Introduction to Thai and Myanmar Literature PDF

Introduction to THAI LITERATURE  สวัสดีครับ/ค่ะ Sà-wàt dee khráp/khá สบายดีไหม Sà-bai dee măI? early literature Thailand places a great emphasis on happiness. Indeed to be happy despite adverse circumstances is considered a high virtue. People in the Land of Smiles are also exp...

Introduction to THAI LITERATURE  สวัสดีครับ/ค่ะ Sà-wàt dee khráp/khá สบายดีไหม Sà-bai dee măI? early literature Thailand places a great emphasis on happiness. Indeed to be happy despite adverse circumstances is considered a high virtue. People in the Land of Smiles are also expected to be aware of, and concerned about, the happiness of others. early literature historically fostered by the kings Sukhothai period (13th to mid-14th century), survives chiefly in stone inscriptions, which provide vivid accounts of contemporary life Ramkhamhaeng inscription of 1292 - the most famous work in Sukhothai period; in which King Ramkhamhaeng records the economic abundance of his kingdom and the benevolence of his rule. classical literature dates from the Ayutthaya period (1351–1767) includes religious works such as Maha chat (“The Great Birth”), later rewritten as Maha chat kham luang (“The Royal Version of the Great Birth”) he Thai version of the Vessantara jataka; Lilit phra Lo (“The Story of Prince Lo”), and Lilit Yuan phai (“The Defeat of the Yuan”) The late 1920s heralded a golden decade in which a number of writers began to address social issues (such as polygamy, prostitution, social inequality, and social class) in a serious way. Lakhon haeng chiwit (1929; The Circus of Life) by M.C. Akatdamkoeng Raphiphat, Songkhram chiwit (1932; “The War of Life”) and Khang lang phap (1937; Behind the Painting and Other Stories) by Siburapha (pen name of Kulap Saipradit) classical literature late 1940s - many writers were influenced by Socialist Realism and for a brief period produced novels and short stories highlighting social injustice 1950s to 1960s - most were silenced or fell silent during the literary “dark age”, freedom of speech was severely curtailed Lao Khamhom (Khamsing Srinawk) - in 1992 he was awarded the prestigious title National Artist of Thailand; published in a collection called Fa bo kan (1959; The Politician and Other Stories)  authors Sunthorn Phu a Thai poet who lived during the 19th century. He’s often referred to as Thailand’s Shakespeare, and is certainly the Kingdom’s most well- known poet.  authors Seni Saowaphong was once the ambassador to Burma. One of Saowaphong’s most famous works, Pisat (Ghosts), published in 1957, is one of the most famous books of Thai contemporary literature. It confronts the idea that those who are Buddhist, as most of the Thai population are, must surrender to karma.  authors Emmanuelle Arsan born in Bangkok in 1932 with the name Marayat Rollet-Andriane, but Emmanuelle Arsan was her pen name. The pen name she used is the same as the main fictional character in her popular book Emmanuelle. Along the way, she engages in a journey of her own sexuality.  authors Jirat Prasertsup a Chiang Mai-based writer, found his inspiration in music as opposed to other successful authors in his novel Pipittapan Sieng (Museum Of Sound). Before this publication, he was working on the editorial staff for a magazine in northern Thailand, as well as working as a columnist and translator.  authors S. P. Somtow In addition to being one of Thailand’s most well-known writers, he also composed music beginning in the 1970s. After composing, he wrote science fiction but later experimented with a variety of genres, including horror and fantasy after moving to the United States.  authors S. P. Somtow “Lightning strikes us all the time, but we don’t want to seize that bolt of lightning and do something about it,” Somtow said. “And what I want to talk to you today about is how to decide what to do when lightning strikes, how to react, whether you should run away in terror or whether you should grasp it and simply let it burn you up and do something.” Introduction to MyanmaR LITERATURE မင်္ဂလာပါ MINGA-LAR-BAR history The British author George Orwell, who was severely critical of the Burmese, wrote Burmese Days published in 1935. When Burma became a colony of British India, Burmese literature continued to flourish. Despite the fact that Burmese literature was well entrenched in Burmese culture, the lack of patrons to support literature did slow its further development. Early literature Historically influenced by Indian and Thai cultures, as seen in many works such as the Ramayana. The colonial period marked a tremendous change in Burmese literature, which had once been patronized and innovated by members of the royal court, and was now being led by civilians such as university students. Early literature Burmese children were educated by monks in monasteries in towns and villages. During British colonial rule, instruction was formalised and unified, and often bilingual, in both English and Burmese known as Anglo-Vernacular. The authors were Buddhist monks, monastery-trained courtiers, and a few court poets. classical literature Third Burmese Empire has been dubbed the “Golden Age of Literature”. As literature grew more liberal and secular, poetry became the most popular form of literature in Myanmar. Popular novels have similar themes, often involving adventure, espionage, detective work, and romance. Short stories, often published in magazines, also enjoy tremendous popularity. They often deal with everyday life and have political messages.  authors Journal Kyaw Ma Ma Lay one of the greatest Burmese writers of the 20th century. Her stories are known for authentic portrayals of modern Burmese society.  authors Khin Myo Chit author and journalist, who began her career writing short stories in Burmese for Dagon Magazine in 1934. She worked on the editorial staff of The Burma Journal during anti- colonial movements. She wrote The 13-Carat Diamond (1955), which was translated into many languages.  authors Thein Pe Myint a Burmese politician, writer, and journalist. He wrote several politically and socially prominent books and founded the influential newspaper, The Botataung. He wrote the classics The Ocean Traveller and The Pearl Queen.  authors Mya Than Tint was a five-time Myanmar National Literature Award winning Burmese writer and translator known for his translations of Western classics like War and Peace.  authors Kyi Aye Kyi Kyi Tin-Myint, known by her pen name Kyi Aye was a Burmese poet, novelist, and short story writer. Her romantic poems were famous for not only her writings, but also for the artistic feelings themselves