The Monstrous Sublime: A Postmodern Deconstruction of Mythology and Cultural Identity in Amish Tripathi’s Raavan: Enemy of Aryavarta

Abstract

Amish Tripathi’s Raavan: Enemy of Aryavarta (2019) has made significant changes in the familiar portrayal of Raavan, the King of Lanka. He is a complex character with a mix of emotions. Tripathi brings out all of Raavan’s untold sides. He is neither a good nor a bad person. The portrayal of Raavan throughout this series contrasts with the traditional or fixed. The paper examines the concept of différance by Jacques Derrida, the myths as analyzed by Roland Barthes, and the myths as criticized by Jean-François Lyotard. It states that the novel is a breakthrough as the displaced Other has the opportunity to reclaim authority over the definite notions of good and evil. As the study suggests, the novel is a turning point where the displaced Other can take back control of the stasis of the conventional moral discourses.