midnight's children thesis
Masaryk University
Faculty of Arts
Department of English and American Studies
English Language and Literature
Dita Polcarová
Historical and Political Issues of
India as Reflected in Rushdie`s
Midnight`s Children
Bachelor’s Diploma Thesis
Supervisor: PhDr. Lidia Kyzlinková, CSc., M.Litt.
2008
Declaration:
I declare that I have worked on this thesis independently, using only the primary and secondary sources listed in the bibliography.
……………………………………………..
Dita Polcarová
2
Acknowledgement:
On this page I would like to express my sincere thanks to my supervisor PhDr.
Lidia Kyzlinková, CSc., M.Litt, for her extremely helpful and valuable advice on my thesis and for her infinite patience with me.
3
Table of Contents
1. Introduction…………………………………………………………................6
2. Indian Historical Background & Salman Rushdie…………………………….8
2.1. India in the Past………………………………………………………….. 8
2.1.1. The Black Hole of Calcutta……………………………………….. 8
2.2. The British Rule in India………………………………………………… 9
2.2.1. The Great Mutiny and Its Consequences…………………………. 10
2.3. Struggles for Independence……………………………………………… 11
2.3.1. Mahatma Gandhi………………………………….......................... 11
2.3.2. The Amritsar Massacre…………………………………………… 12
2.3.3. The Independence & The Partition.............………………………. 13
2.4. After Independence………………………………………………………14
2.4.1. India and Indira Gandhi ………………………………………….. 15
2.5. Salman Rushdie & Some Post-Colonial Aspects………………………....16
2.5.1. Controversies and Fatwa………………………………………….. 16
2.5.2. In the Shadow of The Satanic Verses……………………………...17
2.5.3. Post-Colonial Theory & Some Aspects of Post-Colonial Writings. 17
2.5.3.1.
Features of Post-Colonial Literatures……………………... 18
3. Midnight`s Children…………………………………………………………...20
3.1. Fiction and Faction………………………………………………………. 21
3.1.1. Fiction……………………………………………………………...21
3.1.1.1.
Double-Identity…………………………………………… 23
3.1.1.2.
“The Twoness of
Faculty of Arts
Department of English and American Studies
English Language and Literature
Dita Polcarová
Historical and Political Issues of
India as Reflected in Rushdie`s
Midnight`s Children
Bachelor’s Diploma Thesis
Supervisor: PhDr. Lidia Kyzlinková, CSc., M.Litt.
2008
Declaration:
I declare that I have worked on this thesis independently, using only the primary and secondary sources listed in the bibliography.
……………………………………………..
Dita Polcarová
2
Acknowledgement:
On this page I would like to express my sincere thanks to my supervisor PhDr.
Lidia Kyzlinková, CSc., M.Litt, for her extremely helpful and valuable advice on my thesis and for her infinite patience with me.
3
Table of Contents
1. Introduction…………………………………………………………................6
2. Indian Historical Background & Salman Rushdie…………………………….8
2.1. India in the Past………………………………………………………….. 8
2.1.1. The Black Hole of Calcutta……………………………………….. 8
2.2. The British Rule in India………………………………………………… 9
2.2.1. The Great Mutiny and Its Consequences…………………………. 10
2.3. Struggles for Independence……………………………………………… 11
2.3.1. Mahatma Gandhi………………………………….......................... 11
2.3.2. The Amritsar Massacre…………………………………………… 12
2.3.3. The Independence & The Partition.............………………………. 13
2.4. After Independence………………………………………………………14
2.4.1. India and Indira Gandhi ………………………………………….. 15
2.5. Salman Rushdie & Some Post-Colonial Aspects………………………....16
2.5.1. Controversies and Fatwa………………………………………….. 16
2.5.2. In the Shadow of The Satanic Verses……………………………...17
2.5.3. Post-Colonial Theory & Some Aspects of Post-Colonial Writings. 17
2.5.3.1.
Features of Post-Colonial Literatures……………………... 18
3. Midnight`s Children…………………………………………………………...20
3.1. Fiction and Faction………………………………………………………. 21
3.1.1. Fiction……………………………………………………………...21
3.1.1.1.
Double-Identity…………………………………………… 23
3.1.1.2.
“The Twoness of
Cited: Keay, John. India: A History. Harper: London, 2000. David Scott Kastan. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2005. The Oxford Encyclopedia of British Literature Lapping, Brian. End of Empire. London: Paladin, 1989. Oxford: Macmillan Publ. Ltd, 2002. Oxford Dictionary of Islam. John L. Esposito, ed. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2003. Oxford Reference Online Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms. Chris Baldick. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2008. Oxford Reference Online Rushdie, Salman. Midnight`s Children. 25th Anniversary ed. London: Vintage, 2006.