Elements of Naturalism in The Folktale Enchanted Mandolin of Kurukh Literature: A Comparative Perspective

Abstract

In literature Naturalism displays how nature and living conditions affect human life. Naturalism often presents nature as powerful, indifferent, and sometimes cruel In Western literature. There are some writers like Thomas Hardy, Émile Zola, and Stephen Crane who claim that environment and fate-controlled human beings. But the Oraon Kurukh literature have different opinion about naturalism. Unlike western thoughts this folk tradition is connected veery deeply with nature and it respects its ecological values.  The Kurukh folktale Enchanted Mandolin expresses that nature is not cruel or indifferent but it is shown as kind, helpful, living, considerate, and morally guiding. It supports in healing and restoring balance. This research paper studies the naturalistic elements in the folktale Enchanted Mandolin and compares them with Western naturalism. In this paper it is discussed that Kurukh naturalism gives a positive and ethical view of nature, which challenges the negative and pessimistic ideas found in Western naturalism.

Key Words: Naturalism, Mandolin, pessimism, determinism, ecological, ethical, dimensions.