ABSTRACT
Mahasweta Devi occupies a singular position in the history of modern Indian literature and world literature. This book engages with Devi’s works as a writer-activist who critically explored subaltern subjectivities, the limits of history and the harsh social realities of post-independence India.
The volume showcases Devi’s oeuvre and versatility through samples of her writing – in translation from the original Bengali—including Jhansir Rani, Hajar Churashir Ma, and Bayen among others. It also looks at the use of language, symbolism, mythic elements and heteroglossia in Devi’s exploration of heterogeneous themes such as exploitation, violence, women’s subjectivities, depredation of the environment and failures of the nation state. The book analyses translations and adaptations of her work, debates surrounding her activism and politics and critical reception to give readers an overview of the writer’s life, influences, achievements and legacy. It highlights the multiple concerns in her writings and argues that the aesthetic aspects of Mahasweta Devi’s work form an essential part of her politics.
Part of the ‘Writer in Context’ series, this book will be useful for scholars and researchers of Indian literature, Bengali literature, English literature, postcolonial studies, cultural studies, global south studies and translation studies.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
section Section 1|35 pages
Spectrum
section Section 2|102 pages
Kaleidoscope
chapter 14|10 pages
Re-ordering the Maternal
chapter 15|9 pages
The Politics of Positionality
chapter 16|8 pages
Reconsidering ‘Fictionalised Biographies’
chapter 18|11 pages
Sahitya as Kinesis
section Section 3|28 pages
Ablaze With Rage
section Section 4|48 pages
Personal Glimpses