P-110 Assignment

➡️ paper no.110 History of English literature - From 1900to 2000

💠 Paper no. 110 Assignment 

This blog is an assignment paper no.110 History of English literature - From 1900to 2000. I am dealing with 'characteristics of 20th century literature'

🔷 Personal information:

Name: Gohel Dhruvika G.

Paper no: 110 History of English literature - From 1900to 2000

Subject code: 22403

Topic name: 'characteristics of 20th century literature'

Batch: M.A sem 2

Roll no: 04

Enrollment no: 5108240012

E-mail address: dhruvikagohel252@gmail.com 

Submitted to: smt, S.B Gardi Department of English MKBU

💠 Introduction

The 20th century was a time of immense transformation in the world, and literature of this period vividly reflects the cultural, political, and psychological shifts that took place. Two world wars, rapid industrialization, technological advancements, the rise and fall of empires, and revolutions in thought and art all contributed to the evolution of literary styles, themes, and techniques. Unlike the structured traditions of earlier eras, 20th century literature is marked by innovation, experimentation, and a deep questioning of previously accepted truths.

The major characteristics of 20th century literature, including its themes, styles, forms, and major movements, to understand how literature served both as a mirror and a critique of the turbulent century in which it was created.

1. Modernism and the Break with Tradition

One of the most defining features of early 20th century literature is Modernism, a movement that rejected the conventions of the 19th century. Modernist writers felt that traditional forms could no longer represent the fractured and fast-changing world around them. Instead of linear narratives and clear moral messages, modernist literature favored fragmented structures, unreliable narrators, and abstract or symbolic representations.

🔹 Examples:

James Joyce's Ulysses (1922) revolutionized narrative with stream-of-consciousness technique.

Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse focus on inner life and subjective experience.

T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land reflects the disillusionment of post-WWI society using literary allusions and fragmented imagery.

2. Stream of Consciousness Technique

This narrative method, which aims to depict the inner thoughts and feelings of characters as they occur, became popular among modernist writers. It abandons conventional grammar and punctuation to mimic the actual flow of thoughts.

Writers like:

James Joyce,

Virginia Woolf,

William Faulkner,

3. Themes of Alienation and Fragmentation

20th century literature often portrays individuals as alienated from society, family, or even themselves. This alienation is frequently tied to urbanization, war, industrialism, and changing social structures. Fragmentation—in narrative structure and character identity—reflects this sense of disintegration.

🔹Examples:

In Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, Gregor Samsa wakes up as a bug and experiences extreme alienation from his family and society.

Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot presents disoriented characters lost in meaningless routines, reflecting existential despair.

4. Existentialism and Absurdism

Influenced by philosophers like Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus, many 20th century writers explored existentialism—the idea that life has no inherent meaning and individuals must create their own purpose. Absurdism, a related idea, suggests that efforts to find meaning will always fail because the universe is irrational.

🔹 Examples:

Albert Camus’ The Stranger explores existential detachment.

Beckett’s absurdist plays show characters trapped in repetitive, purposeless actions.

Jean-Paul Sartre’s works reflect the moral dilemmas and responsibilities of free will.

5. Political and Social Commentary

The 20th century saw literature become a powerful tool for social critique. With major events like the Russian Revolution, World Wars, the Holocaust, the Civil Rights Movement, and the rise of totalitarian regimes, writers used fiction to reflect, question, or resist these forces.

🔹Examples:

George Orwell’s 1984 and Animal Farm criticize totalitarianism and propaganda.

Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart examines colonialism’s impact on African culture.

Toni Morrison’s Beloved confronts the trauma of slavery and African-American identity.

6. Postcolonialism and Global Perspectives

After the end of European colonial empires, literature from former colonies began to gain global recognition. Postcolonial literature focuses on identity, displacement, hybridity, and the aftermath of colonial rule. It gave voice to formerly marginalized perspectives and challenged Eurocentric narratives.

Important authors include:

Salman Rushdie (Midnight’s Children),

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o,

Wole Soyinka,

Arundhati Roy,

Jamaica Kincaid.

These writers explored the cultural collisions between native traditions and Western influences.

7. Rise of Women Writers and Feminist Literature

The feminist movement of the 20th century brought a surge of literature that questioned gender roles, explored female experience, and critiqued patriarchal structures. Women writers gained more prominence and contributed significantly to all literary genres.

Notable authors:

Sylvia Plath (The Bell Jar)

Doris Lessing (The Golden Notebook)

Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid’s Tale)

Angela Carter, Virginia Woolf, and Alice Walker

Feminist literature tackled issues of identity, sexuality, autonomy, and oppression.

8. Experimentation with Form and Genre

20th century literature blurred the boundaries between poetry, drama, and fiction. Writers experimented with non-linear plots, unreliable narrators, and metafiction (fiction that reflects on its own creation). This was partly a response to modernity and partly an effort to innovate storytelling.

🔹Examples:

Italo Calvino’s If on a winter’s night a traveler plays with the idea of reading and authorship.

Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five mixes science fiction, autobiography, and satire.

Jorge Luis Borges wrote stories that read like philosophical essays or puzzles.

9. Rise of Science Fiction and Dystopian Fiction

As technology advanced and fears of nuclear war and state surveillance grew, science fiction and dystopian literature became prominent. These genres allowed writers to speculate about the future and explore societal anxieties.

Key works:

Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World

Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451

Philip K. Dick, Isaac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clarke shaped science fiction.

These works often explore themes of dehumanization, loss of individuality, and the dangers of unchecked power.

10. Postmodernism and Irony

By the mid to late 20th century, Postmodernism emerged as a reaction to the certainty and seriousness of modernism. Postmodern literature is often ironic, playful, self-referential, and skeptical of grand narratives or absolute truths. It acknowledges the impossibility of capturing "reality" through language and embraces ambiguity.

🔹Examples:

Thomas Pynchon’s Gravity’s Rainbow

Don DeLillo’s White Noise

Salman Rushdie’s magical realism blends history and fantasy

David Foster Wallace mixes satire and sincerity in his complex narratives.

💠 Conclusion

20th century literature is incredibly diverse and multifaceted, reflecting the complexities of a rapidly changing world. From the psychological introspection of modernism to the fragmented playfulness of postmodernism, from the trauma of war to the fight for freedom and identity, the literature of this period reveals a deep engagement with the human condition.

What makes 20th century literature especially significant is its willingness to challenge norms of language, form, and subject matter and to give voice to previously unheard perspectives. As a result, it has not only enriched literary tradition but also expanded the very idea of what literature can be.

💠 References:

“The 20th Century.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/art/English-literature/The-20th-century. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

Twentieth Century Literature on JSTOR, www.jstor.org/journal/twencentlite?decade=2010. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

Thank you.

P-109 Assignment

➡️ paper no.109 Literary Theory & Criticism and Indian poetics 

💠 Assignment paper no.109

This blog is an assignment paper no 109 Literary Theory & Criticism and Indian poetics . In this assignment I am dealing with 'The natyshahtra and Indian cinema' 

🔷 Personal information:

Name: Gohel Dhruvika G

Paper no:109 Literary Theory & Criticism and Indian poetics 

Subject code: 22402 

Topic name:  'The natyshahtra and Indian cinema' 

Batch: M.A sem 2

Roll no: 04

Enrollment no: 5108240012

E-mail address: dhruvikagohel252@gmail.com 

Submitted to: smt, S.B Gardi Department of English MKBU

🔷The Natyashastra and Indian Cinema

💠Introduction

Indian cinema, one of the largest film industries in the world, is a rich tapestry of storytelling, performance, music, and visual art. While the contemporary Indian film landscape is often associated with commercial productions like Bollywood, its roots can be traced back to ancient Indian traditions, particularly the Natyashastra. Composed by Bharata Muni between 200 BCE and 200 CE, the Natyashastra is a comprehensive treatise on dramaturgy that has shaped the aesthetics of Indian performing arts for centuries. This assignment explores the foundational principles of the Natyashastra and examines how they continue to influence Indian cinema in terms of narrative structure, performance, music, and emotional expression.

💠 The Natyashastra: An Overview

The Natyashastra is one of the oldest and most detailed treatises on performing arts in the world. It comprises 36 chapters and over 6,000 verses that provide guidance on various aspects of drama, including stage design, music, dance, acting, makeup, costumes, and audience engagement. The text was originally meant to guide theatrical performances in temples and courts, but its influence extended to classical dance forms like Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, and Odissi, and eventually to cinema.

A central concept in the Natyashastra is Rasa, the aesthetic flavor or emotional essence experienced by the audience. Bharata outlines eight primary Rasas (later expanded to nine): Shringara (love), Hasya (laughter), Karuna (compassion), Raudra (anger), Veera (heroism), Bhayanaka (fear), Bibhatsa (disgust), Adbhuta (wonder), and Shanta (peace). These Rasas are evoked through Bhavas (emotions or expressions) performed by the actor.

The Natyashastra also emphasizes the concept of Natya (drama) as a synthesis of all art forms and considers it a means of moral and spiritual education. The purpose of art, according to Bharata, is not merely entertainment but also the elevation of the audience through emotional catharsis and philosophical reflection.

💠 Influence of the Natyashastra on Indian Cinema

Though separated by centuries, Indian cinema reflects many of the ideas put forth in the Natyashastra. From its early silent films to the vibrant musicals of Bollywood and the art-house productions of regional cinema, the principles of Rasa, Bhava, and dramatic composition remain integral.

1. Rasa Theory in Cinematic Storytelling

One of the most direct influences of the Natyashastra on Indian cinema is the use of Rasa to construct narratives and evoke emotions. Most Indian films, especially mainstream productions, are structured to deliver a complete emotional experience by incorporating multiple Rasas within a single narrative.

For instance, a typical Bollywood film may contain elements of Shringara through romantic sequences, Veera in action scenes, Hasya in comic relief, and Karuna in tragic turns. This multi-Rasa composition aligns with the Natyashastra’s idea that drama should provide a holistic experience to its audience.

Satyajit Ray’s films, though influenced by Western realism, also exemplify Rasa theory. In Pather Panchali (1955), the subtle use of Karuna and Shanta evokes deep empathy and contemplation. Similarly, directors like Mani Ratnam and Vishal Bhardwaj consciously use Rasa to guide mood and theme.

2. Bhava and Acting Techniques

Acting in Indian cinema often leans towards expressive gestures and facial expressions, especially in classical and early films. These practices are rooted in the Natyashastra’s detailed system of Bhavas. Bharata classified Bhavas into Sthayi Bhava (permanent emotions), Sanchari Bhava (transitory emotions), and Vyabhichari Bhava (complementary emotions) to guide performers in their portrayal of character and mood.

Actors like Nargis, Dilip Kumar, and later, Irrfan Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, have drawn from these traditions, using nuanced expression and body language to convey emotion. Even commercial stars like Shah Rukh Khan utilize amplified Bhavas to connect with a mass audience, often portraying intense Shringara or Veera through distinct physicality and voice modulation.

3. Dance, Music, and the Audiovisual Language

The Natyashastra treats music and dance as essential elements of drama, not mere embellishments. This integration is mirrored in Indian cinema, where song and dance sequences are central to the narrative, unlike in most Western films.

The choreography of classical Indian dance forms, based on Natyashastra, heavily influences film dance. Many actresses like Vyjayanthimala, Hema Malini, and more recently, Shobana and Aishwarya Rai, trained in classical dance, have brought the expressive grammar of Mudras and Abhinaya to the silver screen.

Moreover, background scores in Indian cinema aim to amplify the emotional Rasa of each scene. The use of Ragas, specific rhythmic patterns, and leitmotifs echo the Natyashastra’s approach to music as a narrative force.

4. Mythology, Morality, and Narrative Structure

The Natyashastra views drama as a didactic tool, often drawing from epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata to promote Dharma (righteousness). Indian films frequently follow this template, blending entertainment with moral or social messages.

Mythological films like Jai Santoshi Maa (1975) and Mahabharat adaptations reflect this tradition directly. Even modern films such as Baahubali or Lagaan employ mythic structures  hero’s journey, cosmic justice, moral dilemmas  to resonate with cultural memory.

Directors like Rajkumar Hirani (Munna Bhai MBBS, PK) and Shyam Benegal (Ankur, Manthan) use cinematic storytelling to challenge social norms while upholding moral frameworks, much like the classical Natya aims to instruct and transform.

5. Visual Symbolism and Cinematic Form

The Natyashastra outlines principles for stage design, costume, and visual symbolism that extend into cinema. The symbolic use of color, costume, lighting, and setting in Indian films often parallels theatrical aesthetics.

For instance, the use of white to denote mourning, red for passion or marital status, and dramatic lighting to signal internal conflict are common cinematic devices derived from classical theatre. In films like Devdas, Mughal-e-Azam, or Padmaavat, costume and mise-en-scène are meticulously designed to heighten Rasa.

Even the Navarasa concept has inspired entire cinematic frameworks. Tamil director Mani Ratnam’s anthology Navarasa (2021) explores each Rasa in standalone episodes, directly acknowledging Bharata's influence.

💠 Contemporary Relevance and Critique

While the Natyashastra has significantly influenced Indian cinema, the modern medium has also evolved and challenged its frameworks. Critics argue that the rigid gender roles and idealized moral codes in classical texts may not align with contemporary values of inclusivity and realism.

However, contemporary filmmakers often reinterpret classical concepts through modern lenses. For example, the use of Rasa in psychological thrillers or LGBTQ+ narratives expands the scope of classical emotion beyond traditional archetypes.

Moreover, digital cinema, OTT platforms, and global influences have diversified cinematic language. Yet, even in such varied expressions, the emotional depth, performative aesthetics, and narrative structures often carry echoes of Bharata’s vision.

💠 Conclusion

The Natyashastra, with its profound insights into performance, aesthetics, and emotion, continues to be a foundational text for Indian art and storytelling. Indian cinema, in its many forms, carries forward this legacy by integrating Rasa theory, Bhava-driven acting, music, dance, moral narrative structures, and visual symbolism into its core language. As Indian cinema evolves in the 21st century, the enduring relevance of the Natyashastra serves as both a historical anchor and a creative inspiration, ensuring that the soul of Indian drama remains vibrant and resonant across generations.

💠 References:

Chaudhury, Pravas Jivan. “Pravas Jivan Chaudhury, Catharsis in the Light of Indian Aesthetics.” PhilPapers, 1 Jan. 1965, philpapers.org/rec/CHACIT-3. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

“Natyashastra.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/topic/Natyashastra. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

Thank you.

P-108 Assignment

➡️ paper no: 108 The American literature 

💠 Assignment paper no.108 

This blog is an assignment paper no. 108 The American literature. In this assignment I am dealing with 'Tragic Inheritance and tragic Expression in long days journey into night.'

🔷 Personal information: 

Name: Gohel Dhruvika G.

Paper no: 108 The American literature 

Subject code: 22401

Topic name:  'Tragic Inheritance and tragic Expression in long days journey into night.'

Batch: M.A sem 2

Roll no: 04

Enrollment no: 5108240012

E-mail address: dhruvikagohel252@gmail.com 

Submitted to: smt, S.B Gardi Department of English MKBU

💠 About author: 

       

                        (Eugene O'Neill)

Eugene-ONeill (1888–1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in Literature. Born in New York City, he was the son of James O’Neill, a successful stage actor. Eugene's early life was marked by instability, including family struggles with addiction and illness—experiences that deeply influenced his writing.

He began his career in the theater after working various jobs and spending time at sea, which inspired some of his early plays. O’Neill was a pioneer of modern American drama, introducing realism and psychological depth to the stage. His most famous works include The Iceman Cometh, Mourning Becomes Electra, and Long Day’s Journey into Night, the latter considered his masterpiece and based heavily on his own family.

O’Neill won four Pulitzer Prizes and remains a central figure in American literary and theatrical history. He died in 1953 in Boston, Massachusetts.

💠 Introduction:

Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night stands as one of the most intimate and devastating portrayals of familial disintegration in modern American drama. The play is deeply autobiographical, mirroring the playwright’s own tormented family life, and it operates on both a personal and mythic level. In his critical essay, “Tragic Inheritance and Tragic Expression in ‘Long Day’s Journey into Night,’” J. Chris Westgate explores the complex interplay between inherited affliction and the expressive structures that give voice to that affliction. This assignment seeks to examine how O’Neill’s characters are not merely victims of circumstance, but inheritors of deeply rooted psychological and emotional legacies that manifest in tragic ways. Drawing on Westgate’s insights and textual evidence from the play, this essay will analyze the nature of tragic inheritance and the modes of its dramatic expression, showing how O’Neill crafts a deeply emotional and artistically rich tragedy that blurs the lines between personal confession and universal suffering.

💠 The Nature of Tragic Inheritance

At the heart of Long Day’s Journey into Night is the notion that suffering is not isolated but passed from generation to generation. This tragic inheritance is not limited to physical traits or financial burdens; it encompasses emotional wounds, behavioral patterns, and psychological dysfunctions. Westgate describes this as a kind of "familial doom," where each character is bound to a fate shaped by the past. The Tyrone family’s descent is not sudden but cumulative—a slow unraveling born of years of pain, addiction, and unresolved trauma.

James Tyrone Sr., the patriarch, embodies the consequences of poverty and missed opportunity. His obsession with money stems from a childhood spent in deprivation, and this frugality becomes a source of resentment and division within the family. His decision to pursue commercial theater over artistic integrity, a choice made out of financial necessity, echoes throughout the play as a symbolic failure—a betrayal of his potential that is now projected onto his sons. Thus, the inheritance is not only monetary but psychological, infecting his children with a sense of disillusionment and bitterness.

Mary Tyrone, the mother, inherits and perpetuates the cycle of denial and addiction. Having been introduced to morphine after Edmund’s birth, she now clings to the drug to escape the reality of her family's dysfunction. Her addiction is presented not as an isolated personal failing but as a symptom of deeper emotional voids, many of which stem from her rigid Catholic upbringing and a sense of alienation within the family. Westgate emphasizes that Mary’s relapse is both a tragedy and a return to form, signaling the inevitability of her descent and her role in perpetuating the family’s collective misery.

💠 Inherited Trauma and Its Effects on the Children

Jamie and Edmund, the Tyrone sons, suffer the most direct effects of their parents’ legacies. Jamie, the elder son, is a disillusioned alcoholic whose cynicism masks deep emotional wounds. He idolized his father in childhood but came to view him with contempt as he grew older. The disappointment in his father's failures and his mother’s addiction turns inward, leading him to sabotage his own ambitions and relationships. Jamie’s destructive tendencies are not simply choices but inherited responses—coping mechanisms learned from a household steeped in repression and dysfunction.

Edmund, O’Neill’s stand-in for himself, is both the most reflective and the most fragile. Struggling with tuberculosis and the existential despair of a budding poet, Edmund represents the sensitive soul crushed under the weight of family expectations and emotional chaos. Westgate highlights how Edmund’s illness and intellectualism place him in a unique position within the family. He sees through the lies and illusions that others cling to, but his awareness does not bring liberation. Instead, it isolates him further, making him a tragic figure who inherits not only his mother’s illness but also his father’s bitterness and his brother’s self-loathing.

💠 Dramatic Expression of Tragic Themes

O’Neill’s genius lies not only in his characterizations but also in the dramatic techniques he uses to express tragedy. The play unfolds over a single day, symbolizing the inescapability of time and the cyclical nature of suffering. Each act draws the characters closer to emotional collapse, not through dramatic external events, but through conversations, silences, and revelations. Westgate notes that O’Neill structures the play as a slow, spiraling descent, where each repetition and echo underscores the characters’ inability to change.

Dialogue plays a crucial role in this expression. Much of the play consists of characters speaking past one another—delivering monologues disguised as conversations. This lack of true communication reflects their emotional isolation. For example, Mary repeatedly retreats into memories of her youth, describing her convent days and piano aspirations as a way to escape the present. Her nostalgic monologues are lyrical and haunting, contrasting with the harsh realism of the family’s arguments. This duality—poetry and realism—mirrors the tension between longing and despair that defines the tragic experience.

Silence is equally powerful. O’Neill often allows scenes to end in unresolved silence, leaving emotional wounds exposed and unhealed. These silences speak volumes about the Tyrone family’s inability to confront their shared pain. Westgate asserts that these moments of quiet are not empty but “loaded with emotional resonance,” serving as a kind of tragic punctuation that deepens the audience’s sense of inevitability.

💠 The Structure of Tragic Decline

The play’s structure mirrors the tragic arc seen in classical tragedies. It begins in relative peace and ends in emotional ruin. The first act introduces the family’s fragile hope—Mary appears to be recovering, Edmund’s illness is being addressed, and the family is together. But by the end of the play, all illusions are shattered. Mary is fully consumed by her addiction, Edmund confronts the reality of his illness, Jamie admits his desire to corrupt his brother, and James Sr. retreats into defensiveness and regret.

Westgate suggests that this decline is not just narrative but thematic. The play moves from light to darkness, from denial to confrontation, from illusion to painful truth. O’Neill uses setting and lighting to emphasize this descent. As the day progresses, the fog outside grows thicker, mirroring the characters’ emotional entrapment. Mary’s recurring mention of the fog and her retreat into it becomes a metaphor for her psychological withdrawal. The fog horn that sounds periodically adds to the sense of isolation and doom, reinforcing the tragic atmosphere.

💠Conclusion

Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night is a harrowing exploration of familial suffering, addiction, and the inescapable weight of the past. Through the concept of tragic inheritance, O’Neill shows how pain is passed down, often unknowingly, from one generation to the next. Each member of the Tyrone family is both a product and a perpetuator of this legacy. J. Chris Westgate’s analysis provides a critical framework for understanding how this inheritance is not only portrayed in content but expressed in form through language, structure, silence, and dramatic tension. Ultimately, the play is not just a story of one family's downfall but a meditation on the human condition itself. In confronting the Tyrone family's tragedy, O’Neill invites the audience to reflect on their own inheritances emotional, psychological, and existential and the ways in which they shape the course of our lives.

💠 Refrences: 

“Eugene O’Neill.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/biography/Eugene-ONeill. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.

Tragic Inheritance and Tragic Expression in Long Day’s Journey into Night - Document - Gale Academic Onefile, go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA234570636&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=10409483&p=AONE&sw=w&userGroupName=anon~3635cb53&aty=open-web-entry. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.

Thank you.