Critical Perspectives in R K Narayan Criticism

Abstract

R.K. Narayan, one of the finest and most popular of Indian writers in the English newlinemedium, is the author of a series of novels all situated in the imaginary south Indian town newlinecalled Malgudi. Narayan s prominence as a writer came slowly, almost with a touch of newlinediffidence. He never had the accessories of a high profile author, and stayed scrupulously shy newlineof literary lunches and book signing binges. He was most at home near his characters. newlineEvoking diction of unusual freshness and rare ingenuity with the English literary idiom, he newlineweaved a world existing nowhere. Yet this fictitious world appeared so tangible that it newlineinstantly struck a chord of perfect reality with readers. The quintessence of his works is in its newlinequiet, reassuring approach, which also is the basis for the popularity of his work over newlinedecades. newlineOur criticism of Indo-Anglian authors or their works has been fragmentary. We tend newlineto be eulogical in our criticism and discover oceans in shallow ponds, forest in dry stalks, and newlinethe greatest humour in a tinsel of joke. Or, we look down upon from the Olympian heights, newlineconsidering the works as drab, shallow, superficial- anything but rich and balanced. Such has newlinealso been the critical fortune of R.K. Narayan. No Indo-Anglican novelist has portrayed such newlinea wonderful, varied, colourful picture of his region as Narayan has. Also, none among the newlineIndo-Anglican novelist reaches closer to Hardy, Scott and Faulkner in the portrayal of a region than does Narayan. newline