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History As Fiction in Amitav Ghosh's River of Smoke

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History As Fiction in Amitav Ghosh's River of Smoke VEDA’S JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL) Vol.5 An International Peer Reviewed Journal Spl.Issue 3 http://www.joell.in 2018 NATIONAL SEMINAR PAPER HISTORY AS FICTION IN AMITAV GHOSH’S RIVER OF SMOKE Dr.Shakeela Noorbasha (Department of English, ANU College of Architecture & Planning, Acharya Nagajuna Unversity.) ABSTRACT Indian writing in English has emerged as a sub-discipline of English literature. India enjoys an enriched heritage of different genres of literature- drama, poetry and fiction. The most significant genre which was used by the contemporary writers is historical fiction. This piece of work focuses on how Amitav Ghosh utilized history in his fiction. Amitav Ghosh’s second of Ibis Novels River of Smoke (2011) is a historical fiction describing the nineteenth century Asian subcontinent with creative enthusiasm and deep historical insight. The aim of Amitav Ghosh is to remember or rethink the story or history which one had already experienced. Though there is fiction in history, studying of historical novel gives the new dimension to study the emotional feelings of those people, where historians may not recorded them in their writings is the objective of this paper. This piece of work focuses on how Amitav Ghosh utilized history in his fiction. Keywords: River of Smoke- historical fiction- heritage of different cultures. Author(s) retain the copyright of this article Copyright © 2018 VEDA Publications Author(s) agree that this article remains permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International License . 17 Proceedings of National Seminar on “Language of Literature and Culture” held on 22nd & 23rd Nov., 2018. Organised by the Dept. of English, JMJ College for Women, Tenali. VEDA’S JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL) Vol.5 An International Peer Reviewed Journal Spl.Issue 3 http://www.joell.in 2018 The one duty we owe to history is to rewrite it. touches the large structure of meaning –figurative -Oscare Wilde and allegorical”. Indian writing in English has emerged as a History has attracted a good number of sub-discipline of English literature. India enjoys an commonwealth and Indian writers. At the earlier enriched heritage of different genres of literature- stage , the fictional works of the writers like Bankim drama,poetry and fiction.In 1973 edition of his Indian Chandra Chaterjee(The Poison Tree), Mulk Raj Anand, Writing in English, Professor K.R.Srinivas Iyengar R.K.Narayan and Raja Rao were mainly concerned wrote “the future of Indian fiction,is indeed full of with the down trodden of the society, the middle promise. Recant fiction has given ample evidence of class life of the Indians and the expression of vitality, variety, humanity and artistic integrity”. traditional cultural ethos of India. However, in the Indian contemporary writers have played a later stage, writers like K.S.Venkataramani, prominent role in empowerment of literature. The Markandaya, Bhabani Bhattacharya(So Many most significant genre which was used by the Hungers), Chaman Nahal, Ruth Praver Jhabvala, Arun contemporary writers is historical fiction. Literary Joshi, Kushwant Singh and Amitav Ghosh and many trends change from time to time and this is the time other contemporary writers concentrated on the to study history through literature. Historian’s record depiction of social reality of the times. These writers dead facts of events happened in history. Historical have made considerable use of History in their fiction writers compiled events, incidents places and fictional works. dates. Though there is fiction in history, studying of Amitav Ghosh is one of the popular historical novel gives the new dimension to study the contemporary Indian novelists. He reflects the emotional feelings of those people, where historians historical truths of India through his novels. He was may not recorded them in their writings is the born in Calcutta in 1956 and was brought in East objective of the study. This piece of work focuses on Pakistan which is now part of Bangladesh. Amitav how Amitav Ghosh utilized history in his fiction. Ghosh was greatly influenced by the memories of his HISTORICAL NOVELS – EMERGING TREND IN childhood. He said that the stories of his mother ENGLISH LITERATURE were very interesting and straightforward. He A novel is a work of fiction, where the author developed the spirit of patriotism through listening uses his or her imagination to create a story, but to the true experiences of his family members. He there is usually some relation to fact in all novels. was mostly influenced by the stories of his father, Historical novels use facts from former time and which dealt with the Second World War during 1939- weave them into an imaginary story. The term 1945. Amitav Ghosh is very prominent as post- History is derived from the Greek work ‘historia’ colonial novelist from our country. His novels which means ‘to enquire’ or interrogating into the contains either colonial or post-colonial scenario. His incidents or events of the past. According to intention is to bring to the notice of the readers G.R.Elton “History may commonly be thought as the about important historical incidents which our whole of mankind’s past life,it is in truth equal to the country experienced in the past. surviving past. Historical study is not only the study of Amitav Ghosh’s first novel The Circle of the past but the study of present traces of the past”. Reason(1986) brings forward the life of a young Thus history has been considered as scientific weaver named Alu. His second novel The Shadow but the facts offered in the books if histories need to Lines (1988) tells the story of the three generations of be examined and analyzed. It was from decades, the narrator’s family spread over Dhaka. His third history has been considered as an important field of novel The Calcutta Chromosome (1995) brings human study. It has occupied almost a central place forward the questions of National identity and in the literary and critical discussions. Recoeur communalism in the sub-continent. His next novel defines “historical narrative as a kind of an allegory of The Glass palace (2000) highlights the latest temporality;a true allegory. According to him it expeditions done during colonialism. The Hungry Tide (2004) was his sixth novel. Seventh novel Sea of 18 Proceedings of National Seminar on “Language of Literature and Culture” held on 22nd & 23rd Nov., 2018. Organised by the Dept. of English, JMJ College for Women, Tenali. VEDA’S JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL) Vol.5 An International Peer Reviewed Journal Spl.Issue 3 http://www.joell.in 2018 Poppies, eighth River of Smoke and the ninth novel to the flashback. It is observed from the novel that The Flood of Fire were a collection of historical novels Neel is trying to draw some pictures of their past life called as Ibis trilogy. The first part of this trilogy is Sea and making Deethi to remember the past. First he of Poppies Ghosh gives a clear picture about tortures draws a picture of a person called Bahram Modi , the and punishments given by the British to Indian opium trader in the first novel but now in this River of laborers in the opium factory. Smoke this Bahram Modi is the central character. It is Amitav Ghosh’s second of Ibis novels River through his eyes that the reader comes to know of Smoke (2011) is a historical fiction describing the about the opium war in China. In this novel it is nineteenth century Asian subcontinent with creative observed that all the main characters Bahram Modi, enthusiasm and deep historical insight. The aim of Al Fatt, Neel, Robert Chinnery, Paulette and Zadig Amitav Ghosh is to remember or rethink the story or Bay gathered in a quarters for discussion and started history which one had already experienced. In this recollecting their past experiences about opium novel he has re-written the history of the period of trade. This recollection of their personal memory is opium trade in Canton ,in 1838. The novel is set used by Amitav Ghosh as an opportunity to recollect during the terrible period of opium trade between the national history. India and China and later on opium war between The novel is divided into three sections China and England. Through the help of some Island, Canton and Commissioner Lin. Each section fictional characters Ghosh elevates or brings forward consists of six unnamed chapters. Canton is a place in the past history so that the readers can easily China which is famous for opium trade. In the section understand the past. The story is about the revolt of Canton the readers understand the voices of Manchu Empire against the British Empire who made different traders, migrants, lascars, government war on China in the name of free trade. The action of officials, business men, botanists etc. Among all time in this novel takes place before the second these the main protagonist of the novel Bahram opium war in China between the British and China. Modi (the paris opium trader) shares his pains and It is also observed from the famous sufferings which he faced in his life. historical book Glimpses of World History by Historical records say that opium traders Jawaherlal Nehru that- suffered a lot during this trade. It is also observed China was under the Manchus, that there was a sudden increase in opium- suspecting, with good reason, the smuggling, and the Chinese government at last foreigners who came in the name of decided to take strong action to suppress it. Amitav trade or religion, and trying to keep them Ghosh in this novel River of Smoke used introduced out.
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