Nationalism: Contexts and Conditions
Nationalism, as a politico-literary term, is etymologically connected to the word “nation”, which the Oxford Literary Dictionary defines as a homogenous space, culture, or religion. However, in Nirad C. Chaudhuri, such a definition appears to be expanded, modified, and transformed into something entirely different. Nationalism, for him, becomes not a constraint to bind human impulses from interacting beyond regional, cultural, and political boundaries, but a confirmation of identity with respect to the “other”.
In “The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian”, Chaudhuri shows a gradual chronological development of his idea of nation. In the very first book, he gives an account of his roots and suburban origin and shows the process of acquiring a steady notion of nationalism.
Background and Progression
It is interesting to note that the socio-political background of emerging national consciousness had dual effects on the narrator’s adolescent mind. The reaction was not always that of acceptance but of interrogation and doubts.
About Author
Monami Mukherjee is an educator and lifelong student of English literature. She studied at Lady Brabourne College and the University of Calcutta, where she completed her MPhil, and has 21+ years of teaching experience. Her interests include Feminism, Post-colonialism and Modernism, and through NibblePop and its YouTube channel she breaks complex texts down into simple, relatable ideas. Read more
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