Supernatural characters mostly form archetypal motifs in many literary writings, meaningfully. In this context, the present paper attempts at making comparative study by analysing the sociocultural influences and modalities of select littérateurs from England and India of different times and genres, those who pioneer in supernatural writings.
Firstly, it puts forth the role of supernatural characters in the writings of the English authors in the forms of soothsayers and apparitions in Shakespeare; necromancy in University wits and compares them with traditional supernatural writings of India like epical, mythological, Buddhist petas and tantric writings. Then, it reflects on mesmerism in the Gothic writings, which is extended up to the role of animagi and metamorphomagi in J.K.Rowling’s Harry Potter and compares with the writings of Tagore; ghost stories of Trailokyanath Bandopadhya, Satyjit Ray, Tarasankar, and Manoj Das reflecting on spiritual psychic elements; Samit Basu presents Simoqin prophesies; Shweta Taneja’s concept of cult of chaos, etc. Then, an in-depth critical evaluation has been done regarding the importance of the supernatural characters in such writings from the artistic and philosophical point of views and stylistic factors. It is observed that the traditional authors of both the countries have blended mythological and socio-cultural motifs based on supernatural realities whereas in the modern times, the writers are intertextual, scientific as well as artistic and what’s more, the contemporary writers have been creating new forms unique to their domains of writing or genres
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Supernatural in the British Literature: A Critical Focus
2.1 Supernatural in the tragedies of Shakespeare (1564-1616)
2.2.1 Shakespeare, Witchcraft and the Supernatural
3. The Character of Mephistopheles and the Concept of Hell in Marlowe (1564-93)’s Dr.Faustus
4. Discourses of Yoga, Tantra and Bhakti: Typical Life Transforming Steps in Indian Cultural and Religious System Reflected in Literature
4.1 Supernatural in the Ancient Indian Literature
4.2 Petavatthu as a Supernatural Element in Buddhist Literature
4.3 Jataka Tales as an Integral Part of Indian Supernatural Literature
4.4 Supernatural in Kalidas
5. Supernatural in the 18th & 19th Century English Literature
5.1 The Supernatural in Harry Potter
6. Supernatural in Modern Indian English Literature
6.1 Supernatural in Tagore’s Stories
6.2 R.K.Narayan (1906-2001) and the Supernatural
6.3 Supernatural in the Stories of Manoj Das (1934-) and Ruskin Bond(1934-)
6.4 Supernatural in Other Modern Indian Authors
7. Critical Comparison and Conclusion
Objectives & Themes
The paper aims to conduct a comparative study of the roles, modalities, and socio-cultural influences surrounding supernatural characters within select literary works from England and India across various genres and time periods.
- The evolution of supernatural archetypes from ancient mythology to modern fantasy literature.
- A comparative analysis of English literary traditions (Shakespeare, Marlowe, Gothic fiction) versus Indian traditions (Vedic, Tantric, Buddhist, and folk literature).
- The function of supernatural elements as moral, philosophical, and artistic tools for narrative development.
- The transition of supernatural characters from spiritual, ritualistic motifs to contemporary intertextual and aesthetic fantasy tropes.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction
First Witch: When shall we three meet again?
In thunder, lightning, or in rain?
Second Witch: When the hurly-burly’s done,
When the battle’s lost and won. (Line 1-4, Sc.1, Act.1. Macbeth)
These lines mark the impressive beginning of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Worth saying, human world has always been allured by some sort of fear, fantasy, miracle or suspense, and the like and this happens to be very much a part of our cultural beliefs. Contents in literary writings referring to spirits, weird elements, psychophony, etc satisfy one of the major readerly or artistic aesthetic components. Critics of our time those who favour realism in literature are of the opinion that horror, magic realism, fantasy, supernatural are deviant features in literature. (Brooks quoted by Smajic in “Supernatural Realism”). But it can be modestly argued that supernatural in literature has been obtained from a number of potential supporting factors associated with mythological, ancient scriptural, religious and creative sources. Some such characters have Biblical, Vedic, epical, prejudiced and ritualistic origin too. As a result, right from the time of the ancient writings till the contemporary horror and detective stories, the supernatural characters assume important positions in the form of ghosts, spirits, vampires, angels, and some other unseen forms. While attributing artistic positions to such elements, the authors incorporate not only creative but also moral, religious, spiritual, tantra and mantra traditions in order to bring out befitting literary taste in their respective writings. What’s more, some of the writings become highly imaginative and philosophical only because of the presence of such elements as characters. It may be Alladin fulfilling the wishes or Vetal flying swiftly in the dark stormy night in search of truth; an invisible angel stands as benefactor; rising corpse from the graveyard; a brahmarakshasa
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Discusses the human fascination with fear and fantasy in literature and argues that supernatural elements have deep cultural, religious, and scriptural roots.
2. Supernatural in the British Literature: A Critical Focus: Examines the integral role of ghosts and witches in Shakespearean tragedy and the Elizabethan context of witchcraft.
3. The Character of Mephistopheles and the Concept of Hell in Marlowe (1564-93)’s Dr.Faustus: Analyzes the depiction of Hell as a state of being and the function of the supernatural character Mephistopheles in Marlowe’s drama.
4. Discourses of Yoga, Tantra and Bhakti: Typical Life Transforming Steps in Indian Cultural and Religious System Reflected in Literature: Explores the profound influence of Indian mythological and religious traditions on the representation of supernatural powers.
5. Supernatural in the 18th & 19th Century English Literature: Reviews the evolution of Gothic fiction, the influence of mesmerism, and the rise of fantasy series like Harry Potter.
6. Supernatural in Modern Indian English Literature: Highlights how authors like Tagore, Narayan, Das, and Bond weave mystical and supernatural elements into their narratives.
7. Critical Comparison and Conclusion: Summarizes the comparative findings, noting how supernatural elements have transitioned from moral/spiritual metaphors to modern forms of fantastic entertainment.
Keywords
supernatural, mesmerism, tantric tradition, peta, psychic element, motifs, Shakespeare, Marlowe, Gothic, Indian mythology, fantasy fiction, comparative literature, spirits, witchcraft, Harry Potter
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper performs a comparative analysis of the portrayal of supernatural characters in English and Indian literature, examining their socio-cultural and artistic functions across different centuries.
Which specific themes are central to the study?
The central themes include the influence of religious traditions (tantra, mantra, Christianity), the transition of supernatural roles from ancient archetypes to modern fantasy, and the artistic aesthetic of the supernatural.
What is the primary research objective?
The objective is to critically evaluate how various writers from England and India utilize supernatural elements to enhance the literary, moral, and philosophical depth of their works.
Which scientific or analytical methods are applied?
The author employs a comparative literary analysis, tracing the synchronical and diachronic evolution of supernatural tropes and examining them through the lenses of history, religion, and genre theory.
What subjects are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body covers Elizabethan drama (Shakespeare, Marlowe), 19th-century English Gothic and ghost stories, J.K. Rowling’s fantasy, and a diverse range of Indian authors including Tagore, R.K. Narayan, and Manoj Das.
Which keywords define this paper?
Key terms include supernatural, mesmerism, tantric tradition, peta, psychic elements, motifs, and comparative literature.
How does the author define the role of the ghost in Shakespeare's Hamlet?
The author argues that the ghost acts as a central figure with three-fold significance: it drives the plot, serves as a moral catalyst, and provides a revolutionary dramatic innovation for the Elizabethan audience.
What is the significance of the "Petavatthu" in the context of this study?
It is highlighted as a Buddhist scripture in the Pali Canon that uses ghost narratives to explain the doctrine of karma and the impact of meritorious acts on the deceased.
How does the paper differentiate between English and Indian supernatural literature?
While English literature is viewed as increasingly moving toward personal creation and fantastic entertainment, Indian literature is shown to remain deeply rooted in spiritual practice, philosophical ethics, and mythological tradition.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Pratap Kumar Dash (Autor:in), 2021, Religious Constructs and the Portrayal of Supernatural Characters. A Comparative Analysis of Select Literary Classics, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1130954
