Writing The West : Representations from Indian Languages

Book Details

• Publisher: Sahitya Akademi
• Author: C. Vijayasree
• Language: English
• Edition: 2004
• Pages: 229
• ISBN: 8126019441
• Cover: Hardcover
• Dimensions: 22 cm x 14.5 cm (8.7 x 5.7 inches)

About the Book

This insightful volume, edited by C. Vijayasree, examines how the idea of the “West” has been represented and interpreted in Indian literary and cultural texts. Bringing together twelve scholarly essays by literary critics, cultural historians, and film theorists, the book offers a multi-dimensional exploration of India’s engagement with Western thought and civilization.

Each essay focuses on a specific linguistic and regional context—including Asamiya, Bangla, Hindi, Oriya, Telugu, Urdu, and Indian writing in English—highlighting how different traditions have imagined and portrayed the West. The contributors analyze themes such as colonial encounters, cultural exchanges, identity formation, and the tensions between tradition and modernity.

The book goes beyond conventional postcolonial frameworks, questioning their limitations and advocating for a more nuanced understanding of how India has historically perceived and reinterpreted the West. Through its diverse perspectives, the volume sheds light on the complexities of cultural representation and intellectual dialogue between civilizations.

Scholarly yet accessible, this book is an essential resource for students, researchers, and readers interested in literary criticism, cultural studies, postcolonial theory, and Indian literature across languages. It offers valuable insights into the evolving relationship between India and the West in literary imagination.