Abstract

This study is centralized on the significance of post-colonial criticism implanted in Edward Morgan Forster’s A Passage to India and Mulk Raj Anand’s Untouchable employing varying quintessential post-colonial theories coined by important post-colonial theorists. The following research involves scrutinizing the post-colonial space and the major critics in it corresponding with the horrifying ramifications of imperialism that alters the socio-political, cultural, and economical dogmas of a nation including the linguistic approach which plays an important role in the development of the literary canon. This research explores the subject of colonial implications presented by two different writers originating from far away poles which conclusively examines how two distinct categories of colonial exploitation work one being triggered by foreign agents and another being planted inside the premises of a nation making a distinction between the mechanism of oppression. The two primary texts’ projects justify the outlook on the aftermath colonialism and also portray important theories of Hybridity, Oppression, and Othering.

Keywords: Hybridity, Culture, Othering, Colonialism, Oppression, Post-Colonial, Bhabha, Untouchable, India, Hegemony.

Impact Statement

In the profound exploration of trauma within colonial narratives, our research unravels the haunting reverberations of imperialistic legacies in E.M. Forster’s “A Passage to India” and Mulk Raj Anand’s “Untouchable.” By delving into the nuanced interplay of power, identity, and resistance, our study not only illuminates the psychological scars inflicted by colonialism but also lays bare the resilient spirit that emerges from the shadows of oppression. In understanding the traumatic echoes embedded in these literary masterpieces, we pave a transformative path toward a more empathetic comprehension of the enduring impact of colonial histories on individual and collective psyches.

About Author

In the vibrant realm of literary exploration, Aditi Sharma stands as a fervent seeker of narratives and nuances. Currently pursuing her Masters in English Literature at Delhi University, Aditi embodies the essence of a literary trailblazer, weaving words into tapestries that illuminate the human experience. Aditi’s academic pursuits reflect not only her dedication to the scholarly intricacies of literature but also her passion for unraveling the cultural threads that bind stories across time and space. Her curiosity transcends the confines of traditional academia, reaching into the realms of postcolonial studies, feminist literature, and the intersections of culture and identity. A wordsmith at heart, Aditi’s written expressions extend beyond the academic milieu. Her prose, both evocative and insightful, has found a home in various literary journals and platforms, resonating with readers who appreciate the elegance and depth of her multifaceted analysis.

Cite this Article

APA (7th ed.): Sharma, A. (2024). A Post-Colonial critique on A Passage to India by Edward Morgan Forster and Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand. Edumania-An International Multidisciplinary Journal, 2(1), 301–320. https://doi.org/10.59231/edumania/9033

Chicago (17th ed.): Sharma, Aditi. “A Post-Colonial critique on A Passage to India by Edward Morgan Forster and Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand.” Edumania-An International Multidisciplinary Journal 2, no. 1 (2024): 301–320. https://doi.org/10.59231/edumania/9033.

MLA (9th ed.): Sharma, Aditi. “A Post-Colonial critique on A Passage to India by Edward Morgan Forster and Untouchable by Mulk Raj Anand.” Edumania-An International Multidisciplinary Journal, vol. 2, no. 1, 2024, pp. 301–320. https://doi.org/10.59231/edumania/9033.

Statements & Declarations

Peer Review: The scholarly merit and contribution of this post-colonial literary critique have been confirmed through a rigorous and independent peer-review process conducted by experts in the relevant disciplines.

Review Type: This article underwent a double-blind peer review, a process in which the identities of the author (Aditi Sharma) and the reviewers were mutually concealed. The review was conducted by subject experts in post-colonial literature, literary criticism, Indian English literature, and cultural studies.

Competing Interests: The author, Aditi Sharma, declares that there are no financial, professional, or personal competing interests that could be perceived to have biased the work presented in this manuscript.

Data Availability: This manuscript is a conceptual and analytical paper based on literary analysis of E.M. Forster’s A Passage to India and Mulk Raj Anand’s Untouchable, and post-colonial theoretical frameworks. It does not present primary empirical research data. All sources, including the primary texts and scholarly works by post-colonial theorists, are cited within the article.

Funding: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. The work was completed as part of the author’s postgraduate studies at Delhi University, New Delhi, and personal scholarly effort.

License: This article is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) 4.0 International License. This license permits non-commercial reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way.

Ethical Approval: Ethical approval was not required for this study, as it is a literary analysis paper based on published texts and scholarly criticism and did not involve the collection of data from, or experimentation on, human subjects or animals. The work adheres to the highest standards of academic integrity and research ethics in literary and cultural studies.

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