Literary representation of Jewish departure in “The Saga of Muziris” by Sethu

• Main Author: Anju Ok
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) 2020-12-01
• Series: RUDN Journal of Studies in Literature and Journalism
• Subjects: sethu; the saga of muziris; literature as history; multiple narratives; jewish departure; othering; triumph of community; tragedy of individual
• Online Access: http://journals.rudn.ru/literary-criticism/article/viewFile/23614/18167

Literature and history are fields of knowledge that cannot have an independent existence. This article aims to analyze the interface of literature and history with reference to the novel “The Saga of Muziris” by Sethu. It mainly focuses on the levels which historical events impact the society and the resulting changes in sociocultural realms. An important event in the history of Kerala is considered here - the Jewish departure. Authors have identified literature as history concentrating on significant historical events: for example, K.N. Panikkar in his essay “Novel as Colonial Narrative” analyzes colonisation as individual experience. The article analyze how social constructions were altered during and after these events. The eventual conclusion is that this events contributed to the restructuring of society largely resulting in triumph of community and hence the novel can be considered as a narrative of history as a social experience.