Cross-cultural Influences

Nissim Ezekiel and AK Ramanujan were the representative poets of modern Indian English Poetry (IEP). The hallmarks of modern English poetry i.e. objectivity localization of language etc. started with them in IEP. This book explains how the cross-cultural influences on both the poets shaped their craftsmanship and selection of themes. Ezekiel born and lived in India being a witness of the immediacy of the Indian society never felt himself completely immersed in the society. His poetry is always detached and objective his style striving to bring Indianness in the alien language English. For Ramanujan the situation was contrary. Till the age of 33 he lived in traditional south Indian family. His psyche was deeply rooted in the tradition and culture. His linguistic oeuvre was made up of Tamil Kannada Telugu and Sanskrit. Alienation and detachment sprung in his poetry when he migrated to Chicago. The western culture made him see the Indian culture in a new light. The book discusses how Ezekiel depicted India through his language and themes being physically present and mentally detached and how Ramanujan presented the same India being physically absent but mentally present.