Expressionist Qualities in Thamsuhang’s Itnimha
Dig Dhoj Lawati
Abstract
Limbu literature has been reshaping itself after the long suppression. As Nepal
became a democratic country, all the ethnic communities got proper environment to
develop their art and literature. Limbu people started to create the literature in their own
langauge. As a consequence the great heritage has been re-gained by creating art and
literature in their language. In this research the contemporary narrative poem Itnimha by Thamsuhang Puspa Subha has been analyzed through the expressionist perspective. Thamsuhang'sItnimha is a long poem narrating the story about the unsuccessful relationship. It
depicts the life of the protagonist who loses his wife and all his possessions when he
returns from abroad after spending fifteen years of expatriate life. This is done by applying the expressionism as a critical theory. The features and qualities of the expressionist art and literature are found in Thamsuhang's Itnimha.
Introduction
Limbu literature began from the time of king Shrijanga in ninth century. The king was a linguist and a man of distinguished personality. So his verses laid the foundation for the Limbu poetry. In late twentieth century Limbu poetry prospered with the writings mainly of the poets Bajbir Thalang, Imanshing Chemjong and Randhoj Nembang (Tumbahang, 15-19). Thamsuhang Puspa Subha, a poet writes about Limbu literature that if we observe the Limbu literature from the beginning to this moment, poetic genre exceeds the other genres. All the ancient folk forms such as Mundhum, Habek and Mangha are found in poetic forms. In recent period the other forms of Limbu literature such as folk story, story, drama, novel, criticism and essay have started to play important role but they are not prosperous as poetic form. In modern and post-modern literary creation other genres of Limbu literature are competing with poetic genre but other genres appear in minimum scale. If we consider the oral tradition of the Limbu literature there appears the ancient folk stories but other prose forms do not appear (Thamsuhang, 27-29).
Bairagi Kainla and Amar Tumyahang have divided the Limbu literature in three stages.
Primary stage (1704-1924): in this age Limbu language and literature was characterized by the didactic verse; a story about prays and hymns. In that age Bajbir Thalang and Imanshing Chemjong continued to compose didactic verses about religious education (Kainla et. al, 78-80).
Second stage (1925-19554): in this age writing trend of Limbu literature took rapid growth. In this age writers stood against social decadence and superstitious beliefs of society and they strove to return into the society through the literature (Kainla et.al, 78-80).
Modern age (1956 onwards): Khadka Bahadur Nembang composed the poem Kirat Mikhan Samlo which is taken as pioneering work of modern Limbu literature. In this poem he endeavored to reform the society by getting rid of the society of superstitious beliefs.
2. Theoretical background
Expressionism encompasses the art movement that existed from 1905 to 1925. Expressionism is characterized by distortion and exaggeration in order to create an emotional effect. Expressionism first appeared in the art literature of the twentieth century, and with regards to art, the expressionist style utilizes intense color, disjointed spaces, and agitated brushstrokes. It is interesting to note that the expressionist movement not only included fine arts, but also dance, movies, literature, and theatre. Expressionist artist do not attempt to convey realities; rather they attempt to portray subjective emotions and responses to objects and environment. Expressionism arose first in Germany around 1910 and some of the major artists influencing the movement. Many German poets were distrustful of contemporary society — particularly its commercial and capitalist attitudes — though others again saw technology as the escape from a perceived "crisis in the old order” (Wikipedia).
Expressionist art and literary creation have some similarities. The expressionist qualities and features are found in expressionist literary creations. Expressionist artist do not attempt to convey realities; rather they attempt to portray subjective emotion and responses to objects and environment. Expressionism is not so much concerned with representing accurate forms and harmony, but rather it strives to achieve the highest expression intensity through the use of exaggerations, distortion, primitivism, and fantasy (Expressionism). Writers attempted to convey their feelings through new style. Their concern was more with general truth than particular situation; hence they explored in their plays predicament of representative and symbolic types rather than of fully developed individualized characters (Britannica).
3. Expressionist qualities in Itnimha
Itnimha is a long narrative poem. It has been divided into six sections. In the different sections the poet has expressed different events of his life.
3.1Personal tragedy ending in destruction
In this poem a lot of relations are linked between different characters. The focus is on the relationship between main character and his newly married wife.
Some signs of failure of relation appear in the beginning of the plot of the poem. On the one hand the speaker found her beautiful and became glad, but on the other hand the bride didn’t become happy with that relation. She remained silent all the time in the marriage ceremony. She didn’t shed a teardrop while separating with her parents and brothers. Some distorted cultural practices made her so. In traditional Limbu marriage the wedding ceremony first takes place at groom’s house. But, in theirs the parents and brothers first organize the wedding ceremony at their house. She got terrible sickness after the marriage. He attempted traditional healing processes because there were no hospitals at that time. She reached almost dying state of her life. Once he had thought that she was dead but later on she resumed breathing that brought him extreme happiness. His conflict with contemporary society compelled him to leave the village. contemporary conservative society. The following extract shows the notion of conservative society:
pasing nu padang thosodimba kerek pangbhele kundangbasi
chichuang cheya mighepsne phagra yangsare lupnabsi
hembhyaka menchang yallek nu kellek eleng phamnabsi
pandhongba pongma himdhakpa panha siminchi cheknabsi(46)
‘They are owner of village. They are presidents and executive members
of society. If they heard the gossip about them, then they must be
co-operated and provided the food and money.’
In the above extract the domination of the feudal in the village is depicted. The feudal in their village couldn’t bear a single negative word about them. The working class people had to spy all over the village. If they heard negative comments about them, the gossipers had to work for them. In such kind of society the protagonist couldn’t stay, so he left the village. He spent hard time in exile. He worked as a coolie carrying heavy loads. He returned from abroad after fifteen years. But, when he reached his village nobody recognized him. He went to his house which was deserted and collapsed. He reached the house of his wife but she wasn’t there. They informed him that she left the house years ago and hadn’t appeared.
Like the character of the expressionist literature the protagonist of this poem gets lost all his possessions at the end of the plot. This personal tragedy in the poem shows the expressionist quality.
3.2 Subjective expressions of the protagonist
Thamsuhang’s poem itnimha is a subjective expression about the environment. The protagonist of the poem remembers the events which happened in his life years ago .The relationship with his wife had failed when he returned from the exile. The remembrances those events which carry the excessive emotions while narrating the past events of his lives
The protagonist saw her like shining in the jewel box without wearing ear-ring. His heart ached by not hearing a single word from her. She had set fire in shrine. In the traditional way ritual practices were replaced by the changed way of religious activities. The different ways of ritual path displaced his traditional shrine. In Limbu community there are two different ways of religion. After getting married their relationship didn’t grow smoothly. The protagonist had faced bad relation between them. Their relation didn’t become as better as he had imagined. The extract from section fourth in Itnimha shows those feelings:
leksingla pero chungek nu wagek tang:gapha serura
mijangen phungwa anchi:in lummo lakhumha thorura
hekkesang menjo panchang nu thakla ningwaben lemungla
wayangbe ang:ga lengphejang kulem thakwaha semungla (37)
‘Years past changing the winter and summer. The flower of
our life didn’t bloom shining the house yard. I remained persuading myself. I spent whole twilight sympathizing the imagination.’
The relationships between them didn’t grow as he had thought. The flower of relation didn’t bloom between them. The real relation between them had only started when he started to feel the upcoming misery.
3.3 Revolutionary attitude of the protagonist
The protagonist in the poem seems to be against the contemporary society. The social environment was dominated by the feudalist norms and values. He was not satisfied with those phenomena. He raised voice to reform the society so that everyone could consume the equal existence. The price of such activities became expensive for him which destroyed his married life. He had been exiled from the country and spent several years of his life abroad. He spent expatriate life in India. The following lines from the poem reveal the condition of contemporary society:
kigapel papat ametchan g pongba kihopen siyukpa
mibongn en phga:ang pighphung ne chokmra punglihim agepa (46)
'The rich can do whatever he likes but poor has to be under and if poor don't obey he will be imprisoned.'
The above mentioned lines shows the state of society where rich people prevailed over the poor. They put the society as they wanted. If poor don’t obey the norms, they will be put in prison. In such society the protagonist couldn’t remain loyal to the feudal.
3.4 Exaggeration and distortion in depiction
In the final section of the poem the protagonist returns from abroad after spending fifteen years of expatriate life. When he reaches at the house there is only the collapsed house and none is living over there. Distortion and exaggeration are done while depicting the final situation. When he returns from the abroad he states the following lines:
lektrecha tangla nubrecha yemha wahoppa n ideppa
tep:sing:ang nese khambekm en yammo nammil:le sideppa
kak:kabhik samlo thangdhanglak pe:i surit:tha hoptura
wamik:mel singbung changlaha kerek sibhat:tang chuptura (62)
'There was seen small stream along the finished period and transformed harvest. The earth was covered by the sun. The wood-piker was flying upon the sky swallowing the wind and kissing the summit and trees of the hill in thirst.'
In above lines taken from the last section of the poem presents the exaggerated emotion to express his tragic situation. He sees his village covered by the sun. The perception toward the village is distorted only to express his inner feelings. The flying bird was swallowing the air. The summit of the hill was kissed by the bird. He saw the bird kissing the trees and summit in excessive thirst. The image of the bird shows the wandering life without any shelter. In village he found everything strange. He was unable to recognize his own village. In the village his house was collapsed. His village was covered by the sun that can be viewed as a distortion of natural landscape
3.5 Glorification of isolation
The protagonist in this poem felt isolated from the mainstream of the society. He couldn’t adjust himself in the society. In his personal life he became unable to make a fruitful relation with his wife. He couldn’t understand the importance of his company to his wife. He couldn’t remain loyal to the feudal of society. He held the revolutionary views which isolated him for the society. His political isolation from the country compelled him to spend the exile life.
After being deserted by his wife he has been aged. He doesn’t have proper condition of living. He has been helpless. He has no regrets what happened in his life. Though he has been helpless he is proud of what he has. The following extract shows the self-esteem of the protagonist:
kibongben pokhe lunghapma:ang the pong kijupanchurbaro
minchi;e wa:a hekkesang ang:ga layorak pogbaro
hekkesang ang:ga sangra num u:I mingsangra midha:an
menchagen yapmi thik yenba ang:ga hen chakma:ang mila:an (70)
‘Nothing happens regretting for the past but I’m still alive. Those
were only the sins. I don’t drop the sin and blessing. I’m the human
being of one time so I don’t do so.’
Despite all the obstacles and loneliness he is still alive. He does not have any regrets thinking what happened to him. He thinks that all the tragic events occurred in his life were only the sins. He does not want to take revenge for what had been done to him. He is proud of being alive amid these unbearable difficulties.
4. Conclusion
The expressionist qualities are found in Thamsuhang’s Itnimha. Thamsuhang’s poem is a subjective expression of his bygone bitter experience. In expression of those events are expressed in expressionist style. Mainly the character sketched in the plot is trapped in his own personal sphere from where he couldn’t get out and finally he loses his wife and property. Though the expressionism was developed in Europe in the early twentieth century, it has carried some notions and qualities which are universal and can be applied in any literature and art.
References
“Abstract Expressionism,” Britinnica.com.24 July. 2010. 12 Feb. 2011<http:// www.Britannica .com/EBchecked/topic/1963/ Abstract-expressionism>
“Expressionism”,Wikipaedia.com.10 Feb.2010.13 Mar. 2011.<http;//www. Wikipaedia.com/wiki/expressionism>
Kainla, Bairagi, and Amar Tumyahang. “Limbu Sahityako Bartaman Abastha Ra Samayaharu”, Semi. Vol-1, No-1, 2064BS: 75-80.
Thamsung, Puspa Subha. Limbu Bhasa, Sahitya, Srasta Ra Dristikon. Phidim:Panchthar Printing Press,2061BS.
Tumbahang, Govinda.“Vidhagatrupma Limbu Sahityako Samikchya”, Tangshing .Vol-III, No-3, 2059BS: 15-19.
