The relationship between literature and social commitment is both deep and enduring. Literature does not exist in a vacuum—it reflects, critiques, and often challenges the social realities of its time. Writers across cultures have used literature as a powerful tool to raise awareness, protest injustice, and envision a better world. In your course, several texts directly or indirectly engage with social issues, demonstrating how literature can become a form of moral and political intervention.
Below is a detailed discussion of the relationship between literature and social commitment with reference to the texts commonly studied in IGNOU’s BA English course:
1. Definition of Social Commitment in Literature
Social commitment in literature refers to a writer’s conscious engagement with social, political, and moral issues affecting individuals and communities. This engagement can take many forms:
- Protest against oppression or injustice
- Representation of marginalized voices
- Exposure of societal hypocrisy
- Advocacy for reform and equality
- Emotional and intellectual awakening of readers
Committed literature becomes a mirror, a lamp, and often a weapon — reflecting society’s ills, enlightening minds, and challenging power.
2. Ngugi wa Thiong’o – The Trial of Dedan Kimathi
This powerful play, co-authored by Ngugi wa Thiong’o and Micere Githae Mugo, is a prime example of committed literature.
- It dramatizes the colonial exploitation of Kenya and the heroic resistance of the Mau Mau freedom fighters.
- The play reconstructs the trial of a real historical figure, Dedan Kimathi, leader of the anti-colonial movement, and shows how colonial law served imperial interests.
- Rather than portraying Kimathi as a terrorist (as British colonial narratives did), the play presents him as a symbol of resistance and hope.
Social Commitment:
The play is clearly committed to decolonization, reclaiming history, and empowering the oppressed. It urges the audience to challenge the narratives imposed by imperial powers and recognize their own strength.
3. Mahasweta Devi – Draupadi
Mahasweta Devi’s short story Draupadi (translated by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak) is a fierce critique of state violence, patriarchal control, and the silencing of tribal voices in India.
- The protagonist, Dopdi Mejhen, is a tribal woman and a Naxalite revolutionary.
- Captured and brutally raped by state forces, Dopdi refuses to be shamed or subdued.
- Her final act of resistance — standing naked and defiant — turns her violated body into a site of protest.
Social Commitment:
Devi’s story gives voice to marginalized Adivasi women, highlights brutal state repression, and interrogates the complicity of official structures. It challenges readers to think about gender, caste, class, and violence.
4. Mulk Raj Anand – Untouchable
In Untouchable, Mulk Raj Anand explores the inhumanity of caste discrimination in pre-Independence India through a single day in the life of Bakha, a Dalit sweeper.
- Bakha is humiliated and degraded simply because of his caste identity.
- He aspires to dignity, cleanliness, and self-worth, but society constantly reminds him of his “untouchable” status.
- The novel critiques religious hypocrisy, social hierarchy, and the moral failure of tradition.
Social Commitment:
Anand’s work is a direct challenge to caste oppression. His narrative style is sympathetic yet unflinching. The novel demands social reform and human dignity for all, making it one of the earliest examples of Dalit consciousness in Indian English fiction.
5. Girish Karnad – Tughlaq
Although set in medieval India, Karnad’s play Tughlaq is an allegorical critique of modern Indian politics.
- The story of Muhammad bin Tughlaq, an idealistic but tyrannical Sultan, reflects the conflict between vision and execution.
- His well-meaning reforms fail due to arrogance, poor judgment, and lack of connection with the people.
- Many scholars view Tughlaq as a symbol of Nehruvian idealism gone astray in post-Independence India.
Social Commitment:
Karnad’s historical play critiques the dangers of authoritarianism, political idealism without grounding, and misuse of power. It encourages critical thinking about leadership, governance, and democracy.
6. Poetry as Social Voice
Even poetry, often thought of as personal or lyrical, is deeply rooted in social commitment:
- Kamala Das expresses the inner turmoil of women, their loneliness, and the suffocating effects of patriarchy.
- Langston Hughes (in broader global literature) gives voice to African-American experiences, combining lyrical beauty with resistance.
- A.K. Ramanujan uses folklore and memory to challenge social norms and identity constructs.
Each poet uses language not just to express emotion, but to provoke thought, challenge injustice, and inspire change.
7. The Role of Literature in Social Change
Across cultures and genres, literature performs vital functions:
- Awareness: It educates readers about injustices they may be unaware of.
- Empathy: It builds understanding between diverse social groups.
- Resistance: It speaks truth to power and preserves suppressed voices.
- Imagination: It helps envision a more just and humane world.
As George Orwell wrote, “All art is propaganda.” Even the act of choosing to write about a flower instead of famine is a social decision.
Conclusion
The texts in your course show that literature is not merely entertainment. It is a powerful social force, capable of shaping opinion, sparking dialogue, and influencing change. Whether through drama, fiction, or poetry, authors use their creative expressions to challenge oppression, highlight injustices, and affirm human dignity. The relationship between literature and social commitment is not optional—it is integral, making literature a critical part of any just and conscious society.