Reflecting Differently

Essays on Anglo-Indian Literature
Prof. Sujit Bose

The subject matter of Essays on Anglo-Indian Literature is concerned with what the English people in colonial India saw around them in this country. In this sense the book contains both literary criticism and also historical investigation. There is in this book, among others, the placing of the development of Anglo-Indian prose and poetry in the chronology of history. The historical-critical presentation of the development of Anglo-Indian prose starts in the seventeenth century and is traced upto the concluding years of nineteenth century Anglo-India. The presentation of the aforesaid development is carried out not only from the point of view of the nature of the themes, but also from the point of view of the changes in the style in which they were written. The majority of the works in prose that were produced during this period show an abiding interest in the various aspects of the; life, literature, philosophy, languages, history and such others, of India. These are those that justify the historical-critical investigation that is contained is the chapter on the development of Anglo-Indian prose.

What has been said above with regard to the historical-literary investigation regarding the development of Anglo-Indian prose is also true in the case of the development of Anglo-Indian poetry. The thesis regarding the beginning of Anglo-Indian poetry is that, it was a by-product of the beginning of Anglo-Indian journalism. In later years it came out of the shadow of journalism and was successful in establishing its own identity. A substantial number of fine poems were written by these poets, five samples of which are given in this book. The fact that all the five centre on the Ganges theme, testifies that in the pre-Mutiny period there was an amicable relationship between Indians and the British. Chronologically the chapter concludes shortly before the conclusion of the nineteenth century.

It is sometimes that the erstwhile British rulers of India have spoken critically of themselves or of Anglo-India. Twenty-one Days in India, which was originally published towards the end of the nineteenth century, is in the tradition of the vignettes like, Pickwick Papers of Charles Dickens. The chapter on Twenty-One Days in India centres on the analytical-comical view that the author, himself an Englishman, takes of the British-Indian empire and of the British people living here. Such specimens of the British in India as; the Viceroy, the Commander-in-chief of the army, the retired Colonel, the Archdeacon, the Political Agent and such others are analysed against the background of the aforesaid view of the author. In making such an analysis, some surprising revelations came to light. One interesting revelation is that the majority of the British administrators lose their imperial aura, once they cross Aden, for, their people in England think that this talk about India and their imperial glory are just a make belief. Some specimens analysed in this chapter are Indians, like the Chuprasie. Here too Aberigh-Mackay, the author, has the same satirical tone.

The Near and the Far of Leopold Hamilton Myers is a novel of a different species. Set against the imaginary background of the reign of the Mughal emperor, Akbar, Myers has devoted substantial space in this tetralogy to the consideration of same aspects of such philosophical thought as; Hinduism, Christianity, Classical Greek. What has been analysed by the author in the chapter on this tetralogy is the way in which these streams of thought have been understood by Myers. The methodology for the aforesaid discussion that has been adopted, is the consideration among the major characters that includes an European also. The author’s analysis adds a new facet to the critical evaluation of the tetralogy. This fact is not only new but also interesting and thought-provoking. There are discussions in this work on certain aspects of the philosophy of the Upanishads, on the Samkhya school of thought, on the principles of Epicureanism and also on the implications of the Buddhist concept of nirvana.

The chapter on the Journals of Bishop Reginald Heber is particularly an interesting one, specially to those who are interested in the history of the early years of British India. It is an analysis of an English man of religion, who presented in his Journals, the India of the early nineteenth century as he saw it around him. The country that is presented by Heber is completely different from that which it is today. It is felt that Heber was quite sympathetic towards India and Indians. The chapter makes a historical-literary analysis of Heber’s presentation of both urban and rural India. Like it is in the case of the others, this chapter also is thoroughly researched and very well documented. This book certainly breaks new ground is Anlgo-Indian literary research.