and early 20th century, it became necessary to imagine a hero of ‘our’ own whose valor could be established at par with those who had been included in the ‘martial races’. Sarala Devi found that ‘hero’ in Pratapaditya. Pratapaditya was a 17th century zamindar of Jessore. His life and character had been the subject of several Bengali literary works. Bharatchandra writing in the late 18th century mentioned about him in his magnum opus Annadamangal. Ram Ram Basu in his ‘the History of Raja Pratapadityu’ (Boshoo [1802] 1348 B.S. 1941 C.E.) tried to write the history Pratapaditya from ‘beginning to end’. This book by Basu was hailed once as ‘an authentic history of the government of Bengal from the beginning of the reign of Achber to the end of …show more content…
The hero worship continued with a new play ‘Vanger Pratapaditya’ written by Khirodeprasad Vidyavinod. In this drama, all incidents are depicted to have taken place during the reign of Akbar- evidently it lacked chronological sense. Bengalis are described as a nation weak in physical prowess. But once they were united under Pratapaditya they became the most powerful. Pratapaditya was described as a chivalrous, dutiful family man. A picture of social solidarity was also constructed- Hindus and Muslims (and even Christians!), Brahmans and Pathans; all the sons of Bengal- together fighting for the independence of Bengal. Mughals were considered as the invaders and resisting them became a sort of ‘jihad’ (Vidyavinod 1936: 132). Pratapaditya became ‘the king of Bengal’; his primary identity being a Bengali, and not a Hindu or a Muslim. At the end of the drama, the recovery of Jessore- primarily of whose king was Pratapaditya- was attributed to the arrival of ‘Britannia- the civilized, the generous, and the mighty’(!) (ibid.: …show more content…
After some time, he obtained leave to return to his Raja with his covenant that the Raja should present himself before Islam Khan at Alaipur with sufficient equipments to show his loyalty to the sublime court' (Borah ed. 1936 vol. I: 14). According to the arrangements, Pratapaditya personally came to the camp of Islam Khan situated on the bank of river Atrayee opposite the thana of Shahpur to submit to the ‘sublime court’. Then ‘Islam Khan, for the sake of drawing the attention of other zamindars and also in consideration of the high position held by the aforesaid Raja among the zamindars of Bengal, bestowed honors upon him beyond measure, and consoled and encouraged him’ (ibid.: 27). The long list of gifts presented to the Raja included ‘a horse, a khilat and a bejeweled sword belt’. By these measures ‘he was converted into a loyal officer’
In conclusion, in Herman Hesse’s novel Siddhartha, a young Brahmin man leaves home on a quest for spiritual enlightenment. Throughout his journey, Siddhartha proves he is a heroic figure. He accurately follows the steps in Joseph Campbell’s “Heroic Quest Model” from his call to adventure, to his freedom to live. Siddhartha also collaborates with numerous dictionary definitions of a hero. Siddhartha’s admired qualities such as courage, bravery, and nobility within Campell’s “Heroic Quest Model” define him as a hero.
Using the above definition of hero and heroism, this essay attempts to assess three famous heroic characters portrayed in arguably the three greatest literary epics known to humankind, Achilles of Ancient Greece, Sundiata Keita of Ancient Mali and Rama of Ayodhya in what is today Modern India. With references to Stanley Lombardo’s translation of Homer’s Iliad, D.T. Niane’s Sundiata and R.K. Narayan’s translation of Valmiki’s Ramayana, this essay seeks to compare and contrast the attributes of these heroes, the morals associated with their heroism and their reasons for engaging in battle.
Many cultures in the ancient and medieval worlds found courage as a value and virtue associated with warriors. To a great extent, western cultures also find courage as an attribute of warriors. This courageous cultural tendency gets its imaginative manifestation in literature of heroic societies such as The Epic of Gilgamesh, homer’s Iliad and Beowulf. These Epic heroes which show human conditions are Gilgamesh, Achilles from Homer's Iliad and Beowulf. Although, the actions and lives of these warriors occurred at different times in history, their stories are passed on from generations to generations and they share a lot of commonalities but with some discrepancies based on their lives, their choices, ideals and beliefs. These warriors present human conditions in terms of their heroism, weaknesses and mortality. All demonstrate the nature of humans and their constant struggles with understanding and curiosity which drives their internal hunger. The struggle of understanding and the curiosity drive is faced with difficulties and the greatest one is that of facing their fears head on.
Bravery is not the only trait in which a hero possesses. A hero needs and has more than one heroic quality, just like no flower is complete without its vibrant colors and sweet smell. Goodness can be compared to that of a flower’s vibrant colors and sweet smell.
James, Lawrence. Raj: The Making and Unmaking of British India. New York: St. Martin's, 1998. Print.
Wilhelm, Jeffrey D., et al. A Brief History of Heroes. 2004. Glencoe Literature. New York: Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2009. 69-72. Print.
There is another type of hero that almost no one is aware of. In the poorest areas of the country, live mostly minorities and other ethic background. All their lives they’ve been expected to work harder and expected not succeed in life. Some individuals living in poverty with a determination to succeed work hard all of their lives to become what everybody doubted they could. Escaping the crime, drugs, and prostitution is enough to escape hell, even if they don’t go to college. Despite of their financial problems, drug and crime surroundings, or difficulties in the language skills, their desire to triumph fuels their persistence. Those who make it to success are the few living examples of the purest form of hero anyone can be. They are not only their own heroes but also the heroes of the poor children who dream of becoming like them someday.
There were masses of ethnic and cultural conflicts under Akbar’s reign. Akbar’s strategy was to introduce ethnic groups into nobility. Akbar decreased the religious element of taxation. In 1563 he abolished the tax on Hindu and in 1562 he also removed the jizya (the tax on property imposed on non-Muslims). Ethnic violence was present all around India for ages. India is divided into smaller states ruled by tribal chiefs and Lords. Akbar needed to build a formal relationship with these tribal leaders and even though he knew they are not a threat to the Mughal Dynasty, he needed to defend his empire from the rebels that could rise from these tribal areas. Ethnic groups like the Marathas from central India became major problems for Akbar’s crown descendants. They were rebellious and even conquered a major piece of Mughal Dynasty during the seventeenth century. Akbar tried to unite his empire by making a fair and just system. He did not like to involve in religious matters like his descendants and ancestors did, but he did like to ‘unify’ his Empire under religious, Ethnic and cultural matters. (10)
Heroism is defined as an act of courage and an act of selflessness. They reflect the highest levels of morality in society. Heroes have embodied the morality codes of civilizations throughout the ages. When heroes display courage, observers often identify with that courage. The refusal to take the easy way out and the ability to act in spite of fear, is what makes a person a hero. This is the way everyone wishes to react in the midst of a crisis. As witnessed in literature and real life, mankind needs heroes to provide an inspirational role model, an escape from the mundane, and a guide for morality.
There is a distinct difference between popular Indian nationalism, that is the nation believing in a state independent of Britain, and Indian nationalist movements, for example the Muslim League or the Hindu revivalist movement. These movements fought for independence but were far more religiously orientated and were fighting in their own interests. Although Indian nationalism initially found expression in the Mutiny of 1857, its deve...
Second of all, a hero must qualify bravery within himself. In other words, a hero must ...
The history of tribal oppression in India is an old one. “The Sanyasi Revolt”, “The Wahabi Movement”, and “The Naxalbari Rebellion”, are evidence of the tribal outcry that appropriately foregrounds their requirement for fundamental rights as citizens of the country. Even after sixty six years of independence, India’s rural poor and tribals are lamenting under the curbing effects of destitution, unemployment, undernourishment, illiteracy and human trafficking. For these people, the notions of liberty, equality and democracy have no meaning at all. Though the country is free from the bondage of foreign rule, their repression and prejudices still continue leaving them dependent on their new masters.
and not just at the Rajputs, who became one of the pillars of the empire.
1909-Revocation of Partition of Bengal. Creates anti-British and anti-Hindu sentiments among Muslims as they lose their majority in East Bengal.
Rohinton Mistry’s “Such A Long Journey” is the story of turbulent life of Gustad Noble and his family, who lives in Khodadad Building north of Bombay. The story portrays the series of events such as his son Sohrab’s refusal to attend Indian Institution of Technology, hardships faced by his friends and family, political turmoil and chaos caused by the war between India and Pakistan. Gustad transforms from a stubborn, materialistic and awful person to an open-minded and more adaptive to circumstantial changes in his life. Ultimately, Gustad Noble journeys to a greater understanding of his role as a father, friend and citizen of India.