SSC English First Paper | Unit Twelve | Lesson: 3 | Roots | The return of the native

Michael Madhusudan Dutt, popularly known as Madhusudan, was a celebrated 19th century Bengali poet and dramatist. He was born in Sagordari on the bank of the Kopotaksho River, a village in Keshabpur Upazila under Jessore district.

From an early age, Dutt aspired to be an Englishman in form and manner. Though he was born in a sophisticated Hindu family, he converted to Christianity as a young man, much to the ire of his family, and adopted the first name Michael. In his childhood, he was recognised by his teachers as a precious child with a gift of literary talent. His early exposure to English education and European literature at home and his college inspired him to imitate the English in taste, manners and intellect.

Since his adolescence he started believing that he was born on the wrong side of the planet, and that his society was unable to appreciate his talent. He also believed that the West would be more receptive to his creative genius.

Madhusudan was an ardent follower of the famous English poet Lord Byron. So after adopting Christianity, he went to Europe and started composing poems and plays in English. They showed his higher level of intellectual ability. However, he failed to gain the right appreciation. To his utter frustration he found that he was not esteemed as a native writer of English literature. Out of his frustration, he composed a sonnet in Bangla "Kopotaksha Nad" which earned him huge reputation in Bangla. 

Gradually he could realise that his true identity lay in Bengal and he was a sojourner in Europe. Afterwards he regretted his fascination for England and the West. He came back to Bengal and devoted himself to Bangla literature from this period. He has written the first Bangla epic Meghnad Badh Kabya.

(Source: Wikipedia)

B. Work in pairs and decide how the story of Madhusudan is related to the unit theme Roots.

C. Read some more information on Madhusudan. Make questions for those statements.

a…………………………………………

He introduced amitrakshar chhanda (blank verse) in Bangla literature,

b………………………………………… 

Madhusudan passed most of his European days in Versailles, France.

c………………………………………… 

His days in Europe were full of hardship.

d………………………………………… 

It was unbearable to him as he had to suffer extreme poverty.

e………………………………………… 

It was Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar who helped him to pay off his debts and return to India.

f. ………………………………………… 

Madhusudan married twice. While living in Madras, he married Rebecca Mactavys of English descent.

g………………………………………… 

Later he married Henrietta Sophia White, who was also ethnic English.

h………………………………………… 

His second marriage lasted until the end of his life.

i………………………………………… 

Madhusudan and Sophia had a son Napoleon and daughter Sharmistha.

j………………………………………… 

Madhusudan died in Calcutta General Hospital on 27 June 1873, three days after the death of Henrietta.

D. Write notes about Madhusudan under the following headings. One is done for you.

Madhusudan as a man	Madhusudan as a poet	Attitude to his roots
	• celebrated 19th century Bengali poet and dramatist

If you want to read the next lesson of this unit please click the link below:

Lesson: 4 | In search of identity