Author: Rocky Roy
Abstract: This study explores the complex and multifaceted portrayal of identity in the selected poems of Nissim Ezekiel, a pioneer of Indian English poetry. Born into a minority Jewish community and writing in English within a predominantly Hindu, vernacular-speaking society, Ezekiel’s personal background offers a unique perspective on issues of cultural, religious, and existential identity. Through an in-depth analysis of poems such as Background, Casually, The Professor, Night of the Scorpion, and Enterprise, this study examines how Ezekiel negotiates feelings of alienation, belonging, and self-definition. The research highlights Ezekiel’s innovative use of Indian English, his ironic tone, and his existential questioning as crucial strategies for articulating a hybrid, evolving self. By focusing on everyday experiences, urban realities, and the philosophical tensions between tradition and modernity, Ezekiel’s poetry reflects a continuous search for authenticity and rootedness. This study aims to contribute to a broader understanding of identity formation in postcolonial literature, showing how personal, linguistic, and cultural struggles are intricately woven into the fabric of Ezekiel’s poetic imagination. Ultimately, the study demonstrates how Ezekiel’s work resonates with universal concerns of selfhood while remaining firmly grounded in the Indian context.
Keywords: Identity, alienation, belonging, and self-definition, modernity etc.
Page No: 31-36