CHAPTER-

INTRODUCTION

And it is through the medium of a commonly inspired and

shared literature that we can exchange pulses as it were and

realize that while the differences are on the surface, the

sense of unity flows as in an underground river and we duly

receive the baptism of rebirth into the fellowship of human

faith ( lyengar, 1985: I ).

Literature is the expression and exchange of feeling. Comparative

Literature is more so, because it is the study of literature that crosses

geographical, cultural and linguistic borders. It bridges the gap between

regions and nations and strengthens the bond. The main objective of

Comparative Literature, as lndra Nath Choudhuri observes, "is the proper

appreciation of literature in a larger perspective" (1 9851 9).

Comparative Literature has developed into a well-established

discipline today and a lot of work has been done in the field. The validity of

the comparative methods and theories was questioned in its earlier stages.

Since then it has come a long way and in fact has been introduced in the

curriculum of many universities all over the world. Growing amidst

controversies and criticisms it has strengthened itself to face all oddities.

Various scholars have put forth a number of theories at different stages of

its growth. The comparative study could be an analogy study or a study of

influence, with reference to themes, situations, motifs, characters or

movements. The aim of a comparative study is, however, to find out, "the

implications and the underlying identities of both similarities and differences

so that even the differences can be given their proper place in a deeper

and more comprehensive understanding of the artist" (Dhawan, 1987: 11).

Comparative Literature develops the skill of judging the merits and

demerits of a particular work since the true worth of a book can be found out

only by comparing it with other works. It also helps one to identify the

similarities in the expression of basic emotions and feelings that lie behind the

cultural and linguistic differences. In the lndian context, Comparative

Literature is useful in bringing together regional literatures and in aiding to

arrive at the common aspects and characteristics of lndian Literature. A

comparative study of literatures of different regions of lndia can 'also lead to

the study of the different literary movements in lndia and their influences. A

comparative study of lndian and Western Literatures also offers one an

opportunity to comprehend and appreciate Western literatures better.

This research work is an attempt at a comparative study of select

writings of Raja Rao and L.S.Ramamirtham, two lndian writers of two

different regions. The present study is an analogy study. According to

V.Sachithanandan, "an analogy study is a parallel study of two works

without necessarily implying a direct relationship. An analogy or affinity

study may involve two writers of two different literatures widely separated

by time and place, which when systematically done, may become a

study of two cultures of which the writers compared turn out to be

meaningful products" (1985: 32). The aim here, is to explore the

similarities in the works of two authors who have had no direct contact in

spite of being contemporaries. L.S.Ramamirtham has confessed in his

interview that he had not read Raja Rao and it could be guessed that Raja

Rao would not have read L.S.Ramamirtham's works since he does not read

Tamil, and only one or two works of L.S.Ramamirtham have been

translated into English and that too very recently. Hence, there has been

no rapporl de faif between the two writers. An analogy study of any two t5

such writers belonging! two different regions in India is useful in

"developing the concept of a unified Indian literature" (Choudhuri, 1985:

146).

A study of their life history and the period in which they lived, at this

point would be helpful for a better comprehension of the nature of 'their

works, since the dominant ideologies of the age and the writer's personal

experiences mould his outlook and perception.

Both Raja Rao and L.S.Ramamirtham began their literary career in

the thirties. It was the time when the country was struggling to free itself

from the clutches of the British. The flame of the freedom struggle

reached even the remote corners of the nation. The nationalistic fervour

was getting intensified under the leadership of Gandhi and Nehru. As

Meenakshi Mukherjee observes, "The Independence movement in India

was not merely a political struggle but an all pervasive emotional

experience for all Indians in the 1920s and 1930s" (I 971 :34). This period

is also marked by a new awareness of the social evils like caste

discrimination, poverty, illiteracy and the suppression of women, that

existed in the country at that time.

A number of factors contributed to this new awareness. First and

foremost was the impact of Western education, which enabled

lndians to become conscious of the world around them. The second

was the impact of the First World War. The writers now turned from

romance to realism. The third was the influence of great thinkers like

Marx, Freud and Gandhi. The Marxist notions, the psychological

theories of Freud and the humanistic principles of Gandhi broadened the

vision of the 2oth century man.

The novelists of the period tried to reflect in their novels the socio

political situation. Bankim Chandra, Tagore, Sarat Chandra and

Premchand began writing novels dealing with the social and political

situation and paved the way for the other novelists both regional and

Indo-Anglian. The Indo-Anglian novelists too responded to the situation and

wrote novels that aroused the spirit of nationalism and patriotism. Kantan the

Patriot by K.S.Venkataramani, Chronicles of Kedaram by K.Nagarajan, Waiting

for the Mahatma by R.K.Narayan, Kanthapura by Raja Rao, I shall not hear

the Nightingale by Khushwant Singh, A Bend in the Ganges by Manoher

Malgonkar are only a few names from the long list. There were social novels

that focussed on Indian social life and the changing traditions like

S.NagarajanYs Athawar's House, V.V.Chintamani's Vedantam-The Clash of

Paditions and R. K.Narayan's The Sweet Vendor. The growing awareness of

human rights, and the impact of Gandhian ideology gave rise ,to novels of

social reformation. Romesh Chander Dutt's The Lake of Palms, Hari Singh

Gour's His only Love, Madaviah's Tillai Govindan and KusikaJs Stories are the

pioneers in this type. There were also novels about the cultural conflicts

between East and West - the experiences of the Indians who lived abroad,

as well as of the Europeans living in India etc.Thus the dominant themes in

the Indo-Anglian novel from the twenties to the fifties were topical issues

like the Freedom Struggle, East-West encounter, social reformation and

Partition.

Many writers contributed to the growth of Indo-English fiction. But the

significant novelists of this period were Mulk Raj Anand, R.K.Narayan and,

RajaRao, the 'big three', who tried to give it an identity.

R. K. Narayan's novels reflect Indian social life. As M. K. Naik

observes, R.K.Narayan is a "single minded practitioner of the novel of

local colour" (1984: 105). His Malgudi is an imaginary town, which could

be any town in India. He gives a detailed description of the life and

activities of the town and the characters realistically. His novels present

the existing pattern in the society. His sense of humour and his keen

observation distinguish him from the other writers of the age.

Mulk Raj Anand wrote novels of social reformation. He was highly

impressed and influenced by the messages of Gandhi and portrays in

his novels, the plight of the lowest in the society - that of the

untouchables in Untouchable, of the peasants in Coolie and of the tea

garden workers in Two Leaves and a Bud. He exposes the caste

discrimination, poverty and the sufferings of the poor through his novels.

His novels are characterized by his humanistic approach and realism.

Raja Rao was born in Hassan in Karnataka in 1908 in a well-known

Brahmin family. He was introduced to the Vedas and the Hindu myths at a

very early age and was greatly influenced by his grandfather and wanted to

develop his knowledge of Sanskrit since he was interested in lndian

Philosophy. But his father was particular that he should study English and

he was therefore sent to Madrasa-Aliya, a very snobbish school. His

higher study was at the Aligarh Muslim University and at the Nizam's

college, Hyderabad. Raja Rao went to France in 1931 in order to do

research on the Indian influence on Irish Literature. It was during 1931 he

began writing for the periodical Jaya Karnataka. He was also on the

editorial board of Mercure de France (Paris) for sometime. He returned to

India in 1933, when his quest for spiritual knowledge began. He spent a

great part of his life with the seekers of Truth, trying to comprehend the

nature of existence and the nature of the Infinite. He lived in Pandit

Taranath's Ashram for sometime and from there he published his first

stories "Javni", "Akkayya", "A client1'- all in French. In 1938 his first novel

Kanthapura was published. Later he came to Pondicherry and lived with

Sri Aurobindo in his Ashram, after which he also stayed in Ramana

Maharshi's Ashram in Tiruvannamalai. In 1942 he stayed with Gandhi for

six months in sevagram and was involved in the freedom movement. It was

in 1943 that he met Sri Atmananda Swami, in Tiruvananthapuram, who

according to him is his spiritual Guru. Advised by his Guru after a long

silence, he wrote his famous novel The Serpent and the Rope for which

he received the Sahitya Academy award. In 1965, he wrote The Cat and

Shakespeare. In 1969, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the

Government of India. Comrade Kirillov, which he wrote after the The Cat

and Shakespeare, was published in lndia in 1976. The Chess Master

and His Moves got published in 1988 and On the Ganga Ghat in 1989.

The Meaning of India, a collection of his articles, came in 1998 and his

latest work, The Great lndian way is a biography of Gandhi.

Raja Rao in his acceptance speech on receiving the greatest literary

award of the Sahitya Akademy Fellowship in 1998 has said, "The honour

that the Sahitya Akademy has bestowed on me, in electing me a Fellow of

this august body is to show that I am not such a renegade as I might have

seemed" (1998: 75). Indeed, Raja Rao has made every lndian proud by his

achievements and the wide recognition in lndia and abroad.

Beginning with his short stories "Javni", and "Akkayya" published in

1933 to the non-fiction The Great lndian Way (1998), it is a long list of

literary achievements. As C.D.Narasimhaiah rightly observes:

That Raja Rao is India's most significant novelist writing in the

English language today is now indisputable. What is also

beyond dispute, is the range of life as well as the level of

consciousness he has brought into the novel form along with

the creation of a suitable medium for his concerns which are at

once timeless and temporal, metaphysical and social,

immediately local but also international so as to enlarge the

frontiers of the fictional form itself and justify the name of an

innovator in modern Indian fiction which thanks largely to him

more than any other single writer, has been ushered into the

main stream of twentieth century literature (1 973: 1-2).

Even the early short stories have all the characteristics mentioned

above. Some of the individualistic expressions that bring out the

lndianness - the description of the village, social life etc., the

consciousness of the Indian past, the use of Hindu myths, the philosophical

speculations - reveal the potentiality of the genius which find greater

expression in the later works. Some of the short stories in the collection,

The Cow of the Barricades belong to the early period and some belong to

the later period. The Cow of the Barricades consists of stories, "The True

Story of Kanakapala", "Javni", "Akkayya", "India-a Fable". These stories

appeared again with the addition of "The Policeman and the Rose" in the

coilection with that title. "Akkayya" tells the pathetic story of a widow. The

negative consequences of child marriage are presented effectively in this

story. Akkayya experiences the pangs of widowhood without experiencing

the pleasures of married life. "Javni" also describes the life of a widow, but

of a low caste family. Widowhood, poverty and the helplessness that arise

out of this situation - all these are pictured in the story. In his

"Companions" he mythicises the strange friendship of a man and a

snake and how the snake forces the man to seek God. Written in the

style of Hindu myths, the story pictures the attitude of the people and

brings out their beliefs and superstitions. The stories written in the early

period show his social and political concerns. But some of the

metaphysical questions that mark his later works could also be noticed in

the short stories written later. "The Policeman and the Rose" is a

metaphysical parable, describing man's search for truth. This story is an

attempt to decode the Advaita philosophy. The Hindu concept of creation

as God's Lila (The Play of God), and the relationship between Jeevafma

and Paramatma are given fictional expression in this short story. The

"Policeman" symbolizes the ego and the "Rose" the 'realization of the

Self'. This short story is known for the various layers of thought in it and

the inconsistent use of symbols which makes it incomprehensible.

His first novel Kanthapura was a trendsetter. It describes the impact

of the Indian struggle for freedom and of Gandhi's message on the people

of Kanthapura, a small village in a remote corner in Mysore. The traditional

villagers, who believe in the old notions of community divisions,

untouchability etc., gradually change their notions and get united in the

struggle for freedom. Moorthy, the central character of the novel, is a

Gandhian. He endears himself to everyone by being good, by treating

everyone alike, by overcoming the caste feeling and by the strength of his

character. He tries to follow Gandhi's ideal but has his weaknesses too.

This makes his character realistic and convincing. The novel is greatly

appreciated for its unconventional, original narrative style, which was very

different from the Western narrative technique. The novel follows the

puranic style of narration and the story is narrated by an old widow,

Achakka. The foreword to this novel also is significant because, here the

writer describes the difficulties of the lndian English writer and his attempt

to create a distinctive language without imitating the West. It also reveals

the influence of the Hindu myth and tradition on the writer. By comparing

the present situation with the puranic situation and the political leaders to

Rama, Krishna and Siva, the writer succeeds in mythicising the Freedom

Movement.

His great novel The Serpent and the Rope, which came after a silence

of a decade, expounds the Advaita Marga of Sri Sankara. Ramasamy, a

South Indian Brahmin doing research in France, is married to Madeleine, a

French woman. The novel brings out the incompatibility that arises out of

cultural and notional differences. Rama believes in Advaita and hence

considers perception as illusion and believes like a true advaitin that a

Guru can help him to see the illusion that is life and realize the 'self.

Madeleine's spiritual quest leads her to renounce worldly desires and

she finds Buddhist ideal and philosophy convincing, and becomes a

Buddhist. The novel describes the conflict of the protagonist and his

restlessness and his intense longing to know the spiritual truth. The title

uses Sankara's symbols to explain illusion and reality. Raja Rao gives

the message that as long as one sees the "snake" one cannot see the

"Rope" and when one sees the "Rope" the "snake" disappears. The writer

feels that there is "no in between" - "all that is in between is poetry, is

imagination" according to him (TSTR: 340). The novel is full of

philosophical discussions and the writer employs a number of myths to

illustrate his points. The novel has been praised much for the metaphysical

aspect, which was new to Indian English fiction.

His third novel The Cat and Shakespeare is also metaphysical. The

writer himself says that the novel "is a metaphysical comedy" and that he

wants the reader "to weep at every page" (TCS: blurb). The novel tells

how Ramakrishna Pai, who was not prepared for revelation, is initiated

into the spiritual truth. Govindan Nair, his neighbour, gives Pai the

message of the greatness of surrender with absolute faith like that of a

kitten in the cat. Here, Raja Rao advocates the Bhakti Marga as a path

for realization of the self. '

Comrade Kirillov, written in French prior to these novels, was

published later in English. In this novel, Raja Rao, through Padmanabha

lyer, brings out his own earlier admiration for Communism. The conflicts

in the mind of Padmanabha lyer reflect the feeling of the writer and how

between Communism and Gandhism he chooses the latter.

The Chess Master and his Moves explores Advaita comparing it with

other philosophies. Sivarama, the protagonist, like Rama (TSTR), regards

Advaita as the most acceptable philosophy. Some critics consider The

Chess Master and his Moves as a repeat of The Serpent and the Rope. All

his writings show the profound influence of Hindu Philosophy, Indian

culture and tradition on him.

The spirit of nationalism that took hold of the country found

expression in Tamil novels and short stories of the thirties. Mayuram

Vedanayakam Pillai was the pioneer, and his Pratgpa Mutali& Caritfiram

(1876) was the first Tamil Novel. The early novels were romantic

entertainers. Only after the world wars, came novels of realism. However,

even in this early work, Vedanayakam Pillai has revealed his social

consciousness, especially his interest in women's education. V.V.S.lyer

and Subramanya Bharathi wrote with zeal to better the status of women.

V.V.S. lyer's short story "Ku!attankarai Aracamaram" attempts at pointing

out the evil consequences of the dowry system. Bharathi's unfinished novel

Cantrikaiyin Katai deals with widow remarriage. Rajam lyer's KamaIijmpS!

Carittiram that came out in 1896, also describes the society of the time.

However, it was A.Madhavaiah, who began the trend of the novel of realism

in Tamil. His novels and short stories aroused the spirit of patriotism. His

Patmsvati Carittiram, Muttu ~ h s k s i , Tillai Ksvintan - all give an account of the

socio-political situation of the period. His short story collection Kusikar Ku-ttik

Kataika! aimed at social reformation. His Muttu M h ~ k ~ i took up the issue of

widow remarriage. He also stressed the need for educating women. In the

same period, Vaduvur Duraisamy lyengar and T.M.Ponnusamy wrote

entertaining novels adapted from English. Va.Ramasamy, another novelist of

the period, focussed on widow remarriage in his novels, Suntari and Vijayam.

K.S.Venkataramani's novels Tgsapaktan Kantan and Murukan oru UJavan

revealed his spirit of nationalism and the impact of Gandhian thought. Writers

like Kalki (R.Krishnamurti) and Mu.Varadarasanar belong to the same period.

Kalki's historical novels brought him fame. His Ponniyin Celvan, Civakgmiyin

Capatam are memorable for the portrayal of immortal characters and the

imaginative poetic descriptions. Many of his novels had the political struggle

as their back-drop. Dr.Mu.Va also wrote novels of social reformation like

Ka![o' Kgviyamo' a nd Kayamai.

Manikkofi, a journal that started publication in 1933, ceased in 1936.

However, the writers who wrote in this journal became popular as Manikkoti

writers. These writers contributed to the development of Tamil sh,ort stories in

the formative period. B.S.Ramaiah, Pichamurti, Pudumaippittan, Ku.Pa.Ra,

Mauni, Ci.Cu.Chellappa, Chidambaram, Subramaniam and L.S.Ramamirtham

belong to this group. Pudumaippittan wrote realistic short stories dealing with

social issues, in regional Tamil and is called 'Cirukatai Mannan' (the king of

short stories). LZlgudi Saptarishi RZmZmirtham, familiar to the Tamil readers

as "LZi.Sa.RZ" is the "Ja'mbav3nn of Tamil literature, who has enjoyed

consistent reception and popularity for more than half-a-century.

L.S.Ramamirtham was born in an orthodox Brahmin family in Lalgudi,

a small village in Tiruchirapalli district in Tamil Nadu in 1916. His father was

a teacher and the writer says that his father was his first teacher too. It was

his father who cultivated his reading habit. His grandfather was a Tamil

Pandit. L.S.Ramamirtham feels that he inherited his artistic sensibility from

his ancestors. He started writing at the age of fourteen and his early short

stories were in English. He writes, "I started writing in English and my very

first story got published. One should be lucky to have his first story

published. After two years, since I did not get much opportunity, I started

writing in Tamil" (MPT: 207). In his sixty-five years of literary career he has

written more than two hundred short stories and six novels. His short story

collections are Janani, TayB ~Eja l i , Alaika!, NGcam, Pulty, Twani, Tu!aci,

Piriyamulla . . cine kifanukku, A va! and LB. Sa. R i Cirappuc ~irukataika! 1 and - II. Apart from these, he has two prose collections titled Cinta Nati and d

Murrup -- Perzta TGtal and to his credit P6ckafal his autobiography. Cinfz

Nati, which contains his recollections and reflections got him the Sahitya

Akedemy Award in the year 1987. His Mu_ryup PerZta Te'tal is a collection

of his articles, interviews with him and the comments and criticisms on his

works collected from various magazines. Though L.S.Ramamirtham started

writing in 1931, he started writing continuously only from 1937. In spite of

writing in a period vibrant with social and political activities, he has confined

himself to family stories. Even in these stories, the author's focus is on the

individual personality. He was more concerned with the psychological and the

spiritual side of the individual than with the social and political.

L.S.Ramamirtham has added a new dimension to the Tamil short stories and

novels by using them as a medium for expressing his philosophical ideas.

The metaphysical quest, leading to questions about the Absolute, the creation

of the Universe, and the nature of human existence form the core of his short

stories. The mystic experiences of his ancestors and his faith in goddess

Sakti, particularly "Perunfiru Amman", the deity of Lalgudi have a sway on his

writing. He talks about certain 'cherished moments' in his life when he

experienced the presence of the All-Pervasive Shakti. Also, he seems to have

enjoyed her darshan in the virtuous deeds of noble men. In the description of

such moments he reaches impassioned poetical heights. He tries to express

the inexpressible experiences and the unfathomable aspects of life through

language. Padma Narayan observes:

Many trends in modern literary writing like magical realism or

existentialism, long before they became popular on the Tamil

Literary scene, were handled perhaps by a few Tamil writers more

than half a century ago. L.S.Ramamirtham was one among them

(The Hindu, 2001 : May 17).

His belief in the Hindu religious traditions and the vedantic notions is

exhibited in his works. The reader cannot miss the metaphysical overtone.

The Advaita philosophy of Sri Sankara has found a subtle and direct

expression in many of his short stories. Another notable aspect of his writing

is the psychological approach. Preoccupied as he was, with the individual's

personality, he probes the inner mind and writes about the psychological

effect of various situations on the individual.

He also portrays emotional ups and downs very powerfully. Sujata,

the eminent Tamil novelist observes that though many read

L.S.Ramamirtham's short stories only a few comprehend them fully. In

order to follow his writing, he says, one should have wisdom, sensitivity to

sorrow and the courage to face facts (MPT: 58).

Though most of his short stories belong to this type, "PUJIJI",

" T ~ u u ! ~ " , "Tay5" and "~zrkav i " are illuminating illustrations. In these stories,

there is a detailed psychological analysis of the inner consciousness of the

central characters. His "Pu_ruU (The Ant Hill) dwells upon the anger of the

individual on the society around him. An innocent boy, who is punished for

a theft he has not committed, starts stealing to take revenge on the society.

Gradually he becomes more and more wicked. Here the focus is on the

individual's ego when the character says that he will not let any one ruin

him; he would rather ruin himself. ' i ;kkul i" (The Bath of Fire) deals with the

hurt ego of a wife who is jealous of the popularity of her husband. In fact,

L.S.Ramamirtham dwells much on the psychological aspect, which made

K.Kailasapathy comment that "realism gets affected when a character

thinks only about himself and people around him and does not think

about the reality around him" (1968: 120). However, it should be

appreciated that L.S.Ramamirtham excels in the deep and minute

analysis of the thoughts and emotions of his characters.

L.S.Ramamirthamls short stories and novels reveal that he is a

traditionalist and an idealist. His humanistic approach is revealed in all his

works. His "Aravan" deals with poverty and suffering (after the Second

World War). His short stories "Parkatal', - . "Jananl", " Y6kamn, "Purru", - -

"Kanukkal' brought him fame. "PS[ka!al1 describes the feelings of a wife

who happens to celebrate her first Diwali after marriage in the house of

her parents-in-law. Her husband is away on that day, and the story is

conceived as a letter written by her to her husband. She begins in a

complaining tone and resents the compromises she has to make but

ends up accepting the tradition, and in fact recognising the value of

traditions and the positive aspects of a joint family.

The writer has expressed his belief and conviction in the advantages

of the joint-family system. He thinks that this system is a boon, and that "a

child must have a grandpa to tell stories and grandma to give cold rice"

(PK: 278). In his view "PZ~katal" (The Sea of Milk) is the best of his stories.

Many short stories "UtfarSyanamJJ, "SZvitrI" and " Twani" (The Sound)

describe the elders' feelings about the younger generation. His "ltaika!"

(Petals) focuses on the children. Many of these stories depict the

loneliness, the anger, the innocence, the exhilaration, the wonder and

amazement of the children.

His "Jananl' is an attempt at employing the puranic style. In the

pattern of a myth, this story describes the experience of Goddess Sakti,

who in her desire to experience life in this world is born as a woman. The

short stories in Anjali are a new attempt. He has in this collection, five

stories depicting characters that possess the qualities of the elements

"~arat?kini"-Water, "Jamataknill- Fire, "P2rarf - Earth, "KSyatri" - Wind and -

"Eki" - Ether.

As a writer, who was concerned with the basic problems of human

existence, he used his novels also to present his interpretation of life. The

novels are distinctive, each one dealing with a different aspect of life. ~ p i t s ,

the most popular of his novels, is distinguished by the poetic prose, the

stream of consciousness technique and symbolic overtones. Apita narrates

the story of Ampi who visits his native place Karafimalai after many years.

Ampi, encounters Apit5, the daughter of his childhood companion, Cakku. He

feels that the mother has been reborn as the daughter and is attracted to her.

He thinks of her as the embodiment of a Goddess. The story oscillates

between the past and the present. The story is narrated in the flash back

technique, which helps in a way to show the continuity of Eternal Time. The

writer also conveys the Advaitic message that the one becomes two and "the

twine are constantly trying and longing to become one" (Apit5: 77).

His novel Putra tells the story of two generations - of the mother and the

son. It is remarkable for the delineation of the mother character and the

picture of family life, the relationship between the central character 'mother'

and her mother-in-law.

Kal Cirikkiratu is a novel with metaphysical quest as the central theme.

Prdyaccittam, its sequel, also deals with the same theme. Tarmaraja, the

central character, leaves his house frustrated by the activities and behaviour

of his wife and daughter. He decides to live a detached life but gets entangled

in the family affairs of his ex-secretary Kdmati. In order to help her out of the

monetary problems he steals money from the pawn broker and hides it behind

the statue of the Goddess in the temple where he is doing service and gets

arrested for the murder of the pawn broker. He comes out of the prison and

meets Kbmati. The police follows him in order to know where he has hidden

the jewels. All the problems are resolved one by one and Tsrmara'jan

wonders how he got involved in these affairs when he had decided to live a

detached life. He feels that the hand that moves the "pawns" is not ours.

His Kaluku narrates the experiences of a boy, who having lost

his parents, is brought up by a widow (K8muppZt$i). Unable to bear her

pervert behavior he runs away from the house. He meets many people,

gets involved in their affairs and comes to know about their problems and

sorrows. However, moving from one place to another, he remains alone at

the end and wonders about the nature of life.

Keralattil Enkd, another novel has as its central theme, the 'generation

gap'- the frustration of the elders and the anger and dissatisfaction of the

younger generation. As usual, L.S.Ramamirtham is on the side of elders as he

points out the materialistic and reckless attitude of the younger generation as

well as their aimlessness.

The prime object of L.S.Ramamirthamls study is the individual. He is

interested in presenting various types of individuals, various attitudes and

moods of the individuals. Some are emotional, some are philosophical, some

are materialistic, some are humanistic, some are passive and some are

active. He presents the positive and negative characters, and analyses the

motives and excels in characterisation.

L.S.Ramamirtham introduced the stream of consciousness technique

in Tamil fiction. He acknowledges that he has modified the style of Henry

James to suit his Tamil writings. His poetic prose and fluid style distinguish

him from the other writers of the age. His sense of rhythm and use of

alliteration and assonance reveal his interest in music.

Both the writers, Raja Rao and L.S.Ramamirtham, have been writing

for more than half a century, but received critical attention only after about

ten years of their writing career. Raja Rao gained recognition only after the

publication of his master piece, the metaphysical novel, The Serpent and

the Rope (1960). Ever since, his fame has been on the ascent. Even his

earlier works, his short stories and his first novel Kanthapura came to be

known and read only after the publication of The Serpent and The Rope.

Raja Rao is today one of India's most outstanding novelists attracting a

number of critical studies. The earliest of his critics are the most prominent

writers in Indian English - K.R.Srinivasa lyengar, C.D.Narasimhaiah and

M.K.Naik. Prof. lyengar has included in his Indian Writing in English

published as early as 1962, a twenty page study of Raja Raols works,

throwing a flood of light on the salient features of his works like the

Gandhian impact, the metaphysical and the mythical aspects and his

accomplishment as an artist. C.D.Narasimhaiah, has written a number of

articles and critical essays on Raja Rao. In his book Raja Rao, he has

analysed the short stories and novels of Raja Rao critically. As he has

mentioned in the preface, he does not concentrate on any particular aspect

like, technique or characterization. It is, as he has said, an "elucidation of

the work and its assessment" (1973: XIII). His criticism reveals his close

reading of Raja Rao's works. Articles like, "The lndian English writer

Today: the strength of tradition", "Raja Rao's Kanthapura: An analysis" and

"Raja Rao, the metaphysical novel, 'The Serpent and The Rope' and its

significance for our age" analyse elaborately each and every aspect of his

writing, like the description of lndian life, the careful, artistic, original style

and the philosophical aspect.

Paul Sharrad's Raja Rao and Cultural Tradition focuses on the

paradoxical complexity in The Serpent and the Rope that is created by the

conflict of two forces, lndian cultural tradition and Western influence and how

he tries to resist his cultural alienation. He sees this novel as a "heroic and

mythic depiction of the struggle to move beyond metropolitan- provincial

tensions towards a post-colonial authenticity" (1 987: 69). He has also devoted

a chapter on the form and style of the novel.

Pr0f.M.K. Naik has also written a number of critical essays on Raja

Rao besides a full-length study of his works. His book, Raja Rao (1972),

discusses the early short stories and the novels Kanthapura and The

Serpent and the Rope. He has written about RajaRaols description of

the Indian villages and the philosophical aspects in the short stories, the

spirit of nationalism and Gandhism reflected in Kanthapura and the

Advaitic messages in The Serpent and the Rope. He has written a

number of articles, which throw light on the genius of Raja Rao.

Shiv.Niranjan in his Novelist as sadhaka focuses on the spiritual

consciousness of the author and analyses how it is manifested in each of his

novels. He brings out the Advaitic and Visishtadvaitic messages conveyed

through his novels The Serpent and the Rope and The Cat and Shakespeare.

He has also brought out how by using myths, he communicates his abstract

ideas successfully.

P. Dayal in his book, Raja Rao - A study of his novels, has also stressed

the philosophical consciousness of the author but with special reference to the

Tantric elements. He has also devoted a chapter on the Western influence on

Raja Rao.

Shyamala Narayan's Man and His Works is an extensive analysis

of the writings of Raja Rao, throwing light on the different aspects of his

short stories and novels like the plot, characterization, narrative

technique, style and the philosophical messages.

Nanda Nivedita in her Raja Rao and Religious Tradition points out that

more than the Hindu philosophies, it is the influence of the Hindu religious

tradition that is seen in the works of Raja Rao. These are the critical works

published during first 20 years after the publication of The Serpent and the

Rope.

Raja Rao's later works did not get the uniform wide acclamation that

his early works received. Due to the complicated philosophy and the

ambiguity created by the abstract ideas presented, The Cat and

Shakespeare and The Chess Master and his Moves have been strongly

criticized, though critics like Srinivasa lyengar, Narasimhaiah, and M.K.Naik

gave proper interpretations and due recognition to the The Cat and

Shakespeare. The Chess Masfer and his Moves, a voluminous trilogy, has

been criticized by many. Among the strongest critics were Prema

NandaKumar and M.K.Naik. Makarand R-Paranjape endorses Prema

NandaKumar in his review of The Chess Master and his Moves. She

objects to the monotonous passages and the transliteration of other

languages in between, which makes it complex and unreadable:

"Transliterated chunks from various languages are strewn around like

undigested pieces of food in a gourmet's innards and Raja Rao goes on

and on mesmerized by his own voice" (1 992: 85). M.K.Naik considers it to

be an unnecessary lengthened repetition of The Serpent and the Rope

(1 987: 177).

Raja Rao's philosophy, his traditionalism, his concept of womanhood

and the portrayal of woman have been criticized differently in the recent

times. Especially after women's awareness movement and in the wake of

post colonial studies, Raja Rao's works are being re read.

Esha Dey has analysed the works of Raja Rao with an aim to trace

the growth of Raja Rao as a novelist from the beginning to full maturity.

She has analysed the situation of the Indian English writers and points out

how the change in culture and the change in language has resulted in

linguistic and cultural alienation. She has analysed Raja Rao's novels as a

quest for identity-the quest for root and form of a diasporic Indian. She

points out the Europeanness behind the lndianness and argues that not

only his language but also his ideas and his philiosophical notions expose

the impact of Western literary tradition and Western philosophy.

Cellu Anu's Women in Raja Rao's Novel- A Feminist Reading of The

Serpent and the Rope throws light on Raja Rao's attitude to women. She

feels that his portrayal of woman is very traditional. It is said that in most of

his works man is the centre and women seem to admire and go behind

men - Rama in The Serpent and the Rope is admired by Madeleine, Savitri

and Lakshmi; Sivrama is admired by Suzanne, Mireille and Jayalakshmi.

He has been strongly criticized for this attitude. His notion of woman as

Prakriti, the essential half of man has been criticized. Thus, the depth and

the controversial aspects in his writings prove to be the eternal spring for

further analyses and studies.

As mentioned earlier L.S.Ramamirtham also gained recognition only

gradually after the publication of Putra, Apita and Pu'ru. Distinquished Tamil

critics like Kailasapathy and Sivatambi have discussed his works. Kailasapthy

criticizes L.S.Ramamirtham for repeating the same story and says that

the repetition made him a "foul player" (1968: 91). Dr.R.Mohan in his

Naval Valarcci, praises L.S.Ramamirtham's "expressive

vocabulary"(l989: 32). Eminent contemporary writers like Sujata

(R.K.Rangarajan), Asoka Mitran, Malan, Komal Swaminathan have written

appreciative articles on his works. While Sujata highlights the philosophical

aspect and his poetic style, Asokamitran writes on his use of Brahmin dialect

and his success in the depiction of Brahmin families. A full length study of

L.S.Ramamirtham was probably first undertaken by Abibullah, who analysed

his works for his Ph.D thesis, La.Sa.RBmBmirutam Pafaippukka! - 6 r aivu,

which was submitted in 1981. He has anlysed the various aspects of

L.S.Ramamirthamls writings. He writes about L.S.Ramamirthamls desire for

~ a r s a n and spiritual consciousness. He has also brought out the author's

interest in the individual and the psychological insight. Other full length

studies on L.S.Ramamirtham are The incomprehensible writer-Tamil

culture in L.S.Ramamirfhamls work and world view by Gabriella Ferra

Luzzi ,an Italian writer and, L8. Sa.R$m8mirutam - Kalaiiianum Kalai

Velippatum by Fatima Jesumani. Gabriella Ferra Luzzi has written about

the cultural aspects in the works of L.S.Ramamirtham. She has analysed

the myths and symbols, the portrayal of family relationships, rites and

rituals, the philosophy in his works and has established the influence of

Hindu culture and tradition in his works.

Fatima Jesumani, focuses on the quest aspect in his short stories.

She identifies two types of quest, the spiritual quest and the quest for the

feminine. She scrutinizes his views on birth and death, and brings out

how this quest ends either in unconditional acceptance or in ,refusal and

also points out that where there is refusal there is a guilty feeling. She

also throws light on the mystic aspects in his writings. She discusses the

plot, the structure and characterization of his short stories and brings out

his traditional notions. She explains how in many of his stories the writer

even goes out of his way to give a traditional ending. There is also an

elaborate discussion of the narrative techniques and style in her work

The works of Raja Rao and L.S.Rarnamirtham reflect almost a similar

attitude to life, though outwardly different. Raja Rao's earlier works are on

social and political issues and later works focus on spiritual questions. Most

of L.S.Ramamirtharn7s works are about family life, and the focus is on the

feelings of the individual - the compromise or the protest. However, behind

these apparent dissimilarities, one can find an almost identical vision derived

from the Hindu scriptures. Undoubtedly, philosophy is the rock basis of

Hinduism. The various schools of Hindu philosophy have exercised a great

influence on the life and thought of the people. On this foundation is built the

frame-work of myth which is the very essence of Hinduism. The Hindu myths

have moulded the attitude of the people and the scriptures have prescribed

the code of life. The social life of the Hindus, their family structure and the

familial roles, their view of man and woman - all these reflect the influence of

Hindu philosophy and religion. Both Raja Rao and L.S.Ramamirtham are

similar in their quest for spiritual knowledge. They express their queries in

various ways employing different techniques.

This research work is an attempt to juxtapose the writings of

Raja Rao and L.S.Ramamirtham. The focus is on their Hindu vision,

emphasizing on their philosophical thoughts, their use of myths, the

depiction of family life in Hindu society and their portrayal of woman.

Chapter I is the Introduction consisting of four parts. The first part

deals with the aim and scope of comparative literature, the different

comparative methods and the comparative method used in this work.

The second part gives the background, socio political situation of the

period in which the two writers wrote. The Third part gives a brief

account of the life and literary achievements of the writers and the fourth

part examines the major secondary sources.

Chapter II brings out the metaphysical concerns of the two writers.

The first part identifies the quest element in their works, and the second

part goes on to establish how in their search for spiritual knowledge they

are guided by the various Hindu philosophies like the Vedantic, Advaitic

and Visishtadvaitic philosophies. In the case of Raja Rao there is also the

influence of Buddhist philosophy.

Chapter Ill examines the use of myth by these two writers. It tries

to analyse the nature of the influence of the myths of East and West.

The chapter also discusses and illustrates the use of myth as technique.

Chapter IV deals with the portrayal of family, the nucleus of Hindu

society, in the works of these two writers stressing the influence of Hindu

philosophy, religious tradition and culture.

Chapter V- Drawing the reader's attention to the image of woman in

their works, this chapter endeavours to throw light on their traditional and

patriarchal notions of the 'eternal feminine' of Hindu culture.

Chapter VI analyses the styles of the two, bringing out the similarities

and differences and accounting for the complexity and obscurity in their

works. Attention is paid to the experimentation in language and the attempt to

lndianize the English language in the case of Raja Rao and to the use of

poetic prose and the stream of consciousness technique in the case of

L.S.Ramamirtham .

Chapter VII - concludes the study drawing together the threads of

discussion in the earlier chapters and indicates the scope for further studies

in the field.

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