Course Title: Indian and New Literatures in English

Course Code: ENGL316 L T P/ SW/F PSDA TOTAL CREDIT

Credit Units: 5 S W UNITS
Level: UG 4 0 0 2 3 5

Course Objective
• Develop an understanding of the Indian freedom struggle, the contemporary political, social and economic scenario and the also the
trauma of the partition
• Analyse and evaluate the difference in the theme and background of the works of Indian writers in English and the English writers
already studied in the previous years
• Demonstrate, through discussion and writing, an understanding of significant cultural and societal issues presented in Indian English
literature
• Appraise the values and issues arising from colonialism
• Comprehend and analyse the poetic discourses of poets like Pablo Neruda, Margaret Atwood, Judith Wright, Patrick White and Sujata
Bhatt and the variations in their themes, styles and responsiveness
• Address the identity issues and marginalization through a study of the works of Indira Goswami and Naipaul

Course prerequisites: Open to all

Course Contents/ Syllabus

Module I Weight age (%)
Topics/Descriptors
Poetry
• Toru Dutt: *Lakshman
• Nissim Ezekiel: *A Poem of Dedication
• Jayanta Mahapatra: *Hunger
• Keki N. Daruwala: *Mother
• Pablo Neruda: *If You Forget Me
25%
• Margaret Atwood: *Spellings
• Patrick White: *Voss
• Judith Wright: *The Company of
Lovers

Module II
Topics/Descriptors
Drama
• Mahesh Dattani- *Seven Steps Around the Fire 25 %
• Asif Currimbhoy- The Doldrummers
• Wole Soyinka- *The Lion and the Jewel

Module III
Topics/Descriptors
Fiction
• Kamala Markandaya- Nectar in a Sieve 25 %
• Mulk Raj Anand- Untouchable
• Nadine Gordimer- A Guest of Honour
• V.S. Naipaul- A House for Mr. Biswas
 Module IV
Topics/Descriptors
Prose
• Mahatma Gandhi- Hind Swaraj: XVII- Passive Resistance, XVIII- 25%
Education
• Urvashi Butalia: ‘Memory’ from The Other Side of Silence: Voices
from the Partition of India
• Frantz Fanon- Black Skin, White Masks Chapter 4
• Nivedita Menon- Seeing Like a Feminist Chapter 2

Course Learning Outcomes:

After completing this course, the students will be able to:
• Develop an understanding of the themes, styles and poetic sensibilities of poets like Toru Dutt, Nissim Ezekiel, Jayant Mahapatra and
Keki N. Daruwala.
• Critically analyse the drama as a medium of exploration of existing social issues and prejudices through the work of dramatists like
Mahesh Dattani and Asif Currimbhoy.
• Discuss the socio-cultural-political conditions of the contemporary India as explored in the fiction of writers like Kamala Markandaya.
• Analyse and familiarize themselves with the similar (yet different) socio-historic conditions reflected in the literature of the various
colonies and comprehend how ‘New Literatures’ incorporates very different literary products, each with its own cultural, social and
geographical specificity.

Pedagogy for Course Delivery:

The methodology followed for course delivery will be as follows:
• Blended teaching learning following four quadrant approach
• Close reading of all the texts
• Discussing Critical frameworks
• Presentations and deliberations by the students
List of Professional Skill Development Activities (PSDA)

• Presentation
• Critical/ Creative Writing/ Creative Deliberations
• Editing/ Precis Writing/ Online writing

Assessment/ Examination Scheme:

Theory L/T (%) Lab/Practical/Studio (%) End Term Examination Total

100% NA 60% 100 %

Theory Assessment (L&T):

Continuous Assessment/ Internal Assessment 40% End Term Total

Examination 60%
Components (Drop Class Test Seminar Assignment Attendance EE
Total
down)
Linkage of PSDA PSDA 2 PSDA 1 PSDA 3 NA NA
with Internal Critical/Creative Writing Presentation Editing/Precis
--
Assessment Writing/ Online
Component, if any writing
Weightage (%) 15 10 10 5 60 100
 Mapping Continuous Evaluation Components/PSDA with CLOs

Bloom’s Level Understand Identify Discuss Analyse

>
Course CLO1 CLO2 CLO3 CLO4
Learning Outcomes Develop an Critically analyse Discuss the Analyse and familiarize themselves with the similar (yet different)
understanding of the drama as a socio-cultural- socio-historic conditions reflected in the literature of the various
Assessment the themes, medium of political colonies and comprehend how ‘New Literatures’ incorporates very
type/PSDA styles and poetic exploration of conditions of different literary products, each with its own cultural, social and
sensibilities of existing social the geographical specificity
poets like Toru issues and contemporary
Dutt, Nissim prejudices India as
Ezekiel, Jayant through the work explored in
Mahapatra and of dramatists like the fiction of
Keki N. Mahesh Dattani writers like
Daruwala and Asif Kamala
Currimbhoy Markandaya

Class Test ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Seminar ✓ ✓

Assignment ✓ ✓
Mapping Continuous Evaluation components/Graduate attributes with CLOs

Bloom’s Level > Understanding Identify Discuss Analyse

Course CLO1 CLO2 CLO3 CLO4
Learning Outcomes
Develop an Critically analyse Discuss the socio- Analyse and familiarize
understanding of the the drama as a cultural-political themselves with the similar
themes, styles and medium of conditions of the (yet different) socio-
poetic sensibilities of exploration of contemporary India as historic conditions
poets like Toru Dutt, existing social explored in the fiction reflected in the literature of
Nissim Ezekiel, issues and of writers like Kamala the various colonies and
Jayant Mahapatra prejudices Markandaya comprehend how ‘New
and Keki N. through the work Literatures’ incorporates
Daruwala of dramatists like very different literary
Mahesh Dattani products, each with its own
and Asif cultural, social and
Currimbhoy geographical specificity

Graduate attributes
1. Discipline  
Knowledge &
Expertise
2. Self-Directed and
Active Learning
3. Research and  
Enquiry
4. Information &    
Communication
Technology Skills
5. Critical Thinking & 
Problem-Solving
Abilities
6. Communication    
Skills
7. Creativity,  
Innovation &
Reflective
Thinking
8. Analytical &    
Decision-Making
Ability
9. Leadership &
Teamwork
10. Multicultural
Understanding &
Global Outlook
11. Integrity and
Ethics
12. Social & Emotional
Skills
13. Employability,    
Enterprise &
Entrepreneurship
14. Lifelong Learning    
15. Environment &    
Sustainability
Texts and References

Butalia, Urvashi., “The Other Side of Silence: Voices from the Partition of India”, Penguin Random House India, 2017.
Boehmer, E., “Empire Writing: An Anthology of Colonial Literature 1870-1918”, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1998.
Chinweizu, I., “Decolonising the African Mind”, Pero, Lagos, 1987.
Ngugi wa, T., “Homecoming: Essays on African and Caribbean Literature, Culture and Politics”, Heinemann Educational Books, London,
1972.
Fanon, Frantz, “Black Skin, White Masks”, Perseus Books Group, Revised edition, 2007.
Menon, Nivedita., “Seeing Like a Feminist”, Penguin India, 2012.
Anand, Mulk Raj, “Untouchable”, Penguin India, 2001.
Rowland, S.W., “Postcolonizing the Commonwealth: Studies in Literature and Culture”, Laurier University Press, Ontario, 2000.
Rao, A.V. Krishna and Menon, M., ‘Kamala Markandaya: A Critical Study of Her Novels 1954-1982 (Indian Writers Series)’, BR
Publishing Corporation, 1997.
Goswami I. and Satarawala K., ‘Indira Goswami and Her Fictional World: The Moth Eaten Howdah of the Tusker’, BR Publishing
Corporation, 2002.
Soyinka, Wole., “The Lion and the Jewel” OUP, 1974.
Anthony, Trey., “ ‘da Kink in My Hair”, Playwrights Canada, 2005.