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Readings on Kerala

12
Lecture

Myth and Literature

M.T. Vasudevan Nair
INTRO

M.T. Vasudevan Nair is a great contemporary Indian writer.

“Myth and Literature” is a speech that he delivered at Sahithya Akademi in 1995. It
discusses the ways in which Malayalam literature has been influenced by myths, folklore and
legends.

ESSAY 1
1. Describe the ways in which myths, legends and folktales have figured in Malayalam
literature through the different ages.

M.T. Vasudevan Nair is a great contemporary Indian writer. In “Myth and Literature”, he
discusses the ways in which myths, legends and folktales have figured in Malayalam
literature through the different ages.
The genesis of Kerala is linked to the popular Parasuraman myth. This myth has been
the raw material for many poets in Kerala. To Balamaniamma, the action of hurling away the
axe is an epitome of sacrifice. Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon finds the axe as a tool that paved
the way for the early migrant societies.
Sea is a major character in Thakazhi’s popular novel, Chemmeen. The Arayan fishing
community adore the sea as Kadalamma. The goddess looks after the men who are out in the
sea fishing. She also expects the women folk to live a taint-less life while their men are
toiling in the sea. The novel shows nature as a giver and taker of life.
The lives of many ancient writers are believed to be linked to several legends.
Thunchath Ezhuthachan is believed to be the reincarnation of gandharvan. In those days, it
was not acceptable to the society that Ezhuthachan, who was a non-Brahmin, became well
versed in the Vedas and the Upanishads and wrote excellent poetry. The gandharva myth
solves the problem.
Many major modernist writers like OV Vijayan use folktales in their fiction. Younger
novelists like KP Ramanunni attempt to recreate the folktales for contemporary times.
Modern science treats myths as fabrications. Creative artists see myths as the emanations of
the prototypical psyche. They treat myths, legends and folktales as imaginary possibilities.

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PARAGRAPH

I. How has Malayalam literature treated the myth of Parasuraman?

Malayalam literature has treated the myth of Parasuraman in a variety of ways. The
myth regarding the origin of Kerala is that Kerala was formed by the hurling of his axe by
Parasuraman, standing on Mount Gokarna. It has been the raw material for many poets in
Kerala. To Balamaniamma, the action of hurling away the axe was an epitome of sacrifice.
Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon, a pioneer modernist poet, salutes the Parasuraman’s axe as a
tool that paved the way for the early migrant societies. But Malayalam fiction writers were
not drawn in by the myth of Parasuraman.
2. Why was Thakazhi criticised for making use of a fisher-folk myth and what is MT's
opinion regarding it?
In Chemmeen, Thakazhi uses the myth of the sea as Kadalamma, the sea goddess. The
goddess looks after the men who are out in the sea fishing. She also expects the women folk
to live a taint-less life while their men are toiling in the sea. When Thakazhi wrote this novel,
he was severely criticised for upholding superstitions, and for forgetting his common theme
of class struggle for a love story. C Rajagopalachari said that there is no harm if the women
of a remote locality continue being chaste believing in an old legend. MT says that the novel
shows nature as a giver and taker of life.

3. Why are the lives of our early writers linked with the supernatural?
The lives of many of our early writers are linked with the supernatural. Thunchath
Ezhuthachan is believed to be the reincarnation of gandharvan. In those days, it was not
acceptable to the society that Ezhuthachan, who was a non-Brahmin, became well versed in
the Vedas and the Upanishads and wrote excellent poetry. That somebody from the sidelines
of the society has creativity and talent is made tolerable and digestible by the gandharva
myth. There are also stories of divine and supernatural interventions in the lives of poets like
Poonthanam Namboothiri and Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri.
4. How do artists differ from various other disciplines in their treatment of myths and
folktales?
To the Malayalam modernist writers, legends and myths are like parables and
allegories. Writers like OV Vijayan, Kovilan and others have successfully incorporated them
into their works. Younger novelists like KP Ramanunni and TV Kochubava attempt to
recreate the folktales for contemporary times. The discipline of science considers myths and
legends as the fantasies of an ancient pagan society. To history, myths are fabrications. But
the creative artists see myths as the emanations of the prototypical psyche. They treat them as
the continuation of culture and civilization. To them, myths and legends are imaginary
possibilities.

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SHORT ANSWER
1. How does the myth regarding the origin of Kerala become regional as well as pan-
Indian?
The myth regarding the origin of Kerala is regional as well as pan-Indian. It is
believed that Kerala was formed by the hurling of his axe by Parasuraman, standing on
Mount Gokarna. It is also seen as a depiction of Aryan invasion of Dravidian regions,
Parasuraman being a major figure leading this invasion.

2. What is the myth that Thakazhi adapted for his novel Chemmeen?
Thakazhi uses the myth of the sea as Kadalamma, the sea goddess. The goddess looks
after the men who are out in the sea fishing. She also expects the women folk to live a taint-
less life while their men are toiling in the sea. The novel shows nature as a giver and taker of
life.

3. Why hasn't the early Malayalam fiction made use of myths and legends?
Myths and legends never exerted visible influence on the early fiction of our
language. Prominent writers of the period were overtly or covertly associated with the
political left of the state. Under the influence the concept of class struggle, they became
realistic.

4. How do KP Ramanunni and Kochubava bring about a change in Malayalam

literature?
Novelists like KP Ramanunni and TV Kochubava go against the traditional concepts
of novel writing by disrupting the linear storytelling and realistic portrayal. They attempt to
recreate the folktales for contemporary times.

Prepared by:
Prof. MURUKAN BABU C.R.
(formerly) Associate Professor of English
Panampilly Memorial Govt. College
Chalakudy

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