Question

Growth and development of Commonwealth literature.

Answer 1

common wealth literature:-
The number of titles, however, reflects the growing international importance of such writings as evidenced this month at the London Festival of Commonwealth Literature, with writers coming from around the globe. They tentatively include Michael Ondaatje, the Sri Lankan- Canadian author of ‘The English Patient’, the book that inspired the movie that swept the board at the latest Acadaemy Awards ceremony.

Answer 2

The term "commonwealth" has a long history. It was first used by Oliver Cromwell, after establishing the republican  government in England in 1649. Literally it implied common good or public good; a body-politic in which power is with the people. It came into discuss as a form of government for nearly 300 years, till it was resurrected in the statue of Westminster 1931, when with the creation of the dominions, the British Empire was re-christened as the British commonwealth of Nations. Commonwealth literature concept came into practice in the mid-twentieth century, there are various factors that were responsible for its growth in the nineteenth century. The concept began to evolve in the aftermath of the American war of Independence which had convinced the British statesman that they should formulate a new approach toward the emerging nationalism in the colonies which were destined to become independent states in due course. In order to forestall a violent break-up of the Empire, in the pattern of what happened to its thirteen colonies in America, Britain thought it imperative to follow a path of concessions and reforms, and develop self-governing institutions in the colonies. The distinctive feature of this new grouping was that they all were colonies of settlement, with close ethnic connections with Britain and had adopted the British pattern of political institutions. This institutional framework remained unchanged until independence was granted to India in 1947 and until India decided to stay in the commonwealth after becoming a republic in 1950. With the entry of India, the modern commonwealth acquired a new complexion and character and  demonstrated its potential for evolution and growth. The association became multi-racial; and it was declared as a free association of independent nation where equality of status was fully recognised. The commonwealth is the British Empire in reverse. It is the flowering of independent entities out of the bondage of colonial dependency. The term literally meant "common well being". The commonwealth of nations, also known as the British commonwealth, has manifested a distinctive literary development marked by its cultural and historical diversity. The commonwealth is an intergovernmental organisation of 54 nations which were formerly part of the British Empire. The commonwealth aims to provide a framework of common values, facilitating co-operation between its member states in the field of democracy, human rights, rule of law, free trade and peace. In general, commonwealth literature is a vague term which defines English-language works written in the former British colonies or place which had the status of dominions