Indian Kavya Literature : Vol. II. The Origins and Formation of Classical
Kavya/A.K. Warder. Reprint. Delhi, Motilal Banarsidass, 1990, vi, 406
p., ISBN
81-208-0447-3.
Indian Kavya Literature : Vol. II. The Origins and Formation of Classical
Kavya/A.K. Warder. Reprint. Delhi, Motilal Banarsidass, 1990, vi, 406
p., ISBN
81-208-0447-3.
Contents: 9. Pre-Kavya literature : the Veda. 10. The epic tradition : Itihasa. 11. The origins of the Kavya movement (c.--500). 12. New techniques inn poetry and contemporary trends in dramatic literature and narrative prose in Pali (c. --450 to--200). 13. The earliest Kavya literature in Sanskrit (c. --400 to --150); Valmiki. 14. The novel c. --100 : Gunadhya. 15. The fully developed kavya epic and drama in the +1 : Asvaghosa. 16. Maharastri Kavya in the +2, especially the lyric : Satavahana, Padalipta, Vimala. 17. Sanskrit lyric and prose in the +2 : Matrceta and Sura. 18. Drama in the +2 : Bhasa. 19. Drama : Bhasa's contemporaries, especially Bodhayana, Vararuci, Isvaradatta (comedy and satirical monologue). Index. Appendix.
"This second volume in the series on Kavya Literature begins the description of the literature itself, the first volume being on Indian literary criticism. Here we seek the origins of the tradition known as kavya, then the early masterpieces in several genres which established classical norms, or rather suggested ideals towards which later authors might aspire. Kavya is universal and its genres relate to its various public and private audiences: the theatre in city and village, epic recitation, novels for private reading, lyrics for small groups of connoisseurs and so on.
The most original feature of the present study, as compared with other books in English on Indian literature, is that the literature is presented and discussed from the point of view of the Indian tradition itself. the author has first presented the literature from within the Indian tradition, then he has given discussions on the kavyas presented, from the old Indian critics, finally cross-references are inserted in square brackets to the relevant paragraphs of volume I. The discussions of the old critics become more frequent and intensive in the later chapters of this volume (especially chapter XVI), reflecting their tastes and the gradual establishment of classical standards.
Among the classics discussed in this volume are the Ramayana, the great novel Brhatkatha of Gunadhya, the epics of Asvaghosa, the lyric anthology of Satavahana and the plays of Bhasa.
Volume I on Indian Literary Criticism discusses the aesthetics of the Natyasastra and numerous later writers on that controversial subject, especially Abhinavagupta and Bhoja; poetics or the study of the language of kavya by a series of critics, notably Bhamaha, Vamana, Anandavardhana, Rudrata and Kuntaka; the genres or forms of kavya as analysed in the Natyasastra, Bhamaha, Rudrata, Abhinavagupta, Bhoja, Sagaranandin and others. A chapter on the neglected subject of the construction of plays clarifies the principles of building a plot round the main action in a conflict, the details of the method of giving substance and emotional depth to the plot and such matters as the time scale of a classical performance. The social background of kavya is discussed, beginning with the Kamasutra, in order to show for whom the literature was written as well as the ideal of pleasure in which the enjoyment of theatre, and literature generally, plays an essential part. The volume includes the Bibliography for volumes I-III." (jacket)