Rasa in Aesthetics - An Application of Rasa Theory to Modern Western Literature

The Indian tradition of criticism is over two millennia old. And its rasa theory has, from the beginning, essentially influenced authors, connoisseurs and art critics alike. First expounded sometime between the 1st century BC and the 4th century AD in the eminent aesthetician, Bharata's Natyasastra, rasa theory deals with the 'emotive content' of a work of art - how it is depicted, inferred and transmitted. Dr. Patnaik's book is a unique effort that demonstrates, with diverse examples, the universality of this ancient theory and its applicability to modern Western classics.

Elucidating afresh the concept of rasa and all its nine primary kinds largely on the basis of Natyasastra of Bharata and the commentaries of the 10th-century aesthetician, Abhinavagupta, the book investigates the validity of rasa theory as an aesthetic, more specifically, a literary theory, and how its canons are applicable to modern Western literature as well as Chinese love lyrics and Japanese haiku poems. Dr. Patnaik's trans-cultural exploration, thus, covers all major genres of literature - poetry, drama and fiction; and also major writers - Lawrence, Mayakovsky, Kafka, Camus, Conrad, Hemingway, Faulkner, Marquez, Eliot, Hesse, O'Neill, Ionesco, Beckett, Lorca, Neruda and several others, in emphasizing the universal validity of the rasa theory, the author consider certain modern problems relevant to text, meaning and readers'/audiences' response as well.

Very few are the examples of applied rasa theory even in Sanskrit and other Indian literatures, leave alone its application to Western creative writing. This book, with its bold framework and lucid style, should, therefore, fascinate the scholars of Indology, Indian aesthetics and, above all, comparative literary criticism.

About the Author:

Priyadarshi Patnaik (born 1969) is a serious research scholar combining in him the creative sensibilities of a poet, a painter and a musician. In many ways, he is well-suited to interpret Western literature vis-à-vis ancient Indian theories - especially as he takes a keen interest in Sanskrit and Pali literature.

Dr. Patnaik has had a brilliant academic career crowned with a Doctorate in English from the Utkal University, Orissa. His passion for literature as a whole has since kept him involved in various literary pursuits. Dr. Patnaik has already published, to his credit, two collections of poems, besides a number of research papers in national and international journals.

Foreword

Preface

INTRODUCTION

1. RASA

2. THE RASAS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP

3. SRNGARA RASA

4. HASYA RASA

5. KARUNA RASA

6. RAUDRA RASA

7. VIRA RASA

8. BHAYANAKA RASA AND BIBHATSA RASA

9. ADBHUTA RASA

10. SANTA RASA

11. CONCLUSION

    Bibliography

    Glossary

    Index

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