Magical realism; Age of Reason
DEB CHATTERJEE
Magical realism has often been thought to be confined to literature. No
doubt that latin american cultures dwell more on this topic. However, one
must admit that literature and religion DO NOT evolve out of vaccum. Thus,
the extent of magical realism depicts the cultural pattern of that time and
place. (IMHO, al-Islam , or, equivalently Holy Qur'an does not admit the
existence of magic - that sometimes in the middle-times was considered to
be a manifestation of the wicked designs of Iblees (Satan), as oppossed to the
work of God. This is considered plausible because al-Islam implies that one
must place complete faith in the Supreme Will. Practice of `black-arts' was
considered unholy.) The foregoing contentions explain why one does not find
a measureable mention of magical realism in writers from the Islamic world.
However, latin american cultures, before the Spanish conquest(s) had a total
captivity in the veils of magic and black arts. The concepts lay in the basic
belief that the universe comprises of some fundamental elements that control
all lives: earth, fire, air and water. The Mayan priests and the Incas were
totally committed to practice of magic - and it is also known that such ancients
sacrificed in a most orderly way human lives to pacify the goddesses of such
forces - for ameliorating the sufferings of the subjects. Thus, one expects
magical realism to shroud completely the works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez - not
paying attention whether he admits it or not. Due to close similarities in the
ancient Latin American and Far Eastern cultures, one observes the extent of
magical reality embedded within the artforms of the two worlds. Japan for
example, by the virtue of her monolithic and homogeneous society/ culture, has
preserved the traditional forms for expressing thoughts even in a contemporary
modern world. The point to note is that the concept of magic vanished totally
by the `sadistic' preachings from the Age of Reason. The mooting point that
dominated the reviving European culture, was that Nature is totally
deterministic, and, her laws can be understood wholly and completely. In a
sense, this concept agreed with the Islamic/ Christan ways of thought. Since
Christanity dominated the Europe at that time, and, the Age of Reason originated
in the hands of Christian scientists, adherence to primitive forms of thought
were considered `uncivilized'. The Western world, by the virtue of her religious
(Christan) and cultural (Scientific) backgrounds, promulgated further their
supremacy when Industrial Revolution took place. The argument put forward was
that magical forces do not exist; there is only one God and it is the duty of
humans to understand the laws of God. (This idea was advocated by Roger Bacon,
Isaac Newton, Robert Hooke, Simon Laplace and many others.) Further with the
end to all witchcrafts and burning of witches, many people who were proselytes
of the Age of Reason, also abhorred alchemy - as described by Omar Khayyam in
his works - and thus `magic' was at best considered to be a artefact of some
mockery and conmanship. Practicioners of magic were regarded as pagans by the
holy proponents of Christian scientists.
(I will take up the issue from here later on.)
- deb chatterjee
(a good samaritan)
5380ch...@vms.csd.mu.edu
Obviously, anyone can bable about anything they want on this free
net service.
If you want any credit for this staff you've just poured, would
you please substanciate them by appropriate references. Just by
mentioning few famous peoples name one of course does not meet the
criterion of 'reference'. A complete reference should include the
author's name, title of the book or article, name of the journal
(if applicable), publisher, year, and page numbers.
thanks.
DEB CHATTERJEE
writes... [in response to my earlier posting].....
> Obviously, anyone can bable about anything they want on this free
(sp. ?????)
> net service.
===========
Yessir ! You are right ! However, SCB is neither yours nor mine ancestral
property. Probably, you could save your `educated hatred' by putting me on
your `Kill' file. I am not ashamed nor do I care what you think about it !!!
> If you want any credit for this staff you've just poured, would
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I DO NOT write for credit, and, as you said, I write to babble :-)
> you please substanciate them by appropriate references.
???????????? (sp.)
Where did you get such a knowledge, Sir ? (Not be magic, I assume !)
>....... (deleted) .......
> author's name, title of the book or article, name of the journal
> (if applicable), publisher, year, and page numbers.
> thanks.
Sir, you are right, but, at the wrong place ! This is not a refreed journal -
if you know what that means :-) ! Moreover, I am not bound to follow the laws
you prescribe. It is also abundantly clear that you are afraid of `something'
or otherwise you would have signed what you wrote. I hope that in future, you
must remember, that it is a "free net service" - look up !
- regards,