സാഹിത്യത്തിന്റെ ചരിത്രപരത : മലയാളത്തിലെ തെരഞ്ഞെടുത്ത രാമായണപാഠങ്ങളെ ഉപജീവിച്ചുകൊണ്ടുള്ള അന്വേഷണം

Abstract

The conviction of literature is subject to seasonal changes. Basing on this principle, this thesis is an attempt to discover some convictions or literary interests prevailed in different epochs. By enquiring the literary percepts of different periods, the history of literature itself can be traced. This thesis is an attempt to mark the changes in literature in terms of narration, structure and theme, and thus to investigate the ways of that changes evolved in literature. Selected Ramayana texts of various periods are utilized to unify the study. Rather than cultural analysis from within the works, it is studied how the texts were accepted and evaluated by the period of their origin and succeeding periods. By assimilating the various literary factors like gender studies, cultural studies and literary theories the thesis culturally analysis the factors that determined the literariness. With this purpose the studies appeared basing on the selected lessons are also analyzed. Apart from the introduction and conclusion, there are four chapters in this thesis. 1. Literature-history-literariness. 2. Pre-modern Ramayana texts. 3. Modern literary discourses. 4. Postmodern literary discourses. The first chapter attempts to mark the different literary variations evident in novel, poetry, criticism, drama and literature histories. Formation of literary litigation is also discussed in this chapter.The second chapter develops basing on the pre modern Ramayana texts like 'Ramacharità and 'Adyathma Ramayana'. The third chapter analyses the characteristics of Ramayana texts appeared in the modern phase and marks the literariness. The works like 'Sri Valmiki Ramayaná by Vallathole, 'Chinthavishtayaya Sita' by Kumaranasan, 'Ahalya' by Sahodaran Ayyappan, 'Valmikiyude Raman' by Kuttikrishna marar, 'Lankalakshmi' by C. N. Sreekandan nair. The fourth chapter deals with post-modern Ramayana texts, 'Urukaval', a novel by Sarah Joseph ; stories like 'Ahalya', 'Mandodari', 'Thara Fernades' (all are stories from 'Pancha Kanyakakal' - a collection of stories by N.S. Madhavan); 'Valmikam', 'Santha - Ramante ner pengal','Meenakshi' (all are from 'Penramayana'- a collection of stories by Anand Neelakandan). The investigations in this thesis validate the hypothesis that the literariness of the literature is being determined by the constant contact of the literature with the society. The literary litigation creates its history by substantive interactions with the society - politically, socially culturally and historically. This discourse of literature establishes that literariness is not constant and cannot be marked by straight lines. It will progress by its own unpredictable paths.