Authors :
Sunayna
Volume/Issue :
Volume 8 - 2023, Issue 9 - September
Google Scholar :
https://bit.ly/3TmGbDi
Scribd :
https://tinyurl.com/4w89aux7
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8410009
Abstract :
The term Commonwealth Literature is an
umbrella term coined for the collective literature of all
the postcolonial nations. It primarily refers to the
literature composed by the writers belonging to the
nations which were colonized by the United Kingdom. In
general, Commonwealth Literature refers to the literary
work done by the writers belonging to Africa, Asia, The
Caribbeans and North America. All these nations had
been colonized by the United Kingdom. Thus the work
of the writers belonging to the countries like Australia,
New Zealand, Canada, India, Malaysia and Singapore is
regarded as Commonwealth Literature. The concept of
‘Commonwealth’ cannot be easily defined due to the
historical, geographical, political and linguistic
dimensions that simultaneously hold it as a distinct body
of literature. Ironically the literature of the United
Kingdom is not considered as Commonwealth, even
though its imperial past and language forms the basis of
the concept of Commonwealth. The Commonwealth is
thus related to a few factors including the common
experience of British colonialism shared by the residents
of these colonies, the adoption of English language in the
day- to- day life, and the introduction of the British
literary trends. Commonwealth Literature is thus, a
complex amalgamation of different ideologies drawn
from the Marxist literature, African literature,
Symbolic literature, and the current literary trends
which distinguish writers from different sociocultural
backgrounds. The paper aims to analyse the various
themes, styles and patterns commonly associated with
the literature originating from the writings of the
Commonwealth nations.
Keywords :
Commnowealth Literature, Post-Colonialism, Displacement.
The term Commonwealth Literature is an
umbrella term coined for the collective literature of all
the postcolonial nations. It primarily refers to the
literature composed by the writers belonging to the
nations which were colonized by the United Kingdom. In
general, Commonwealth Literature refers to the literary
work done by the writers belonging to Africa, Asia, The
Caribbeans and North America. All these nations had
been colonized by the United Kingdom. Thus the work
of the writers belonging to the countries like Australia,
New Zealand, Canada, India, Malaysia and Singapore is
regarded as Commonwealth Literature. The concept of
‘Commonwealth’ cannot be easily defined due to the
historical, geographical, political and linguistic
dimensions that simultaneously hold it as a distinct body
of literature. Ironically the literature of the United
Kingdom is not considered as Commonwealth, even
though its imperial past and language forms the basis of
the concept of Commonwealth. The Commonwealth is
thus related to a few factors including the common
experience of British colonialism shared by the residents
of these colonies, the adoption of English language in the
day- to- day life, and the introduction of the British
literary trends. Commonwealth Literature is thus, a
complex amalgamation of different ideologies drawn
from the Marxist literature, African literature,
Symbolic literature, and the current literary trends
which distinguish writers from different sociocultural
backgrounds. The paper aims to analyse the various
themes, styles and patterns commonly associated with
the literature originating from the writings of the
Commonwealth nations.
Keywords :
Commnowealth Literature, Post-Colonialism, Displacement.
