History-Novels Chapter- Random notes

These notes are not given by ritu mam, these are just random notes, just in case any one is in a need.

Novels, society and history

Questions & ANSWERS

Q1.   In which important countries were novels first published?

A1.   England and France are the countries wherenovels were first published.

Q2. What are the reasons for popularity of novels?

A2. (a) Since novels were about ordinary people and their everyday life, the readers could easily identify with the fictitious characters. The world created by novels was really absorbing and believable.

      (b) Besides, novels allowed individuals the pleasure of reading in private as well as in public. Sometimes people would gather and a person would read out the novel. So novels produced a number of common interests.

        (c)    Novels were available in vernacular languages, used and understood by common people. Sometimes a novel may take a classic language and combine it with street language and so bring together many cultures.

        (d)   Novels encouraged people to criticize the ills of society or an inefficient administration. They would also suggest remedies to the readers.

        (e)   Novels became popular due to introduction of circulating libraries and low prices due to technological improvements in printing. Readership also grew due to innovations in marketing like hiring out novels by the hour. Improved transport and systems of communication helped to send novels to far off places.

Q3.  Explain the two types of novels. Name one author and book for each.

A3.   (a)    Epistolary – in this style the narration of the novel is in the form of a series of private and personal letters, which tell the story e.g. the 18^thCentury Novel – Pamela by Samuel Richardson.

(b)   Serialized – In a serialized novel, the story is published in installments. Each part is published in  a new issue of a magazine or journal. Magazines are cheaper and allowed readers to relish the suspense, discuss the characters and live for weeks with the story. Quite similar to the television soaps now a days. Example Charles Dickens Pickwick Papers-1836.

Q4.  Discuss some of the social changes in the 19^th Century Britain which Thomas Hardy and Charles Dickens wrote about.     OR

How did most 19^th century English Novelist represent a true picture of English society?

A4.   (a)    Charles Dickens novels focused on

-     The terrible conditions of overcrowded and polluted urban life under industrial capitalism.

-     He is deeply concerned about the poor economic conditions of the unpaid as well as low paid workers. In the novel Hard Times, he criticized the factory owners for neglecting workers and for reducing human beings into simple instruments of production. He excuses them of being greedy for profits and riches.

-     His famous novel Oliver Twist reflects his anguish at the plight of children, mostly destitute and orphans in cruel work houses. He is concerned about their hardships in the world of beggars and petty criminals.

(b)   Thomas Hardy –

-       Another 19^th century novelist is concerned about the fast vanishing old rural culture in England. In his novel, Mayor of CasterBridge, he mourns the loss of more personalized world which is disappearing.

-       At the same time he is aware of the problems and advantages of the industrial order.

Q5.  Outline the changes in technology and society which led to an increase in readers of the novel in 18^th Century Europe.

A5.   (a)    Perfection in mechanical printing technology helped to produce multiple copies of books quickly at low cost.

        (b)   Improvement in means of transport and communication made is possible to send books to far off places.

        (c)    New groups of lower middle class people such as shopkeepers, clerks as well as traditional gentlemanly classes formed the new readership of novels in England.

        (d)   As the market for books expanded the earnings of author increased and they became financial independent. They depended on aristocratic patronage earlier. But now they could independently experiment with new literary styles.

        (e)   Novels also appealed to people especially women readers as they dealt with major issues like marriages, love etc. and also suggested remedies.

Q6.  “Social changes in Britain led to an increase in women readers”. Explain.

A6.   (a)    The middle classes became more prosperous in the 18^th Century. This gave women more leisure to read and write novels.

        (b)   Novels began to explore the world of women, their domestic life, emotions, identities, experiences and problems e.g. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

        (c)    Women novelists earned publish recognition often their novels were about assertive and independent women who broke established norms of society and protested against the hypocrisy of elders e.g. Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. Women preferred reading such novels as they got of feeling of self-worth.  

Q7.  Describe any two themes on which women writers wrote in the 19^thCentury.

A7.   (a)    Domestic life – was a popular theme on which women spoke with authority. They drew upon their experience and wrote about family life and marriage with wealthy propertied husbands’ example Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice gives the glimpse of such genteel rural society of 19^th Century Britain.

        (b)   The independent assertive women

        -       Some novelists wrote about the women being bold and independent minded who dared to break the established norms of the society.

        -       Such women were shown protesting against the hypocrisy of the conservative elders with startling bluntness. Example; the novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

Q8. What were the themes of the novels for young people in the 19^thcentury?

A8. (a) Novels for young boys idealized a new type of man who was powerful, assertive, independent, daring, heroic and honorable.

(b) Most novels were about the excitement and adventure of conquering strange lands, military action, some historical events etc.

(c) They glorified colonialism – confronting ‘native’ peoples and strangesurroundings, colonizing territories and then developing nations there e.g. R.L. Stevenson’s Treasure Island.

(d) Novels were about young boys who witnessed grand historical events, got involved in some military action and show what they called ‘English’ courage.

(e) Novels about love stories were popular among young girls. E.g. Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson and a series entitled What Katy Did by Sarah Coolidge.

Q9. How did European novels contribute to the growth of colonialism?

A9. (a) The novels originated in the 19^th century when Europeans were colonizing the world.

(b) The stories of adventure s into new lands made readers feel superior, heroic, courageous and honorable.

(c) They felt that it was necessary to bring civilization to the backward and primitive natives of civilized areas (called the civilizing mission).

(d) They therefore considered this civilizing mission their natural duty.

(e) On the other hand colonial people believed that the novel allowed them to explore their own identities, problems and national concerns.

Q10.         When did modern novel form develop in India and How?

A10. (a)    The modern novel form developed in India when India became familiar with the western novel i.e. in the 19^th Century.

        (b)   Novels became popular with the translation of novels into vernaculars.

        (c)    Development of print led to the production of more copies.

        (d)   There was growth of a small reading public in India.

        (e)   A need was felt by social reformers and political activists and nationalists to promote social causes and political nationalism.

Q11. Discuss the contribution of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhayay?

A11.  (a)    Reading and discussing novels in literary groups – Bankim read his first novel DurgeshNandini to his literary friends. It had suspense and was in pros style which was based on Sanskrit and the vernaculars i.e. ordinary language.

        (b)   He also hosted jatras i.e. open air theaters in his courtyard.

        (c)    He wrote the novel Anandmath, which inspired many freedom fighters with the spirit of nationalism. It had the words of Vendematram.

Q12.         Describe the ways in which the novels in India attempted to create a sense of pan Indian belonging.

A12.         (a)    For colonizers – the vernacular novels were a valuable source of information on Indian native life, customs, religion, beliefs, and practices.  This knowledge was useful for governing Indian society with its large varieties of community and casts.

        (b)   For the nationalists – novels created a sense of pan Indian belonging.

-       novels helped to criticize defeats and evils in society and also suggested remedies. They revealed the problems of thinking about the nation e.g. who or which religious community should form the Indian nation etc. Some novels attack divisive forces like the caste system or low status of women as compared to men. They helped to develop a new concept of womanhood and dignity for the oppressed classes, values and knowledge of various people.

-       Some novels attempted to glorify India’s past to create a sense of self-worth and self-pride.  They featured adventures and basic characters from history ready for sacrifice. Such historical novels especially in Bengal like BankimsAnandmathdepictingShivaji courage, novels about the velour of Rajputs and Prem Chands novels involving different section of societycreated sense of pan Indian belonging. They inspired freedom fighters and political movements. The qualities such as sacrifice, heroism, romance and courage in the characters of the novels could be found even in the common man of 19^th and 20^th century and this inspired nationalism.

(c)    Novels also inspired nationalistic feelings by the use of languages example – people from all walks of life could read novels and benefit from their subject matters if they shared a common languages. They became familiar with the ways in which people of other parts of the land spoke their language and also know about their life style.

(d)   many nationalist novels allowed Indians to explore their own identities and problems and national concerns. They tried to promote cultural equality with the colonizers.

Q13. What were the contributions of Indian women to literacy activities in the 19^th century in India?

A13.         (a)    Some Indian women of the 19^th century got interested in reading and writing novels but were suspected of losing their domestic positions and also getting corrupted by new ideas.

        (b)   While some women received the patronage of their husbands like Sailabala  of Bengal, other had to write in secret like Hannah Mullens, the Christian Missionary who wrote Karuna O PhulmonirBibaran - reputed the first novel in Bengal 1852.

        (c)    Some women authors wrote about those women who changed the world of both, men and women e.g. RokeyaHussein’s Sultan’s Dream in which women take the place of men.

Q14. Write the main contributions of VaikkamMuhaammad Bashar as a Novelist of Malayalam Literature.

A14. (a) Bashar had little formal education and based his works in his own rich personal experience rather than on books from the past. He would ever sell his books himself which displays fortitude. He also took part in Salt Satyagarh.

(b) His novels spoke of the details of everyday life of Muslim households.

(c)he introduced thr writing of themes which were unusual at that time like poverty, insanity  and life in prison.

(d) His short Novels and stories were written in Malayalam , the ordinary language of conversation.

(e) He became one of the early Muslim writers of 20^th century to gain wide renown as a novelist in Malayalam.

Q15. Which is Premchand ‘s best known work? What does it reflect about Indian society?

A15. Godan (the gift of cow) , published in 1936, is considered to be Prem Chand ‘s best known work. It is an epic of the Indian peasants. The novel tells about the story of Hari& his wife Dhania , a peasant couple. Landlords, moneylenders, priests and colonial bureaucrats, all those who hold power in the society-form a network of oppression who rob their land and make them into landless laborers. Yet Hari and Dhania retain their dignity till the end.

Q16. How did the Indian novels deal with the issue of caste?

A16. (a)    Many novels like Indirabai and Indulekha were written by the members of the upper caste and were primarily about upper caste characters. Indulekha dealt with the unfair marriage practices of upper castes in Kerala.

        (b)   However, most other novels were also written by writers of lower caste and were about the lives of lower caste e.g. PothariKunjambu’sSaraswatiVijayam; Mala Burman’sTitashEkti Nadir Naam and Prem Chand’s Rang Bhoomi.

        (c)    These writers made the lives of mostoppressed sections of the society worthy of mention in novels e.g. in Rang Bhoomi the main character was a beggar from an untouchable caste. Novels like these encouraged the lower castes to retain their dignity e.g. Godan. Most novels gave the message of social reforms. They strongly attacked the oppression of the lower caste by the upper caste. They stressed on the importance of education for upliftment.

        (d)   Prem Chand included characters from various classes and levels of society so that they could be seen to belong to a shared and common world. This promoted a sense of unity.

        (e)   In Prem Chand’s novels even women from lower castes are shown as strong characters and individuals even though they are not modern.

NCERT QUESTIONS

Q1B.         Explain what actions of Robinson Crusoe make us see him as a typical colonizer.

Ans.         Daniel Defoe’s Novel Robinson Crusoe reflects the colonization of the time.

(a)       Robinson Crusoe was depicted as a slave trader.

(b)       He treats colored people not as equals or as human beings but as inferiors creatures.

(c)       He rescues a native and salves him calls him Friday arrogantly and does not ask his name.

Q1C.         Explain after 1740 the readership of novels begum to include poorer people.

Ans. Novels became popular due to the introduction of circulating libraries and low prices due to technological improvement in printing. Readership also grew due to innovations in marketing like hiring out the novels by the hour, improved transport and system of communication helped to send novels to far off places.

Q3. Write a note on

A)         The Oriya novel

(a)       Ramachandra first attempted to serialize the Oriya novel Saudamini but failed.

(b)       The first major Oriya novelist was Faqir Mohan Senapati who wrote with a new topic i.e. the question of land ad its possession.

(c)       He made rural issues an important part of urban pre occupation.

B)         Jane Austen’s portrayal of women

The novelist Jane Austen popularized the traditionally accepted domestic role of women in the early 19^th century Britain who were preoccupied with marriage to a man with a good fortune.

C)         The picture of the new middle class which the novel Pariksha Guru portray

The first proper Hindi novel was written by Srinivas Das called pariksha guru:-

(a)       Cautioned Youngman of well to do families against the dangerous influence of bad company and consequently lose moral.

(b)       It teaches the right way to live with honor and dignity and how to be practical and worldly wise.

(c)       It also teaches how to be modern while still preserving traditional values and cultural identity.

Q5. Summarize the concern in both 19^th century europae and India about women reading novel. What does this suggest about how women were viewed?

Ans. (a) conservative men believed that women would get corrupted by novels which dealt with stories about rebellious, assertive and independent women who broke established norms of society.

(b) In India, people were worried about the immoral influence of novels on women and children. Novels about luv stories showed how women could control their lives to some extent by choosing or refusing partners and relationship.

(c) Some novels showed the need for women to reform their conditions by their own actions. E.g. The novel Padmarag written by a social reformer.

(d) All this was resented by suspecting orthodox men who believed that women’s place was in the homes only. They felt threatened by the idea of women’s independence as India has a male dominated society which gives low status to women.

(e) Even in the Europe people feared that women would neglect their traditional role of wives and mothers at home and there would be disorder in the homes if they started writing.

Q7.  Describe how the issue of caste was included in novels in India.

A7.   (a)    Many Indian novels offered suggestions on social reforms. The Novel InduLekha was about a burning issue of that time i.e. marriage practices of upper caste Nambuthiri Brahmins of Kerala. The Novelist ChanduMenon criticized the immorality of upper castes. He upheld the new values of independence of individuals and their right to education even if they were not upper castes.

        (b)   Novel also reflected the poor conditions, oppression and exploitation of lower castes by upper castes. The novel of the Kerala writer PotheriKunjambu called SaraswatiVijayam gave the message of upliftment through education.

        (c)    Some novels like Prem Chand’s Rangbhoomi gave importance to lower caste by making them the main characters in the novel.