This presentation is a part of our group activity task given by Prof.Dr.Dilip Barad Sir on Comparative Literature and Translation Studies as Introductory task of the particular unit. I, Divya Sheta, and Aamena Rangwala presented an article on 'Why Comparative Indian Literature?' by Sisir Kumar Das.

1. Why Comparative Indian Literature ?
Sisir Kumar Das
Presenters:
● Aamena Rangwala
Roll No.01
● Divya Sheta
Roll No.06
Class: MA, Semester 4
S.B.Gardi Department of English
Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University

2. Abstract
Comparative Literature is an interdisciplinary field; it studies
literature across national borders, across time period, across
language, across genes, across boundaries. It provides geographically
and chronologically a broader perspective on the literary and cultural
achievement of human kind than is possible from within a single
literature alone.Comparative Literature provides readers a serious,
sustained understanding of cultures beyond their own and helps them
to become better global citizens.

3. Key Arguments
● Can an area of enquiry clearly demarcated by linguistic and political
boundaries serve the basic demands of comparative literature?
● Does not the area identified as Indian literature impose certain
restrictions on the investigator and precondition him?
● Why should a scholar of literature prefer Indian literature to comparative
literature, which promises a greater scope and a wider perspective?

4. ● Das states that "Indian Literature or Literary studies still fragment into smaller
linguistic units as we know the reason is multilinguality and multi religion or
multicultural nation which are extremely limited.
● Indo-Anglian writers such as Sri Aurobindo and others have failed to provide us with a
certain critical framework to study Indian literature together.
● The study of the Indian languages by linking it with comparative literature still indeed
to indicate the proper framework within which Indian literature can be Studied.
● The term ‘Comparative Indian Literature’ is not self-explanatory and not only to define
the term Indian literature but also to define the necessity of the qualifier.
● Das marked that we must try to find out the exact nature of relation between
comparative Literature and Indian comparative literature and also try to see it as an
express necessity to study literary relation within a comparative framework.

5. ● To visualize the total activities of man as a single universe.
● The main dilemma of the Comparatist, then, is to reconcile his idea of Literature as a
single universe of verbal expression with his ability to study it in its totality.
● Das also points out the reason why every comparatist is anxious to seriously distinction
between comparative Literature and world Literature that they have to make
compromises and to delimit their area of investigation according to their ability.
● Goethe spoke about Weltliteratur In 1827 , a poet who attempted to bring together
literature of different civilizations. He is the first man to speak on world literature. He
said this in conversation with Eckermann on 31 January 1827.He said the "epoch of world
literature is at hand, and everyone must strive to hasten its approach" .
Goal of Comparative Literature and ‘Weltliteratur’

6. ● Western comparatist has kept himself restricted to western literatures.
● The contact between the literatures of the west and the East began early in history.
Europe came to know of Hebrew literature the day it accepted
Christianity.Europe's acquaintances with Arabic was even earlier.
● The court at cordova in spain in 11th century was center of Arabic literature. Then
by the end of 18th Century they discovered Sanskrit which brought revolution in
linguistics.
● Francois Jost admits about Western criticism. The result is that comparative
Literature in the West began as comparative Western literature and it remains so
even today.

7. ● Ulrich Weisstein expressed his hesitation to ‘extend the study of parallels to
phenomena pertaining to two different civilizations.’
● The academic justification for excluding 'Oriental literature ' from comparative
literature in the west comes from the necessity to avoid ' all historical parallels
based on only speculation.
● Comparative literature consists of the study of Indian literature that must be as
valid as comparative literature in the West.
Comparative Western
Literature
The study of different national
literatures
Comparative Indian
Literature
The study of one nation or one
national literature written in
many languages.

8. ● Are Indian English writings a part of English literature? What will criterion,
language or nationality?
● Comparative literature has to be both intralinguistic and interlingustic.
● (British Literature and American Literature – different national literature,
Bengali and Hindi)
● One language can be the medium of two literature.
● The exponents of comparative literature still insist on the study than on
literatures of any group of people, then they have to come to terms with nations
which have many literatures or with national literatures written in many
languages. India provides a case in point.
Comparative Indian Literature

9. ● The validity of comparative Indian literature can be argued from two
directions. Whatever be the goal of comparative literature, it must have
a terra firma, a solid ground.
● It is(literature) born of language and yet it goes beyond language; it is
nourished by a culture. Its meaning and significance of its relation with
that culture.
● The lesson we must learn from the Western comparatist is the lesson of
vigilance against dilettantism.
Comparative Indian Literature

10. ● Comparative Indian literature not only justifies the need for literary study, but it
provides the comparative study of literature with a new range and vision. The
Indian contact with Western literatures is not confined to English alone.
● It is difficult to study a literature like Konkani without a reference to Portuguese;
for Portuguese had a direct impact on the Indian languages spoken in Goa. The
innumerable translations from European languages, French and Russian in
particular, in various Indian languages, speak not only of the enthusiastic response
of an enlightened readership in our country but also recounts the story of a deep
relationship between those literatures and ours.
Amiya Dev said, 'Comparison is right reason for us because, one, we are multilingual,
and two, we are Third World.
Comparative Indian Literature

11. ● Will not the study of Indian literatures alone breed a kind of literary
patriotism or critical parochialism which must be avoided?
● Multilingualism is a fact of Indian society and of Indian literature. This
multilingualism appears bewildering to the foreign students of India, and
certainly occasions a grave concern in our politicians. But the literary
history of India is a history of multilingual literary activity.
● new literary styles, Manipravala
● new language and literature, Urdu
Multilingualism in India

12. ● Conclusion
Our idea of comparative literature will emerge only when we take
into account the historical situation in which we are placed. Our
journey is not from comparative literature to comparative Indian
literature, but from comparative Indian literature to comparative
literature.