Psychological Abuse in the poem “The Frog and the Nightingale” by the writer Vikram Seth

Abstract

Vikram Seth is considered one of the Eminent writers of the modern age born on 20^th June 1952. His specialty was that he used to strike the persona of his readers via his personified and allegorical characters. His work probes the psychology of people; which readers find relatable. His writings work as catharsis and generate consciousness insociety. Furthermore, most of his works highlight the post-independence period as colonization has changed the living standard of native countries to a great extent.This paper probes into one of his reputed poems “The Frog and the Nightingale”, as it is the epitome of psychological abuse, exploitation, and post-independent society.

Psychological abuse is also referred to as emotional abuse. In Frog and the Nightingale, Frog caused mental harm to the Nightingale by creating self-doubt in her mind. In this paper, this concept is related to the colonisation of India and how Britishers created self-doubt in Indians that Indians are not capable to run the economy and exploited India’s resources.Poetry and psychology are much related to each other as both help in the purification of emotions. Although, psychology is an umbrella term.To bring humour and satire together Vikram Seth often used to use the literary device “Anthropomorphism” which attributes human characteristics to non-human living creatures. In “Frog and the Nightingale” also used the technique of “Anthropomorphism”.Prior to colonisation, India used to be considered a “Golden Sparrow” because of being rich in resources. Similarly, in the poem, Nightingale is rich by her voice that was exploited by the Frog, in the same manner as Britishers exploited India’s resources. And at last, both, the Nightingale in the poem and the title of India “Golden Sparrow” died.