical renaissances pagan, Jewish & Christian.

          Paradise lost deals with the rebellion of the angels, the creation, the temptation of the poem is taken party from books of the old testament of the Bible. The table of this epic poem, as Milton tells it, may roughly be divided into three parts ! the rebellion of the angel and their material strife with God (Books I, II, III and the greater part of V and VI), the creation of mankind the intercession of messiah and the condition of Messiah and the condition of Man's existence (touched on in Books I, IV and Part of V, VII and VIII); and the wiles of satan against man, the tranggless of eve and Adam and their expulsion from paradise (Book IX – XII).

          Paradise Lost is the product of a puritan's prolonged meditations on the Bible. He allows himself complete liberty in interpreting it. He retells is as one who bears all the burden of contempovlary in interpreting it. He knowledge whose personality is inense and self centered and who has little dramatic sence. He projects himself, his feelings, knowledge and as piration into the characters of his epic, both primitive human creatures the super and the human beings whether they belong to heaven or hell. Milton was capable of vast conceptions. He could present the universe with a sense of its immensity which leaves for behind and the curous, grotesque and complicated conceptions of Dante in 'The Divine Comedy'.

          Paradise lost is colossal epic, not of man or a hero, but of the whole race of man. Milton's characters are such as no human hand could adequctely portray. But the scenes, the splendours of Heaven, the horrors of Hell, the serene beauty of paradise, the sun and planets suspended between celestial light and gross darkness are pictured with an imagination that is almost superhuman. Let's see these through the portrayal of Adam, Eve and Satan.

               Adam :

          Adam is the first man on earth. He is the symbol of strength. He is very strong. He is intelligent. He lives in the Garden of Eden which is paradise. He was little inferior to God. He was little inferior to god. He always obeyed God, the most superior one of all the creation. He is the father of mankind and the ruler of paradise lost. He is a strong willed man with extra ordinary wit.

          Before the fall, he was a perfect man. The best human being one can imagine. He is very attractive in look. He is mentally sound. His spirituality is also profound. He possesses all in the qualities of a perfect person epic. He is the most ancient man who is the head of mankind. He lived a peaceful and happy life at Eden. Eve was produced to give him company. They lived happily in the Garden of Eden sharing their work with each other. Their companionship could be role model for mankind. Unfortunately things went wrong in heaven Satan and his companions rebelled against god. They were thrown to Hell for ever Satan decided to ruin God's creation thus giving a below to God.

          Saten started search for God's new creation. He found the victim in the form of eve. He tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. Eve ate the fruit. Adam's and Eve's doom changed. Adam also ate the fruit and came the problems in their life with life.

          Before the fall, Adam had enormous capacity of logical reasoning. He could understand the most problematic idea quickly. We can find his capacity when he talks to Rephael who is God's angle. We can see through witty debates that he in nearly equal to Raphael. He could easily understand the interesting tales told by Raphel.

          But when he talks to Michael his visions is significantly selfish and onesided. His personality is changed as he tasted the fruit of the Tree of knowledge. One could easily mark the difference between his conversation with Rapheal and Michael. His self awareness and fury after fall represents his new ability to involve himself in rash and irrational attitudes. Because of the disobedience of God's command, he loses his purity of reasoning and intellectual abilities.

          Adam's weakness is his love for Eve. 'From his experience in life, Milton had come to the conclusion that the danger to a man's soul lay in woman, a danger which was great in proportion of his capacity for love. To him woman was man's inferior, an imperfect creature, dangerous, it she were not kept in cheak.' Adam starts loving her as soon as he sees her. He is blinded by her beauty. He confesses his over whelming affection for her to Raphael also. It was deep affection that tempted him to disobey God and be with Eve.

          He did not want to loose her. Eve has become his companion for life and thus is not ready to depart from her.

               Eve :

          Eve is created with a purpose. She is to accompany Adam as he was alone 'Milton's eve is charming and capricious, coquettish and way- ward incapable of sound reasoning and an easy prey to sophistry. Eve is little inferior to Adam she surpasses Adam only in her beauty. It seems Adam only in her beauty. It seems here as it Milton is unjust to woman as he though them to be inferior to man. She loves her-self very much. When she sees her own image in water she falls in love with her own image. Her beauty creates  trouble for her in future. Her most important device produces her most serious weakness and vanity in her self.

          Satan was in search of weakness in man. He got an opportunity to invade on God's creation. Satan comes to her and compliments her on her glorious beauty and godiness. He easily persuades her to eat the Tree of knowledge. Contrasting this literature Indian literature has created many strong female character.

          A part beauty. She was intelligent.  She was spiritually pure. She had little weaker will she could be tempted easily. She is not ambitious to learn from Raphael or Michael. She was to be guided by somebody. God wanted Adam to guide her but she seemed less interested in getting knowledge. She does not become more intelligent or learned as the story develops. Yet, we can see her attaining the starting point of wisdom by the end of the epic. She never accompanied Adam when he conversed with the Angels like Raphael and Michael. The reason behind her lack of wisdom may be due to this. She tells Adam to trust her.  She is eager to be a woman of free will. She wants to break the bondages. She dominates Adam, while eating the fruit of knowledge. Also she wants to do her Job alone and doesn't want to share. She is eager to be on her own.

          Eve's strengths are her ability for love, feeling and forebearnes. She is able to convince Adam to stay with her after fall also. She is stopped committing suicide by Adam. Sometimes she corrects Adam. Also, she becomes his strength. She corrects his weakness. Milton here upgrade female Adam and Eve together makes society Eve with positive attitude can make illustrative society. They are the representatives of a good society and civilized people. Both are supplement to each other.

               Satan :

          One of the most significant traits of satan's character is that he is identified with Milton. William Blake said : 'Milton was of the Devils (satan) Party without knowing it'. Satan is energetic like Milton. Satans pride too comes from Milton. Milton has pairs his own fellings and emotions into satan. Satans views about (Belial are identity with Miltons) The reign of Charles II satan is considered just only as a part of Milton's character but also a part his mind. The first two books of paradise lost describes the grandeur of satan.

          Satan possesses many qualities of head and heart. His portrayal is heroic figure. His physical dimensions and strong weapons tempt many critics to call him the hero of the epic. His personality is dominant. He remains one of the greatest creation in English literature. The figure of satan has been magnificently conceit. He can be compared with Ravan, the villain of Ramayan by Valmiki. Along with the Physical strength Milton has bestowed satan with intelligence and will Power. He is courageous both physically and spiritually. He says 'The mind is its own place and in its can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell Heaven. He loved liberty and is embroidery of freedom. He rebels God's authority for the sake of liberty. He can need more tolerate dictatorship. Shelley a Byron call him the champion of libber. He had qualities of leadership. He is the recognized leader of the rebellious angels. He says 'Better to reign in ideal, than server in Heaven'. He was a skillful orator. There are contradict and absurdities in the speech of political and leaders in military to way the large audiences. He surpasses the military commanders like Alexander the Great, Napolean and Hitler. Inspire of his gigantic personality. He is no devoid of emotions.

          Satan is ambitious. His speech against God. Shows his wisdom. He is the embodiment of evil. He is flatter and selfish. His character has merits and demerits. He can be called a tragic figure. Shakespeare's tragic hero, Macbeth can be compared with him. Satan is evils personification Satan is clever. He is eager to revenge God. He comes to earth and tempts Eve to eat the fruit of Tree of knowledge. Which is forbidden by God. He convinces Eve to do so. It can be said that Milton's hero Satan, was born to rule and not to be ruled.

          Milton has been successful in depicting the fable in the way he wanted Many Indian epics posses episodic tragic heroes like satan of Milton. They used to get energy through boons and penance. Most of them had supernatural power.