Browsing by Author "Jayasinghe, M.K"

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The Factors which Potentially Led to Victorian Duplexity in R.L.Stevenson’s ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ and Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’
(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2022-09-15) Jayasinghe, M.K
The treatment of the theme of duality, a distinctive feature of the Victorian period of literature and the possible reasons for it emerging at that time, are studied in this paper using R.L.Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Oscar Wilde’s play The Importance of Being Earnest. The concept of duality derives from the Latin word duo, meaning two. It applies quite often to two elements, one different from the other and in opposition to each other. This theory being applied to men of the Victorian period, it unmasks the dual face of their behaviour demonstrated in the works concerned. One wonders whether this duality could have largely originated from their desire for escapism from societal norms or moral hypocrisy: a psychological phenomenon. To respond to these questions, an understanding of the Victorian period and also the story lines of the literary works are essential. The qualitative research approach used in the study enables a brief narrative analysis of the works which enlightens us on the plot and the characters. The issue as to whether Victorian societal duality results from the constraints brought about by the moral standards of society or the rapid changes sweeping across the population during that time is discussed here.
Open Access
Leonard Woolf’s novel The Village in the Jungle from a Feminist Perspective
(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2024-12-04) Jayasinghe, M.K
L eonard Woolf’s The Village in the Jungle, published in 1913, provides a vivid and criti cal depicti on of life in colonial Sri Lanka (then Ceylon). While the novel primarily focuses on the harsh realiti es of the rural community under the colonial rule, it also off ers signifi cant insights into the gender dynamics of the ti me. Further, it is largely considered as a work illustrati ng the severity of colonizati on, the suff ering of the villagers who had to face up to it, their fi nal decimati on, and the closing up of the jungle on the village. Delving deeper into the novel, one observes the aspect of gender undercurrents through the behaviour of the villagers, both male and female. Applying Simone de Beauvoir’s feminist theory, in an analysis of the conduct of the villagers concerned, emerge the underlying themes of patriarchal oppression, resistance, and the struggle put up by women to gain autonomy. Thereby, the prominent themes of the novel such as the infl uence of colonialism in the behaviour of society and a unique form of feminism that emerges to counteract it can be refl ected on through the applicati on of de Beauvoir’s feminist theory to the novel.
Open Access
Overreaching Ambition, the Harbinger of Tragedy: Observing the English Literary Periods
(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2023-11-01) Jayasinghe, M.K
Ambition, innocently defined as ‘something one ardently desires to achieve,’ by the Oxford Learners Dictionary, harbors a paradoxical trait - its capacity for peril when taken to excess. This enigma finds early expression in the myth of Icarus, whose disregard for moderation led to his tragic demise. Across the annals of English literature, from the Renaissance to the Modern era, this theme of ambition’s double-edged sword echoes prominently. Works like Christopher Marlowe’s The Tragedy of Dr. Faustus, the Shakespearean tragedies both Macbeth and Julius Caeser straddling the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods, Mary Shelley’s Romantic masterpiece Frankenstein, Emily Bronte’s enduring classic Wuthering Heights from the Victorian era, and Arthur Miller’s Modern American drama Death of a Salesman all serve as vivid canvases depicting the havoc wrought by unchecked ambition. This paper examines the motivations and consequences of unrestrained ambition, highlighting the importance of moderation in pursuing one’s goals. Applying a qualitative methodology rooted in textual analysis, this research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of overreaching ambition on literary characters and its reflection on society.