English Excellence

        Ismat chugtai's 'Roots' was originally written in Urdu as 'Judein'. The story provides the harrowing experience of the 1947 partition of India which, in the wake of the much dreamt of Swaraj or independence, had divided the country into the two countries of a Hindu majorityIndia, bordered on either side by a Muslim majority West Pakistan, which forms today's Pakistan, and East Pakistan, which later asserted its independence as Bangladesh in 1971. The two regions which were worst hit by this division were Punjab and Bengal which were divided from right within the middle of the territories. Though it is true that India had assumed the character of a nation only after the phenomenon of British colonization. The worst nightmare of the British policy of divide and rule had finally managed to take a shape and India, which was to assume its status as a secular . Ismat Chugtai is one of the most popular writers of progressive Urduliterature. She has been labelle

 Shashi Tharoor, who is a celebrated Commonwealth author, experienced diplomat and an  Indian parliamentarian, in the essay 'The Idea of India', however, depicts that such a definition is unable to include the type of nationhood that India upholds and elaborates on the reasons behind this non-viability.            In the essay, Tharoor has emphasized on the aspect of India as a truly diverse country which is home to seven hundred tribes, almost a hundred different languages including the twenty-two official languages, not to speak of the dialects, six major religions with its various sub-sects etc. Additionally,          Tharoor attracts attention to that distinctive feature of India whereby a resident of one part of the country has his own specific culinacolour, Indian nationhood has often showed the tendency to prioritise one over the other, evident in the partiality often expressed towards Hindi language as the so-called national language of the country. In fact, the prefere

Dr. Radhakrishnan, the renowned philosopher, is a front rank writer. He has immensely influenced the western thinkers by virtue of his deep and profound thoughts, flawless expression, matchless perfection of style and oratorical force. His books and speeches have been translated into French, German and many other European languages. Many celebrated writers have written books and articles on Dr. Radhakrishnan. On his sixtieth birthday a souvenir, entitled Radhakrishnan : Comparative Studies in Philosophy, was presented to him. It includes the contributions of great writers like E. A. Burtt, Charles A. Moore, K. J. Spalding, H. H. Dubs, P. T. Raju and Humayun Kabir. C.E.M. Joad has highly admired Dr. Radhakrishnan's efforts of the synthesis of Eastern andWestern thoughts. As a writer his main aim was to present an objective and disinterested analysis of Indian thought and philosophy before the West.He has given to the Western world an interpretation of Indian thought and aspiration t

 Tagore was one of the greatest thinkers of the world of all ages. He was a ‘karmayogi’—a tireless man of action. We find the artist in multiple shades. He was a universal man beyond the periphery of national borders. He was never touched by the narrowness of caste, creed, religion or region. That is why Rabindranath is ever relevant to us and the world. He was ever ready to supply us food for thought in rain, summer or winter. Rabindranath was never a blind patriot. Rather it can be said that he was a worshipper of truth and justice. Unlike our present day intellectuals, he was always outspoken to uphold the sanctity of truth and justice. He fought against ills and odds and championed the cause of humanity in his life-long struggle. He criticized the blind form of patriotism which is now enjoying a hay day across our country. ‘Tagore’s criticism of patriotism is a persistent theme in his writings. As early as 1908, he put his position succinctly in a letter replying to the criticism o

 Having roots in Feminist Criticism, Lesbian and Gay Criticism are the newer development which are now exploring. Lesbian Criticism and Gay Criticism are not symmetrical chiefly because Lesbian and Gay relationships themselves are not symmetrical. Lesbian literary theories have tended to see their affinities more with the Feminist theories than with the Gay theories.          It is often said that the homosexual writers produced their works,  portrayed the characters as a result of pain associated with their relationship or from the guilt complex. Shakespeare's works, not only the sonnets addressed to a fair youth but also his plays,  have stimulated a fair amount of Gay Criticism.  In The  Merchant of Venice,  Antonio is in despair because he despises himself for his homosexuality which is romantic,  obsessive and exclusive and fills him with sexual shame. At present there are some Gay Critics who study lesbian or Gay Authors and write about them insightfully and without hostility

          Chika Unigwe's Borrowed Smile highlights the socio economic problems of the Nigerian society laced with human impulses.  The story opens with the description of a poverty sticken Ghetto with pool of urine stagnating outside and foul odor of decaying rats , mice and dogs.  The inhabitants always desire to go beyond this atmosphere and  even the parents have the wish that their offspring would live a happy civilized life.        A baby appears suddenly and it has been told that she is Sunday's baby and Udo's mother breast feeds her to satisfy the hunger.  Sunday says that she would fly away breaking the emotions . The life is described as a cup of iced water in desert that means it is hard to save the childhood from the situation prevailed in the society.   Image of Ghetto        In this area , there are some scrupulous persons like Bob who appear in branded clothes and shoes to lure the teenagers  and tell so long cherished a dreamy world of the western world and p

     W. B. Yeats in his poem , ' The Lake Isle of Innisfree ' takes us to a remote, langurous,dreamy atmosphere of the earthly fairy land . Having resided in city life for a prolonged time, the poetic persona wants to take refuge in  lap of Nature. The dull and deary life of the city has suffocated the spirit of the creation so he desires for the solitary and peaceful pastoral life . The poem opens with the Biblical allusion " I will arise and go.." to create a spiritual affinity with mother nature. He wants to stay in  close contact with Nature so he wishes to build and stay in a little room made with clay and twigs. He also desires to plant nine  rows of beans and wishes to get honey from the hives. The humming sound of the bees resonates the ambience. Like Wordsworth,  Yeats also wants to 'live alone' in pastoral settings to experience the spiritual experience.       In the second stanza,  poet wants to find  peace in a slow motion in the song of cricket ,