FROM MYTH TO METAPHYSICS A STUDY of THE MAJOR NOVELS AND SHORT STORIES OF RAJA RAO

Abstract

From Myth To Metaphysics : A Study of the Major Novels and Short Stories of Raja Rao newlineABSTRACT newlineSubmitted to : newlineRAVENSHAW UNIVERSITY newlineFor Ph.D. Registration newlineMrs. Sumitra Biswal newlineScholar newlineSupervisor : newlineDr. Suman Mahapatra newlineFrom Myth to Metaphysics: A Study of Major novels and Short Stories of Raja Rao. newlineRaja Rao with his inherited consciousness born of native traditions and culture, legends and puranas and his profound philosophic insight sharpened by his exploration in the realm of metaphysics, carves out a special place and mark of distinction among the Indian novelists in English; more so among the modernists. As a true modernist, he makes a very deft use of myths in his novels and short stories; myths are not mere purans and folk tales, they gradually lose their puranic or folk characters and become an inseparable part of Indian psyche and ethos and are finally integrated with the structure and theme of writing with utmost adroitness and perfection. newlineAims and Objectives newlineThe dissertation proposes to make an indepth study of myth used in Raja Rao s novels and short stories and assess how successfully he strikes a parallelism between antiquity and contemporarneity.It will determine their meaning and symbolic significance in Indian and human context .It will show his true modernist spirit as regards his preference of mythical mode over narrative mode. An attempt will be made to study the influence of epics and puranas and native tradition on his mind and vision and discover his indigenous makeup. As an advocate of East, how he goes towards East-West encounter will also be focussed, though a side issue. The exploration of Truth through Advaita philosophy of Adi Sankaracharya, Buddhism and Tantrism ,Nagarjuna s Sunyavada will be other major aspect of our study newlinewhich unequivocally leads to the final affirmation in his novels. This study will highlight the legends and myths of India along with rich Indian philosophy through the fictional world of Raja Rao. The work will hopefully contribute towards an assessment of Raja Rao s m