Demystifying the Magic in Diamond Shumsher’s Seto Bagh - History Reconsidered
At a Glance
Section titled “At a Glance”| Metadata | Details |
|---|---|
| Publication Date | 2021-08-28 |
| Journal | SCHOLARS Journal of Arts & Humanities |
| Authors | Nabaraj Neupane |
| Institutions | Pokhara University |
| Analysis | Full AI Review Included |
Executive Summary
Section titled “Executive Summary”The provided document, “Demystifying the Magic in Diamond Shumsher’s Seto Bagh: History Reconsidered,” is a theoretical/critical essay article focused entirely on literary analysis. It does not contain any data, methodologies, or findings relevant to material science, engineering, or technical applications.
- Core Subject: Re-evaluation and reclassification of the Nepali historical novel Seto Bagh (The White Tiger) by Diamond Shumsher.
- Primary Thesis: The novel should be categorized as “historical magical realism,” rather than traditional historical realism, due to the seamless integration of factual history with supernatural elements.
- Theoretical Framework: The study utilizes the concepts of magical realism defined by Maggie Ann Bowers and Wendy B. Faris.
- Key Elements Analyzed: Textual evidence demonstrating the use of magical elements, including dreams, illusions (e.g., the white tiger), sorcery, ghosts, superstitions, and mythological contexts.
- Historical Context: The analysis focuses on the period of the oligarchic Rana rule in Nepal (1854 to 1884).
- Methodology: Content analysis of selected textual excerpts from the novel (translated version, Wake of the White Tiger).
- Engineering Relevance: Zero. The paper offers no technical specifications, experimental results, or material properties.
Technical Specifications
Section titled “Technical Specifications”| Parameter | Value | Unit | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material System Studied | Not Applicable | N/A | The subject is a historical novel. |
| Operating Temperature | N/A | K or °C | No experimental data provided. |
| Device Efficiency | N/A | % | No device or process is described. |
| Historical Period Covered | 1854 to 1884 | Years | Focus of the literary narrative (Rana Dynasty). |
| Literary Mode Proposed | Historical Magical Realism | N/A | Classification based on theoretical analysis. |
| DOI (Digital Object Identifier) | 10.3126/sjah.v3i2.39430 | N/A | Publication identifier for the literary journal. |
Key Methodologies
Section titled “Key Methodologies”The study employed methodologies standard in literary criticism and humanities research, focusing on textual interpretation rather than empirical experimentation or material synthesis.
- Theoretical Lens Adoption: The study established a framework using the concepts of historicity (Kate Grenville) and magical realism (Maggie Ann Bowers and Wendy B. Faris).
- Faris’s five distinctive traits (irreducible elements, supernatural events, reader dilemma, integration of realistic/supernatural, disruption of accepted truths) were used to analyze the text.
- Archival Review: Available archival materials were reviewed, including related books, journals, critical essays, and interviews concerning the novelist (Diamond Shumsher) and the novel (Seto Bagh).
- Content Analysis: The primary method involved detailed content analysis of textual evidences (excerpts) from the novel, specifically the English translation, Wake of the White Tiger.
- Textual Evidence Analysis: Specific narrative elements were analyzed to demonstrate the blending of reality and magic:
- The illusion of the “white tiger” (Seto Bagh) seen by Jung Bahadur, paralleled with his political blindness.
- Depictions of dreams and inner waves blurring the boundaries of reality (Excerpts 1 and 2).
- Integration of superstitions, sorcery, and tantric invocations with historical events (Excerpts 5 and 6).
Commercial Applications
Section titled “Commercial Applications”This research paper, being a work of literary criticism, has no direct commercial applications in engineering, material science, or technical product development.
- Irrelevance to Technical Fields: The findings do not relate to semiconductor fabrication, chemical processing, energy storage, structural materials, or any other engineering discipline.
- Potential Indirect Application (Cultural Studies): The analysis contributes to the academic understanding of Nepali literary history and cultural beliefs during the Rana period (19th century), which may be relevant for cultural tourism or historical documentation projects.
View Original Abstract
Diamond Shumsher’s masterpiece, Seto Bagh, is a significant historical novel in Nepali literature. The novel made a vibrant debut in depicting historicity in fictional prose in the Nepali context. In particular, the reconsideration of the portrayal of history from a new perspective is relevant. Traditionally, this is considered a historical realist novel. Nevertheless, magical elements are profusely used in the novel. In this study, this niche opens up avenues to re-evaluate the historicity vis-à-vis magical elements. I have adopted Maggie Ann Bowers’ and Wendy B. Faris’s notions and perspectives on the theoretical lens of magical realism to demystify the magic and history in the text. Further, I have adapted the content analysis method to analyze the textual evidences from the selected novel. The main finding exhibits that the novelist has amalgamated historical facts with magical elements like supernatural beings and happenings. Thus, the novel is an example of historical magical realism. This implies that only established beliefs and theories are not sufficient to judge the literary works rightly. Therefore, new lenses should be explored to enter into the world of fictional prose works as such.