Question

Q.1 What are salient features of “Commonwealth Literature”? (14)
OR
Write a detailed note on the central theme of A Dance of the Forests.
Q.2 “Naipaul‟s ambivalence toward...

Answer 1

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".
1)  The literature written in those commonwealth countries where English is practically a native language for example in Australia, New Zealand and Canada.2) The literature written in those countries where English is used as  a second language (or even as a foreign language), for example, in  India, commonwealth countries in Africa (Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe), the West Indies, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.


2. ans: i didnot know