Mulk Raj Anand, Raja Rao and R. K. Narayan: The Polemics of Myth making and Influence of Gandhi

Abstract

The present paper represents the three triumvirs of Indian English novel at the critical juncture of the early twentieth century when Gandhian thoughts and polemics were influential throughout India. The paper seeks to explore how under Gandhian presence–both physical as well as metaphorical, these three novelists attempted to explore the myths and mythical narratives of Indian civilization and culture to manifest the ‘collective unconscious’ of the Indian sensibilities. Furthermore, it also tries to understand the polemics of myth-making in the context of post-colonial politics and writing. The nationalist culture of the early twentieth century and the contribution of these writers are being explored to analyze how their narratives are national allegories.