Archetypes in Dalit Literature

Archetypes in Dalit Literature examines the role of the multitudinous archetypes and myths in understanding the evolution of the psyche and consciousness of the Parayar Dalit community based out of Tamil Nadu, India. This book also examines the other Dalit communities like Bhangis, Chuhras and Madigas through the lens of Archetypal criticism. This is a nuanced take on Dalit Studies where Western thought and theory have been applied to the colossal work of a Tamil Dalit writer, Bama and others (Mulk Raj Anand, Omprakash Valmiki, Sharankumar Limbale and Perumal Murugan) to comprehend the community archetypal characters, setting, myths, rituals, and language. A detailed analysis of the Jungian archetypes of Rebirth, Mother, Spirit and Trickster has helped in acquiring an understanding of the so-called lower caste, their circumstances, their life and experiences. Among the seminal works on myth criticism are Joseph Campbell’s ’Monomyth’ and Vladimir Propp’s ’Functions’. One of Bama’s works, Vanmam (2008) largely adheres to these structures which makes it a good example of fiction based on reality and thereby, also making it at par with the mainstream Indian Writing in English. Chandna has also analyzed the significance of community myths, stories, and folklore using the concept of implicit mythology. This book also studies the Dalit language as a special case and unfolds various meanings about the culture, community, and people in context. An important finding is that the language of marginalization is very much a reality. Bama’s narratives are true representations of the journey of the Parayar Dalit identity formation and the changes it has undergone over time. The study of the different aspects of the lives, ideologies, and culture of the marginalized section of Indian society as represented by these writers in their works has enhanced the understanding of their significant role and contribution to Indian society which may not have, over time been acknowledged, yet undeniably needs to be appreciated and celebrated.

Chandna Singh Nirwan is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of English Language Studies at Majan University College. She has over 7 years of teaching experience at the University level. She has a Ph.D. in English from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Jaipur, India. She studied M.A. in English with Communication Studies from Christ University, Bangalore, India. Her areas of specialisation include Dalit studies, archetypes, myths, land politics, language, and identity. Her scholarly work has been published by SAGE Publications and others. She has also authored a monograph titled An Ecocritical Reading of Tess of the D’Urbervilles. It is based on her study of Ecocriticism and Ecofeminism. Besides, she has worked on several international projects in collaboration with organisations such as the Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives, University of South Victoria; Oxford University Press; Global South Colloquium, University of Victoria; York Centre for Asian Research, York University; Centre for South Asian Studies, University of Hawaii, Manoa.