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| Wednesday, 18 August 2004 |
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Sri Lankan links with English poets and writers by Andrew Scott There are very interesting links between Sri Lanka and some English poets and writers who have immortalised the name and fame of this island through the medium of their poems and writings. Especially there are a few English poets who have had close links with Sri Lanka. These facts show that Sri Lanka has left an indelible mark in the minds of some English poets and writers. While some English poets and writers have written about Sri Lanka some have visited these shores and have been enthraled by Sri Lanka's scenic grandeur.
Sri Lanka has been known by mere hearsay in Europe for many centuries and this country has figured on maps as early as during the time of Ptolemy. A fascinating theory, which has no foundation of course, is that the enchanted island of Shakespeare's Tempest was Sri Lanka. However, it was during Shakespeare's time that the first Englishmen, Ralph Fitch, reached these shores and found Sri Lanka's brave island, very fruitful and fair.' Regarding the king Fitch says: "When he (king) talketh with any man he standeth upon one leg and setteth the other foot upon his knees with his sword in his hand." Other writers such as Robert Knox wrote in detail about the life and activities of the people of Sri Lanka, especially in the Kandyan kingdom. While Ralph Fitch was the first Englishman to visit Sri Lanka, probably the first Englishman to write poetry on Sri Lanka was Thomas Anderson who worked as a commissioned officer in Sri Lanka in 1799. Thomas Anderson in his "Wanderer" (1817) refers to the eighteen summers he spent in the interesting island of Ceylon. He also wrote an interesting sonnet - "To Julia, On Leaving Colombo." During his long stay in Sri Lanka Anderson wrote several poems on various aspects of Sri Lankan life. He described Sri Lanka as "The cinnamon perfumed, balmy isle." Taprobane The following reference to Sri Lanka in Milton's Paradise Regained confirms the idea that Englishmen of the 16th and 17th centuries thought of this island as romantically remote and legendary. Writing of the Roman Empire where embassies thronged from the remote lands he says:
"For the Asian kings (and Parthian among these) From India and the Golden Cherseness; And utmost Indian isle Taprobane, Dutch faces with white silken turbans wreathed." When we turn our attention to another great English poet, John Keats, we see that Sri Lanka is an exotic world of poetic imagination. In Keat's widely read poem Isabella, when suggesting the powers of the merchants he says: "For them the Ceylon diver holds his breath, And went all asked to the hungry shark; For them his ears gushed blood." Percy Byshe Shelley, one of the greatest English poets, too had a link with Sri Lanka. He was so captivated by the beauty of Lady Horton, the pretty wife of Sir Robert Wilmot Horton, a Governor of Sri Lanka, that he left his admiration of her in his much read poem "She walks in Beauty." English writer Mark Twain, the first modern English writer visited Sri Lanka in 1896. Writing about Sri Lanka he said: "Sri Lanka is oriental in the last measure of completeness, and also utterly tropical." He also mentions about his rickshaw ride through Colombo which was both interesting and cheap.
In 1922 the distinguished poet and novelist, D. H. Lawrence of Lady Chatterley's Lover fame, arrived in Sri Lanka for a brief visit. At Kandy he saw the Perahera and being highly impressed by it he wrote a magnificent poem, "Elephant." Writing about the Perahera he said: "The great elephants come forth to the tom tom's beat in the torchlight, sailing in gorgeous apparel, and the devil dancers luminous with sweat dancing to the shudder of drums, the endless music and the voices of men." George Bernard Shaw and his wife visited Sri Lanka in early 1933 and stayed in Kandy for a few days. He is reported to have said: "If I weren't an Irishman I would choose to be a Ceylonese perhaps. The people there seemed to be the originals from which all the rest are bad mass produced copies." John Masefield, the poet Laureate of England, wrote a special poem in honour of Sri Lanka when we gained independence. These interesting references to Sri Lanka show that from the earliest times Sri Lanka has figured in English literature, both poetry and prose. Subsequently many foreign and local writers wrote much about Sri Lanka in both poetry and prose. In fact there is no aspect in the Sri Lankan life which has escaped the poet's eye. **** Back **** |
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