THE INDIVIDUAL, THE SOCIETY AND LITERATURE (IN THE CONTEXT OF ‘NEW POETRY’)

The dawn of 15th August 1947 saw the birth of a free India. Though, the euphoria of winning a long battle did not last long. The leaders of the Country were faced with a host of complex issues related to the socio-economic situation of an independent country. It appeared as if the people in power were not able to handle these issues. All along it was the common man who was struggling to come to terms with the reality which did not match the ideals. The poets of the time reacted to this situation of anarchy by expressing these issues in their poems. The world of literature also was strongly affected by these changes. Much before Independence the world of poetry had been revolutionised by a group of young poets who wanted to change the form and the themes which were in vogue till them. Independence gave an impetus to their efforts. New poetry, experimentalism, progressivism propounded by a new band of thinkers and poets heralded the change in the world of literature in general and in poetry in specific. Literature moved away from being created for ‘swantah sukhay’ (satisfaction of self ? as it was during the Romantic period) and more for ‘jan hitay’ (well-being of the society). It is an attempt to exhibit the creative reactions of these young poets. By addressing issues hunger, poverty, disillusionment towards the leaders, the direction in which politicians and the Government was working and the lost identity of the ‘common man’, the poets of the time exhibited their concern for the individual, society and the country. They established a relationship between the individual, the society and literature.