When Friedrich Nietzsche said ‘All credibility, all good conscience, and all evidence of truth come only from the senses’, he knew what he was talking about. In the wake of the recent controversial remark made by Mr. V.S. Naipaul on women writers, the question of credibility and its permanency stands relevant.
In an interview at the Royal Geographic Society about his career, when asked if he considered any woman writer his literary match, Mr. Naipaul replied: "I don't think so." Of Austen he said he "couldn't possibly share her sentimental ambitions, her sentimental sense of the world". The author said that this was because of women's "sentimentality, the narrow view of the world. And inevitably for a woman, she is not a complete master of a house, so that comes over in her writing too," he said.
Reading these remarks, one ponders on how as accomplished a writer as Mr. Naipaul could have reflected a long-lived prejudice through his words. There is nothing new in such prejudices and they don't add value or make a difference in reality. However, they come under discussion or thought when the subject has an element of credibility to him/her as is the case with him. As Mrs. Shashi Deshpande rightly pointed out in her article, ‘All writers know that literature is not a matter of competition’. Literature in its true essence is interpretive and subjective which is why we relate to certain authors more. It is a reflection of our own inner self being reflected in the author’s views. Contextually, these remarks may seem more inclined towards fostering an attitude of prejudice instead of living up to the credibility that his works have brought him.
Austen’s ‘Sense and Sensibility’ reflects a deep understanding of sense on the part of the female protagonist Elinor and it has been observed throughout her works that she reflects a realistic approach to the subject of love and relationships with truth instead of sentimentality. How it is portrayed on the silver screen is like all other works subject to interpretation and colored by the social situations prevalent then. Female writers bring in a touch of sensitivity to a subject matter and that reflects their style of writing which is natural to them. However, there is a marked difference between 'Sensitivity' and 'Sentimentality'. Sensitivity is a part of nature, humanity, the zenith and nadir of all life. Sensitivity is the focal point which holds together all life. Sentimentality on the other hand springs not from truth but from desire. Hence, sentimentality can reflect the 'narrow' view of things because it is in its nature to be focused on that 'desire'. But, sensitivity will reflect the liberal view of things. Its goal is to heal, to foster growth and to bring balance to life. And this is what most committed writers aim to reflect through their works irrespective of them being Women writers or Men writers. Writers such as Ayn Rand, Enid Blyton, Jane Asuten, Emily Dickinson, Louisa May Alcott, George Eliot, Sarojini Naidu, Arundhati Roy (1997 Booker Prize), Anita Desai (3 Booker nominations), Kiran Desai (2006 Booker Prize), Jhumpa Lahiri (2000 Pulitzer Prize) and many others are popular among readers due to their works.
Prejudices are meant to come, live and go. The world has evolved a lot over the past century. The prejudices that were present earlier have been abated if not eradicated by revolutions. Were it not true, we would not have a ‘colored’ President ruling the most powerful country in the world. The best way to deal with prejudices is to look at the truth of things and believe that nothing can stop you from going where you want to go and being who you want to be.
It is important to remember that Credibility has no permanency without truth and objectivity towards life. Earning credibility and building a reputation is a process that takes time but a slip of judgment reflects the true depth of one's nature. Building credibility is an ongoing process and desires a grounded attitude towards fame and accomplishments. Were it not true, a man like Gandhi and with his popularity among the masses would wear a throne, walk on clouds and eat gold instead of donning a ‘dhoti’ and living the life of an ascetic. At the end of it all, it is only about being ‘Real’.
In the words of a prolific Female writer, Ayn Rand: “Ask yourself whether the dream of heaven and greatness should be waiting for us in our graves – or whether it should be ours here and now and on this earth”
Copyright created on 4th July 2011
I have always been fascinated by the suppressed 'anima' in the Woman. This 'shakti' has been a source of fear but has sometimes led to animistic 'cults' which celebrate feminine energy in the form of 'Amman' (universal mother), Durga and Kali, especially in states like Tamilnadu. The male ego has always felt intimidated by this feminine 'principle' and this has led to suppression over the centuries. V.S. Naipaul unconsciously seems to perpetuate this collective assault.
ReplyDeleteI feel the suppressed 'anima' you mention here is; as i see, a parallel to the biological ability of a woman to give birth. To my mind, there's wonder on how a being (here,a woman) that can create/produce another being (man/woman)cannot possess the qualities of it's own produce. It's like saying the part is bigger than the whole or that the existence of child is richer than that of the parent. The intimidation you talk about is a part of much of the discourse on gender studies that goes here at LSE. Thanks for your valuable comment.
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