Music, History and the Human Psyche: A Critique of Salman Rushdie’s The Ground Beneath Her Feet

Kinshuk Chakraborty

doi:10.17762/pae.v58i1.1217

Abstract

Culture and its ramifications, since time immemorial, have been hot seats of debates and negotiations. The myriad nuances which are associated with any culture for that matter glaringly and very rightly finds true expression in various kinds of fiction. Salman Rushdie has always emerged as one of the notable writers who is known for the enticing yet subtle amalgamation of different genres of writing in his so called “cult” pieces of artistic creation. Talking about a cult text, what better can fit in than the ever-popular The Ground Beneath Her Feet which makes one glued to the seat. Starting from the elements of history to the pivotal roles played by different songs and musical notes, the novel encapsulates them, thereby making the text a rich hotchpotch of schemas. However, what elevates the oeuvre of the piece is the inherent dealings with the psychological traits of human beings. This paper is an attempt to bring in the attributes of history and music to the forefront without neglecting the attributes of the human psyche. It also efforts to portray how distorted an individual can turn out to be with an improper psychological state of mind.

Highlights

Speaking, the modern Indian writing, considering fiction in particular, has always emerged to be one of diversity and diverse themes
If one probes deep into the heart of a particular literary piece, it can be uncovered that modern day Indian fiction is the sheer conglomeration of ancient traditions, be it mythological inclusions or cultural traits and beliefs as such, and the modern day newly emerging societal ramification in the form of pop numerous sub-cultures of counter-cultures which lie out in the open waiting to be employed
Well entangled amidst the inextricably intertwined thread of culture, myth and human www.psychologyandeducation.net psyche is the concern of identity which we, the human beings, in general, dearly love. It would really be a reductionist approach of reading or rather understanding Salman Rushdie’s The Ground Beneath Her Feetas something only concerned with the combination of myth with modern day culture of pop music

Summary

Introduction

Speaking, the modern Indian writing, considering fiction in particular, has always emerged to be one of diversity and diverse themes. What this diversity in the context of modern Indian fiction basically be studied as is the presence of numerous themes, genres, mythological attributes, the cultural ramifications.

Results

Conclusion