The Function of Mythical Consciousness in Indian English Fiction: A Study of Raja Rao and R. K. Narayan

  • Gyaneshwar Pandit Bihar School Examination Board, patna
Keywords: Mythical consciousness, Indian English fiction, Raja Rao, R. K. Narayan, myth and modernity, cultural continuity, moral symbolism, nationalism, Advaita Vedanta, realism

Abstract

Mythical consciousness plays a vital role in shaping the thematic and narrative framework of Indian English fiction, serving as a bridge between tradition and modernity. This paper examines the function of myth in the works of Raja Rao and R. K. Narayan, highlighting how myth operates as a living mode of perception rather than a static inheritance. Raja Rao employs myth philosophically to interpret nationalism, spiritual identity, and metaphysical truth, particularly through Advaiticconcept epic symbolism in Kanthapura and The Serpent and the Rope. In contrast, R. K. Narayan integrates myth subtly within realistic narratives, using irony and moral symbolism to restore ethical balance in everyday life, as seen in The Man-Eater of Malgudi. Through a comparative analysis, the study demonstrates that mythical consciousness in Indian English fiction functions as a dynamic narrative force that preserves cultural continuity, critiques social injustice, and articulates universal human concerns within contemporary contexts.

Author Biography

Gyaneshwar Pandit, Bihar School Examination Board, patna

English Teacher

 

References

 Mukherjee, Meenakshi. The Twice Born Fiction. Heinemann, 1971.
 Narayan, R. K. The Man-Eater of Malgudi. Penguin, 1993.
 Walsh, William. R. K. Narayan: A Critical Appreciation. Allied Publishers, 1983.
 Jung, C. G. The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious. Princeton UP, 1981.
 Frye, Northrop. Anatomy of Criticism. Princeton UP, 2001.
 Iyengar, K. R. Srinivasa. Indian Writing in English. Sterling Publishers, 1990.
 Mukherjee, Meenakshi. Myth as Technique in Twice-Born Fiction. Heinemann, 1974.
 Narasimhaiah, C. D. Raja Rao. Arnold-Heinemann, 1972.
 Paul, S. “Aspects of Mythic Form and Style in Raja Rao’s The Serpent and the Rope.” Journal of Indian Writing in English, vol. 12, 1984, pp. 82–95.
 Rao, Raja. Kanthapura. Oxford UP, 1938.
 Rao, Raja. The Serpent and the Rope. John Murray, 1960.
Published
2025-12-29
Issue
Vol 8 No 10 (2025): IJO - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH (E.ISSN: 2805-413X) (P.ISSN: 2536-6696)
Section
Articles
Copyright (c) 2025 IJO - International Journal of Educational Research (E.ISSN: 2805-413X) (P.ISSN: 2536-6696)

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