Lesson: The Return of the Native

A. Reading

Michael Madhusudan Dutt: Rediscovering His Roots

Michael Madhusudan Dutt, popularly known as Madhusudan, was a celebrated 19th-century Bengali poet and playwright. He was born in Sagordari on the banks of the Kopotaksho River, a village in Keshabpur Upazila under Jessore district.

From an early age, Dutt wanted to become English in his ways and manners. Although he was born into a sophisticated Hindu family, he converted to Christianity as a young man, much to the anger of his family, and adopted the first name Michael. During his childhood, his teachers recognized him as a bright child with a gift for writing. His early exposure to English education and European literature at home and college inspired him to imitate the English in his tastes, manners, and intellect.

(Picture: Michael Madhusudan Dutt)

As a teenager, he started believing he was born on the wrong side of the planet and that his society could not appreciate his talent. He also believed that the West would be more receptive to his creative genius.

Madhusudan was a devoted follower of the renowned English poet Lord Byron. After converting to Christianity, he went to Europe and began composing poems and plays in English. His works demonstrated his high level of intellectual ability. However, he failed to gain the recognition he craved. To his great disappointment, he found that he was not esteemed as a native writer of English literature.

Out of frustration, he composed a sonnet in Bangla, “Kapatakkha Nad,” which earned him immense recognition in Bengal. He gradually realized that his true identity lay in Bengal and that he was merely a temporary resident in Europe. He later regretted his infatuation with England and the West. He returned to Bengal and, from that point forward, devoted himself to Bangla literature. He is credited with writing the first Bangla epic, Meghnad Badh Kabya.

(Source: Wikipedia)

B. Connecting to the Theme

Work in pairs and discuss how the story of Madhusudan relates to the unit theme of “Roots.”

C. Question Formation

Read some additional information on Madhusudan and create a question for each statement.

• a) He introduced amitrakshar chhanda (blank verse) in Bangla literature.
• b) Madhusudan spent most of his time in Europe in Versailles, France.
• c) His time in Europe was full of hardships.
• d) He endured unbearable poverty.
• e) It was Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar who helped him pay off his debts and return to India.
• f) Madhusudan married twice. While living in Madras, he married Rebecca Mctavys, who was of English descent.
• g) He later married Henrietta Sophia White, who was also of English descent.
• h) His second marriage lasted until the end of his life.
• i) Madhusudan and Sophia had a son, Napoleon, and a daughter, Sharmistha.
• j) Madhusudan died at Calcutta General Hospital on June 27, 1873, three days after Henrietta’s death.

D. Note-Taking

Organize your notes about Madhusudan under the following headings. One is done for you.

| Madhusudan as a Man | Madhusudan as a Poet | Attitude to His Roots | |-----------------------------------|----------------------|--------------------------------------------| | * Celebrated 19th-century Bengali poet and playwright | | |