Her first book, a single lengthy poem, entitled the birds bright wing, was published in 1976 in calcutta. The following entry presents criticism of alexanders career through 1998. Tribute to meena alexander her work ranged from poetry collections to memoirs to academic books. Meena alexander, indian poet and teacher whose works reflect her multicultural life in india, sudan, and the united states. Indiaborn poet and literary critic alexanders first novel suffers from sketchy development and schematic plot, but offers vivid pictures of life in hyderabad and questions about the value of poetry in times of social upheaval. Though writing and poetry have always provided meaning in miras life, her awareness of her countrys political corruption causes her to question the necessity of teaching english poetry in india. It has been used by writers to chronicle their personal experiences, which ultimately can be applied to the masses in which. Faultlines a journey through meena alexanders life, conflicts and adjustments with the host society as a result of multiple dislocations conference paper pdf available april 2014 with. Meena alexander simple english wikipedia, the free. Postcolonial national space in meena alexanders nampally road. Examining the indian diaspora, alexander nampally road, 1990. Nampally road, meena alexander, 1991, india, novel.
Search for selfidentity in meena alexanders nampally road p. The present paper reflects the internal turmoil of a displaced and dislocated woman in meena alexanders first novel nampally road. Meena alexanders literary career began early, at the tender age of ten, when she began writing poetry. Meena alexander and nampally road language in india. Several distinguished postcolonial, womens studies, asian american, and cultural studies scholars, including roshni. The present paper reflects the internal turmoil of a displaced and dislocated woman in meena alexander s first novel nampally road. Two poems, by meena alexander world literature today. Her novella nampally road is a look at the fight for independence in india following the partition of pakistan. Meena alexander was born in allahabad, india, in 1951. Nampally road is a short novel by meena alexander which was. Her poetry collections include atmospheric embroidery triquarterly books, 2018. Summary of nampally road written by meena alexander. The story opens with sandhya rosenblum sitting in central park, culturally adrift. Meena alexander notes on the novel nampally road principal characters siddharth siddharth was a friend of mira.
Indiaborn poet and literary critic alexander s first novel suffers from sketchy development and schematic plot, but offers vivid pictures of life in hyderabad and questions about the value of poetry in times of social upheaval. After returning from england to hyderabad, india, to teach literature. Meena alexander the significance of rameezas suffering in the novel rameeza be was a little woman who lived in a mountain village near hyderabad. Nampally road meena alexander 9780916515829 books download as pdf. Nampally road, her first novel, comes out of that experience. Pdf faultlines a journey through meena alexanders life. She was distinguished professor of english at hunter college and at the cuny graduate center in the phd program in english. Merete falck borch, eva rask, and bruce clunies ross. She was also a visiting fellow or poet in residence at a number of institutions. Indian americans, south asian americans and the politics of. The short, semiautobiographical first novel nampally road by meena alexander. Auto suggestions are available once you type at least 3 letters.
Born in allahabad, india, and raised in india and sudan, alexander lived and worked in new york city, where she was distinguished professor of english at hunter college and at the cuny graduate center in the phd program in english. Meena alexander indian poet and teacher britannica. An expanded version of atmospheric embroidery is forthcoming from triquarterly books northwestern university press in spring 2018. Excruciation of trapped freedom and crisis of identity in meena. Nampally road plunges into the tumult, squalor, and corruption of postcolonial india, yet stands back from it at the same time. Through the usage of motif and diction, meena alexander distinguishes her fractured identity by illustrating the confinement of the many fragments of her identity that do not seem to fit together, creating a dissatisfied and despondent tone. Alexander is also a famous memoirist, fiction writer and academic. Praise for nampally road like meena alexanders poetry, her first novel is a deeply moving blend of lyric beauty and uncompromising toughness. Her first novel nampally road won her wide acclaim as a writer. While her poetry might be her bestknown work, her works span a variety of literary genres. Meena alexander was born in allahabad, india, on february 17, 1951. Her poetry publications include stone roots l980, house of a thousand doors l988 and two long poems. Meena alexander experiences dislocation finding herself caught between a flux of opposing.
See meena alexander speaking on her book nampally road. At the age of fifteen, she officially changed her name to meena. For several years she lived in hyderabad, teaching in the english department, central university of hyderabad, which was housed in the golden threshold, once upon a time the residence of sarojini naidu. Stephanie han also affirms that the main concern of the literary works of alexander is the. Home archives reading room search editorial info books subscribe west links winter 1998, volume 15. India many asians, especially the indians immigrate to western countries for various reasons. Meena alexander is known as an indian feminist writer who has produced a modern commentary on mary wollstonecrafts the vindication of the rights of women.
At five years of age, alexander and her family moved to the sudan, where she attended. She earned a ba at khartoum university and a phd at nottingham university. She was distinguished professor of english at hunter college and at the cuny graduate center in the phd program in english she published two novels, nampally road 1991which was a village voice literary supplement editors choiceand manhattan music 1997, and two academic studies, the. The academy of american poets is the largest membershipbased nonprofit organization fostering an appreciation. Kazim ali, erika duncan and daniela gioseffi all have written essays dissecting the connections between alexander and the characters she wrote about in manhattan music and nampally road, as well as in selected poems. Having married stephen, a new yorker whom she met while he was vacationing in her native india five years ago, sandhya. Meena alexanders novel nampally road takes place in the city of hyderabad amidst unrest and opposition to chief minister limca gowda. They met each other during a protest march organized by the students against margaret thatcher. Meena alexander experiences dislocation finding herself caught between a flux of opposing cultures and constructing worlds, therefore, she. Meena alexander 1951 indian poet, novelist, critic, and autobiographer.
Selected bibliography primary sources alexander, meena. Meena alexander at hyderabad literary festival, 2016. Several distinguished postcolonial, womens studies, asian american, and. Meena alexander 17 february 1951 21 november 2018 was an indian poet, scholar, and writer.
Alexander, an internationally acclaimed poet, scholar, and writer was born in allahabad, india, and raised in india and sudan. Protagonist mira kannadical leaves england after graduate studies in literature and returns to indira gandhiera india to teach at a college in a state ruled by a. The storm, a poem in five parts l989 and nightscene, the garden l992. Buy nampally road book online at low prices in india. Notes on nampally road by meena alexander notes on. Born in allahabad, india, poet meena alexander was raised in kerala and sudan.
Dislocated self as reflected in meena nampally road. Dec 24, 2007 meena alexander notes on the novel nampally road principal characters siddharth siddharth was a friend of mira. Dec 20, 2014 presents meena alexander on nampally road. A closer look at nampally road and meena alexander in mla resource guide to asian american literature.
Praise for nampally road like meena alexander s poetry, her first novel is a deeply moving blend of lyric beauty and uncompromising toughness. The sociopolitical novels in indian writing in english deal with many political. The short, semiautobiographical first novel nampally road by meena alexander offers the reader an honest, if somewhat confused, insight to the mixed feelings. Meena alexander is a widely acclaimed writer of indian diapora. Although christened mary elizabeth, she has been called meena since birth. Alexanders creative and theoretical works have attracted a lively and enthusiastic critical interest. Request pdf postcolonial national space in meena alexanders nampally road this paper offers a reading of meena alexanders nampally road nr. As herrero states, meena alexander is a daughter and writer of indian diaspora and her writings reflect her own lived diasporic experiences. Fiction has been a major tool to articulate the personal trauma and social crisis as well as communal unrest for centuries.
1045 333 1540 1505 775 284 312 875 1331 1599 985 1091 24 822 652 690 850 1134 323 699 796 1327 531 1314 465 1312 1007 1152 360 299 813 137 1575 915 1463 43 1445 751 817 336 588 1342 322 1405