SOME set up by King (1819-1837) in 1829 and the Konbaung-zet Maha 3 HISTORICAL FICTION Yazawin-daw-gy i , compiled by U AND THEffi lllSTORICAL Maung Maung Tin (KSM). We have CONTEXT* also used some local histories like the Taungoo Yazawin 4 and the Than-/yin 5 Yazawi , and a historical text compiled U Than Htut & and translated from non - Myanmar U Thaw Kaung ** languages, the Pawtugi Yazawin 6 (History of the Portuguese, with special We read through a number ofMyanmar reference to Asia and Myanmar).novel historical novels and selected a few for was published to year presentation in our paper. The historical novels we are giving as examples of The historical fiction which we have Myanmar historical fiction have been examined are mainly novels written from checked with some of the main texts of 1919, when the first Myanmar historical Myanmar history. novel was published, to year 2000, a period of about 80 years. Our paper is The Myanmar historical texts we have by no means a survey of this genre in used are a few original inscriptions our country; there are already a few (mainly on lithic I stone), and also the such accounts in the Myanmar 7 old chronicles like U Kala's (c. 1714- language . 1733) Maha Yazawin-gyi 1 the Hman• nan Maha Yazawin (The Glass Palace For the historian, original texts are the Chronic!ep, compiled by a commission most important sources, but even contemporary stone inscriptions like the well-known inscriptions of King Kyan- * This paper was read at an international Conference on Texts and Contexts in 4 Taungoo Yazawin ; compiled by Shin Southeast Asia, held in , Dec. 200 I. Nyana-thikhan-gyi; ed. by Saya Pwa. The subject of our paper is Myanmar (Taungoo: Kayturnadi Press, 1924). historical fiction. 5 Than-/yin Yazawin. [History of Syriam]. **Members of the Myanmar Historical Yangon: Thitsawardi Thadinsa Press, 1925. Commission and retired ChiefLibrarians (T.H. 6 Pawtugi Yazawin . (Yangon: Thuriya Press, of the National Library, a.M T.K. of the 1918). Written in early 19th century by Father Universities Central Library.) Ignazio de Brito and Johannes Moses, 1 U kala. Maha Yazawin-gyi .... Burma a.k. a. Baba Sheen. Research Society ed. . . . (Yangon: 7 See ( 1) Paragu (U Hla Kyaing), "Tharnaing Hanthawaddy, 1960-1961) (reprint). 3v. nauk-khan Myanmar wuthtu," [Myanmar Burma Research Society ed., edited by Saya novels with historical backgrounds] i.!! Pwa, 2 vols. 1" published v.1 (1926); v.2 Wuthtu shay sardan mya [Papers on (1932); v.3 1" pub.1961 ed. byUKhinsoe. Novels]. Vol. 1. (Yangon: Sarpay Beikrnan, 2 Hman-nan Maha Yazawin-daw-gyi ... 1981) p. 76-128. (The Glass Palace Chronicle). : (2) Tin Htun, U Yazawin saing-yar Mandalay Pitaka Book Depot, 1936. 3 vols. Myanmar wuthtu mya (1885-1947) 3 Konbaung-zet Maha Yazawin-daw gyi ... [Myanmar novels about history]. (Yangon: 3rded. (Yangon: Ledi Mandaing Press, 1968). University of Yangon, 1982). Unpublished 3v. 1•• published. 1921. M.A. in Myanmar Literature thesis. 389 p. MANUSYA: Journal of Humanities (Special Issue. No.5.2003)

zittha (AD 1084-1112), where, in giving To write a good historical novel needs his genealogy, the King wrote that he the painstaking research ofthe historian, was related to Rama (an avatar of the the keen analysis and dramatic instinct Hindu God Vishnu) in a previous of the novelist, together with "a gift of existence, contain what would now be creative imagination that can infuse life regarded as legendary tales which are into the dust of yesterday. " 10 fictitious. Aldous Huxley who read The Glass Palace Chronicle (the parts Some historical fiction are actually mostly on Bagan, translated into English satires masquerading with a plot and by U Pe Muang tin and Prof. G. H. characters of the past to parody what is Luce) remarked rather harshly that "it happening in the present. We find this is a collection of fabulous anecdotes." 8 in some of the historical novels ofMaha Swe which were written to criticize the We have compared some historical British during colonial times. texts with their relevant fiction to bring out in the context how true to (historical) A common weakness, some critics might facts the Myanmar novelists have been even say a serious fault, of historical in depicting a particular period, incident fiction and its writers is anachronism: or character. an idea, custom, etc. placed in a wrong period of history. For example, in two Myanmar historical fiction is similar to well-known novels by Min Kyaw English and American historical fiction entitled Bagan thar [The People of in that it takes quite a wide variety of Bagan) 11 and Htihlaing shin [The Lord forms. At the lowest level the novels ofHtihlaing]12 Min Kyaw assigns to the are nothing but adventure or love stories Bagan period concepts like democracy, presented in period costumes and the election of leaders, nationalism and so story supposedly taking place in a certain on, which became prevalent in our period of Myanmar's historical past, country only in the twentieth century. though it could have been in any other Maung Swan Yi has rightly pointed this similar country or time. out in his criticism of Bagan tharprinted in Ladu thadinsa [Ladu Daily 13 At the very best Mynmar historical Newspaper) • Maung Swan Yi also fiction depicts what life was like in an noted that the novel Bagan thar is actual period, teeming with personalities choked with long conversational pieces and events of history, giving "the colour extolling patriotism, love for the land and · and pattern oflife in the past and to give country, and other similar concepts.14 immediate reality, charm and meaning to its human figures."9 11 Min Kyaw. Bagan thar. 2nd ed. (Yangon: Sar-thabin Sar-oke Taik, 1974). 1'1 pub. 1964 12 Min Kyaw. Htihlaing shin. 1'1 ed. 8 Aldous Huxley. Jesting Pilate, the Diary (Yangon: Yamin Sarpay, 1969). of a Journey. (London: Chato & Windus, 13 Muang Swan Yi 's book review of Bagan 1948) (1957 reprint). p. 169. 151 pub. in 1926. thar, by Min Kyaw. (Mandalay: Ludu Daily, 9 Helen E. Haines. Living with Books ... 2nd 25th Dec. 1965). ed. New York: Columbia University Press, 14 Muang Swan Yi. Introductory note 1950. p. 541. entitled "Muang Swan Yi I waiban chet," in 10 Ibid. 541. see Chap. 22. "Aspects of Min kyaw. Bagan thar. 2nd ed. (Yangon:Sar• Fiction", p. 538-567. thabin Sar-oke Taik, 1974). 6p. no page nos.

96