Disabled Characters in Literature : An Exploration

Abstract

Literature has very often been enriched with disabled characters having multidimensional forms and fashions. Literature picks various characters; some possess superhuman qualities with mythical stature, some are normally able people and some are disabled persons. From time immemorial, literature, both oral and written has been invested with disabled characters, their physical pains, sufferings, their mental agonies as well. Besides, literature has also canvassed how these disabled characters have been maltreated in different levels and how they overcome the unfriendly social, religious and cultural prejudices and other issues. They are differently able people. Through the supreme creative brilliance of the writer, some of the disabled characters become an inspiring model for the real life people. Along with normal characters the fictional characters try to create spaces of their own in stories, try to overcome the hurdles and obstacles imposed on them. Some have overcome their problems and proved their worth as they are especially able in another field. Some fictional characters have been seen to crush out for their struggle for existence and accepted their sorrowing destiny. But, the fictional space or position accorded to such characters has never been the same as that of other normal characters projected in literature or in real life situation. In many times, they are presented antithetically or as derivatives to the normal characters surviving at the periphery of the world of the normal beings. This paper tries to search out how these physically challenged characters have been projected in literature in different times in different countries along with the societal attitudes towards persons with disability. This paper also focuses on how various factors like gender, education, religion, occupation, income, nationality have a significant impact on the life of the disabled characters in literature.