The term “Commonwealth Literature” has a long history. It was first used by Oliver Cromwell after establishing the Republican Government in England, in 1649. Literally it implied common good or public good; a body politic in which power rests with the people. It came into disuse as a form of Government for nearly three hundred years, till it was resurrected in the Statute of Westminster 1931, when with the creation of the Dominions, the British Empire was re-christened as the British Common Wealth of Nations. Though Commonwealth concept came into practice in the mid twentieth century, there are various factors that were responsible for its growth in the nineteenth century. The concept began to evolve in the aftermath of the American war of Independence which had convinced the British statesmen that they should formulate a new approach towards the emerging nationalism in the colonies which were destined to become independent in due course. In order to forestall violent break-up of the Empire, in the pattern of what happened to its thirteen colonies in America, British thought it imperative to follow a path of concessions and reforms and develop self- governing institutions in the colonies. The Durham Report of 1839 was a concrete expression of this new approach; it envisaged that the colonies could govern themselves, and yet remain colonies. The colonies could be self-governing in all respects excepting external affairs. As a natural corollary to this development, Canada, Australia, New Zeeland and South Africa attained the self-governing status in 1867, 1900, 1907 and 1909 respectively. These four self-governing colonies together with Britain formed the founder membership of the Common Wealth. The distinctive feature of this new grouping was that they all were colonies of settlement, with close ethnic connections with Britain and had adopted the British pattern of political institutions. However, the Balfour Declaration of 1926 had concretized the common wealth concept further and made it the group of self-governing communities composed of Great British and Dominions. This institutional framework remained unchanged until independence was granted to India in 1947 and until India decided to stay in the Common wealth after becoming a republic in 1950. With the entry of India, the modern Commonwealth acquired a new complexion and character and demonstrated its potential for evolution and growth. The association became multi – racial and it was declared as a free association of independent nations where equality of status was fully recognized. The Commonwealth is the British Empire in reverse and it is a flowering of independent entities out of the bondage of colonial dependency. Significantly, English language represents a significant point of convergence in the multi-racial, multi –cultural, multi-regional Commonwealth. In terms of historical impact, the English language is perhaps the most useful legacy left over by British Empire. It is a matter of gratification that the language of the rulers never dies with the rulers. It lives a new life in the life of the erstwhile ruled, by becoming a part of their free existence. This has been true of Greek and Latin in the ancient West, Arabic and Persian in the medieval East and now of English and French in the modern world.
At a close look into Achebe’s novels, the young writers of the world particularly of the Middle East are bound to receive inspiration awakening and thereby project the social and political problems in their writings instead of the traditional concerns and themes. They are also bound to learn lessons from Achebe and teach people to regain their lost glory and identity and understand the plights, tensions and other political malaises of their society with an effort of reformation and solution.”
English has been a powerful instrument of protest in the past and has become the most important medium of communication in the International spheres. Its terminology and concepts have greatly enriched the languages of the people in the commonwealth countries. In the twentieth century, Commonwealth Literature has attained an independent status in being a vehicle of highlighting the social, political and religious problems of various commonwealth countries during their pre- independence and post- independence periods. However, out of various literary genres, it is primarily fiction that has attracted the attention of the commonwealth writers, probably because of its being the easiest means of depicting the socio-political problem of their countries and verily due to the conventions associated with this genre ever since its birth in the eighteenth century England. The African fiction, of which Chinua Achebe is the major exponent has its origin in the African literature of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, is no exception in the sense that it has become one of the major means of highlighting the problems faced by the African countries during the British rule as well as after getting liberated from colonialism. The novel is the most indispensable literary genre in Africa, because, as compared to poetry, drama and essays, it depicts, social, political and other important changes of the African society. In 2008, an article appeared in the leading national newspaper, The Hindu in which Chinua Achebe, the renowned Commonwealth writer and the great African novelist was discussed as a less known writer in India and widely known in the other parts of the world. It is observed that in our part of land also Chinua Achebe is less known to the people though the difficulties, frustrations aspirations and prejudices and exploitations which he highlights in his fiction have a close resemblance one way or the other in other parts of the world also. He in his novels very boldly talks about the social and political ills and feels for his people and country. He very clearly sates in his speeches and lectures that as a writer he has a mission to show social commitment and concern. According to him, all art is propaganda, though not all propaganda is art. It should illuminate the people with historical experience and other human and contemporary issues. Mulk Raj Anand, the legendary Indian Fiction writer remarks, “I believe literature, though universally significant deals with a contemporary situation. I mean the human and novel situation at any one given time.” At a close look into Achebe’s novels, the young writers of the world particularly of the Middle East are bound to receive inspiration awakening and thereby project the social and political problems in their writings instead of the traditional concerns and themes. They are also bound to learn lessons from Achebe and teach people to regain their lost glory and identity and understand the plights, tensions and other political malaises of their society with an effort of reformation and solution.
(The author a veteran academician. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
