Life and Works of Martin Wickramasinghe
Martin Wickramasinghe was a novelist from Sri Lanka. He was born in the village of Koggala in 1890. When he was five he learned the Sinhala alphabet and the Devaganari script, being able to recite large portions of the Hitopadesha (a Sanskrit fables). He attended a vernacular school until 1897, after which he was sent to a school in Galle, where he became proficient in English and Latin. The main focus of his work was the culture and life of his country, exploring and applying modern knowledge in natural and social sciences, literature, linguistics, the arts, philosophy, education, and Buddhism and comparative religion to break through the surface of petty nationalism, and guide readers to the deep rooted common national identity that lies in the folk life and Sri Lanka culture.
Some of Martin Wickramasinghe bibliography's better known titles include Gamperaliya (The Transformation of a Village), published in 1944 and which depicts the impact of modernization on traditional village life; Madol Doova, a children's novel published in 1947 that narrates the adventures of main character Upali Giniwella and his friends; Yuganthaya (The End of an Era), the second part of a trilogy started with Gamperaliya and followed by Kaliyugaya (Age of Darkness), published in 1957. All of these novels were made into movies directed by fellow countryman Lester James Peries. Other works are Leela (his opera prima, 1914), Soma (1920), Iranganie (1923), Seetha (1923), Miringu Diya (Mirage, 1925), Unmada Chithra (1929), Rohinmi (1929), Viragaya (Devoid of Passions, 1956), Karuvala Gedara (House of Shadows, 1963), and Bavatharanaya (Siddhartha's Quest, 1973).
One of Martin Wickramasinghe biography highlights is how he was bestowed several honors and awards, such as membership of the Order of the British Empire, best newspaper article of the year (The fall of the Brahmin Class, 1956), Don Pedric Award for the best novel of the year (1957), an honorary PhD by the Vidyodaya University, a Doctorate in Letters (DLitt) by the University of Ceylon, an UNESCO award, a DLitt by the Vidyalankara University, a DLitt by the University of Ceylon, and the first presidential award for literature.
His work, however, was not confined within the realms of fiction and novels. He also wrote several articles and non-fiction books, as well as being a literary critic. He also was a bookkeeper, part of the editorial staff of national newspapers Dinamina and Lakmina, member of the National Languages Commission, among many other occupations. He is considered not only one of the foremost writers in the history of Sri Lanka, but he has also been internationally recognized, and his works have been translated into English, Hindi, Tamil, Russian, Chinese, Romanian, Dutch, German, French and Japanese. Martin Wickramasinghe passed away on the 23rd of July of 1976, but his legacy has lived on and will continue to thrive as new generations of readers discover his novels.
Wickramasinghe; the typical storyteller of the Sinhalese Novel
He is a good storyteller, an inspiring thinker, and a good philosopher as proved in his work, which is more than hundreds of books and thousands of paper articles. Though Wickramasinghe is considered in the academic crowd, as a good philosopher, he is most popular as the great novelist/ author/ writer of Sinhalese literature arena.
Out of the the numerous great books published by him in Sinhalese or in English, I have selected ten greatest and most popular novels by this inspirational writer. They are:
Rohini (1929)
Ape Gama (1940)
Gamperaliya (1944)
Madol Duuwa (1947)
Yuganthaya (1949)
Viragaya (1956)
Kaliyugaya (1957)
Upandaa Sita (1961)
Kaluwara Gedara (1963)
Bawa Tharanaya (1973)
Madol Duuwa (1947) – As the most popular book of Martin Wickramasinghe, it plays the role of the most abundant Sri Lankan novel. Upali Giniwelle and his servant friend Jinna play the main roles of this novel as notorious youngsters who explore their lives outrunning their parents. After make off from home Upali and Jinna find the isolated small island Madol Duuwa, situated in the middle of Koggala tank. They cultivate this land and gradually become standard businesspersons. The story of these two youngsters has been created by Wickramasinghe as an adventure which enchants the reader till the end. More than a half a century of prints have been published so far as it is highly accepted by the Sri Lankan litterateurs.
Rohini (1937) – is the book that firstly written out of these 10 books which carries a historical epic. The legendry affair between Athula and Rohini is the subject of this novel. Athula, a war hero from the Army of King Dutugemunu, falls in love with the young princess Rohini, whose father is a minister of King Elara. Princess Rohini is also proposed to her father’s diplomatic friend Mithra, from the same Elara’s party.Yet there is a romantic story flows through the novel Wickramasinghe tend to emphasis the critical political issues hidden behind as well. The novel is also recommended as the Sinhalese Literature fiction for the Junior School Certificate Examination in 1937.
Ape Gama (1940) – the typical soulful explanation of the rural life and the atmosphere is also one of the prime books written by Martin Wickramasinghe. When reading this book you will feel how smoothly he has described the every single experience of his village life. Even though this is mostly identified as a children’s book it entertains the other readers as well. I highly recommend this book for all kinds of readers, as they can enjoy it thwarting all barriers.
Gamperaliya (1944) – is the first book of Wickramasinghe’s most popular Trilogy (Tun Eduthu Nawakatha). Based on the rural feudalistic family of Muhandiram Kaisaaruwatte, this novel flows over three generations accomplishing writer’s needs of character development. The way that historical politics functions on the rural feudalistic families and the emergence of a new middle class society is drastically described in this novel wrapped in a dramatic story. Piyal the benchmark of this new social class gradually attacks this feudalistic society and the relationship between him and Nanda; the daughter of Kaisaaruwatte plays the transitional situation of this class struggle. Tissa; brother of Nanda, is the linking factor to the trilogy as he appears in each three novels.
Kaliyugaya (1957) – the second of the seriescan be identified as the best explanation ever appeared in explaining the social class transition during the post- colonization stage. Social uplifting of the newly formed social class consists of feudalistic Nanda and lower middle class Piyal with the presence of the money factor is indicated in this particular novel. Therefore it would be really interesting to you to understand what has really happened in the Sri Lankan context during the post- colonization period.
Yuganthaya (1949) – as the final part of the trilogy is the best book that shed light on the collapsing of this upper middle class Sri Lankan society and emergence of a new capitalistic society. Based on the social struggle between upper middle class Saviman Kabalana (Son- In- law of Piyal and Nanda) and the venture capitalist Wiharahena from Deniyaya this novel flows under numerous social disputes. This novel ends with the formation of modern political tradition which consists of English spoken, foreign educated capitalistic people who had the socialistic ideas, like Malin Kabalana. And also Yuganthaya explains the polarization of the human political and social interests based on their political ideology using the characters Malin Kabalana and Aravinda Wiharahena. If you are interested in Sri Lankan political transitions you should read this book with reference to the day to day political stereotypes.
Viragaya (1956) -is the novel that considered as one of the best novels that explain persons’ obscure characteristics ever written in Sri Lankan modern literature. Aravinda, Bathi and Sarojini are the main characters of the novel. In Viragaya, Wickramasinghe tries to explain their characteristics which are ambiguous, mystic and complicated. Aravinda is indisputably accepted as the typical Sri Lankan youth character that appears in a novel.
Upandaa Sita (1961) – Autobiography of late Martin Wickramasinghe is one of the other books that you should read. Even though it is a personal experience book, it is highly recommended as a masterpiece to the life style management. Experience from his village, through the carrier as a journalist and most importantly influence of own experience in his literature work is included in this biography. Therefore it is most similar to a Diary- novel such as La Nuste by Sean Paul Sarthe.
Kaluwara Gedara (1963) – If you are interested more in the social class struggle of Sri Lanka you might also need to read Kaluwara Gedara. Kaluwara Gedara is too based on a rural family and its development during decades with the presence of social, cultural, political and economic circumstances. As in many works of Martin Wickramasinghe, this book is also keen in explaining the social status of a certain period of the Post- colonization period, as one of the heavy transitional period that appeared in Sri Lankan social history.
Bawa Tharanaya (1973) – is one of the most controversial novels which caused a series of heavy arguments between scholarly traditions. It is mainly based on the life of Prince Siddhartha, before and after of renunciation of household life. Considering Lord Buddha as a human being that proven higher ideological and philosophical values, Wickramasinghe tends to create his own explanation about the Buddhist culture. Therefore this novel has been confronted numerous arguments and stigmatizations by the conventional Buddhist society. Yet it is argued by some of the scholars, it is undoubtedly accepted by the readers as one of the practical readings about the Buddhist concepts.