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Abstract:
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The present study is entitled The Aesthetics of Paul Verlaine
and Changampuzha Krishnapillai - a comparative perspective. The
purpose of the study is to compare the poetic genius of the French poet Paul
Verlaine (1844-1896) and that of the Malayalam poet Changampuzha
Krishnapillai (1911-1948), within a descriptive framework. The
investigation will hopefully answer the questions-
Has Changampuzha been indeed influenced by Verlaine, if so, to what
extent? Can the aesthetic appreciation be justified in both poets as illustrated
in their works?
The comparative methodology of juxtaposing the selected oeuvres of
the poets is largely adopted in the study. Since the span of analysis is across
national and linguistic borders, the distinguishing as well as exclusive traits
of the individual poets will be of much importance in formulating the
comparative assumption in this work. The vastly differing geographical,
linguistic and cultural milieus of these two poets,-one a national French poet
and the other, a regional Indian poet writing in Malayalam prima facie,endow the theme of the dissertation with an innate hue of diversity. Such an
ambitious task would naturally entail a renewed research into the dedication
of the poets to their muses and their ultimate contributions to poetics. The
analysis, while attempting to illuminate from a fresh angle, the amply
researched oeuvre of Verlaine and the lesser studied one of Changampuzha,
cannot but be aware of the limitations of the task at hand. The present study
is the first of its kind on the specific theme of analysis, and is hoped that it
would be of relevance since no work has so far been known to have been
undertaken on the topic. At a time when the birth centenary celebrations of
Changampuzha have just concluded, this study is hoped to assume
significance as it would help in isolating the originality of the poet's works,
extricating the garb of the French influence. Ultimately, this study aims at
creating a wider appreciation of the impact that the French writers have had
on Malayalam writers, thus shedding new light on the benign foreign
influences that served to enhance the beauty of our cultural heritage |