Many in the world today are quite aware of what in recent decades has gained not only popular but also academic recognition as a distinct literary genre called the “literature of victimisation”.
For those who have such awareness but may not be able, when asked, to define it, it perhaps worth reminding them about the following:
Victimhood literature is a genre in world literature that explores themes of suffering, trauma, and the identity of victims within various social, cultural, and historical contexts. It often delves into personal or collective experiences of victimization, focusing on the psychological, emotional, and societal impacts of such experiences. This genre frequently examines the dynamics of power and oppression, as well as the narratives constructed around victim identities. Additionally, this genre can serve as a critique of societal structures that perpetuate victimization or marginalize certain groups, such as racial or cultural identities.
The genre had it’s origins in Greek tragedy, Christian martyrdom, European Renaissance, and in the French, Industrial and Russian Revolutions… It first gained further popularity through the sentimentalism of English literature in the pre- and post-Victorian era — e.g. Charles Dickens and the Brontë sisters — and of the Black Civil Rights Movement in America — e.g. Harriet Beecher Stowe .
In the early 20th century the genre went almost viral throughout the world when British and European imperialism began to crumble and fall. The native authors from erstwhile enslaved countries began to get their works published worldwide as “victimhood literature”. Edward Said’s book , Orientalism on the victimisation of Palestinians and of all Eastern cultures, in fact, by the West is a very notable example. Leon Uris was a Jewish writer in the 1960s and 1970s who wrote several “victimhood” novels on the theme of both the persecution— and the pursuit — of the Jewish people for a State of Israel.
The latter part of the 20th century witnessed also the development of what came to be called “trauma studies”, which explored the psychological and emotional impact of traumatic social and historical events on individuals and communities. This field of study greatly influenced victimization literature, particularly in the context of war, racism, apartheid, genocide and personal trauma.
In the first two decades of the 21st century , the issues of “Human Rights” — categorised under a wide and at times bizarre range too of various “victimised sections or groups” in society — have become the staple of Contemporary Victim Literature. There is today everywhere in the world a vast output of such literature (and journalism) by authors who identify themselves with and vigorously champion the cause of those victimised groups such as coloured people, women, LGBTQ rainbow people, religious and ethnic minorities, environmental or climate-change activists, linguistic and culture-warriors … etc …
This contemporary literary tradition encompasses a broad range of works, including memoirs, documentaries, poetry, and graphic novels. Contemporary authors in America like Toni Morrison, Don DeLillo, and Dave Eggers are pioneers of this genre in the modern era and they are sources of inspiration, emulation and imitation by lesser creative authors in other countries including India.
These literary and cultural traditions have shaped the evolution of victimization literature, which continues to explore the complexities of victimhood, trauma, and suffering in every society in every nook and corner of the world .
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Modern, pre- and post-Independence Indian literature too is a treasure trove of diverse voices and themes in the realm of victimization literature:
Here are some English Language examples:
- A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry: This novel explores the lives of four individuals struggling to survive in Mumbai during the Emergency period, highlighting the victimization of the marginalized.
- The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy: This Booker Prize-winning novel delves into the intertwined lives of two Indian twins growing up in Kerala, exposing the victimization of the lower castes and the vulnerability of women.
- The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai: Set in the Himalayas, this novel explores the interconnected lives of several characters, shedding light on the victimization of the Nepalese people and the struggles of the Indian middle class.
And here are just a few samples of the same genre in the vernaculars:
- Bengali Literature: Authors like Mahasweta Devi and Samaresh Majumdar have written extensively on the victimization of tribal communities and the struggles of the working class.
- Tamil and Kannada Literature: Writers like Bharati and Kalki have explored the victimization of women and the lower castes in their works. And more recently, Jayakanthan, Perumal Murugan to name only a few. And U.R. Ananthamurthy and Girish Karnad.
- Hindi Literature: Authors like Muktibodh and Nirmal Verma have written about the victimization of the marginalized and the struggles of the Indian middle class.
These examples illustrate how Indian authors are using their voices to shed light on the struggles and victimization of various communities.
Modern Indian literature also addresses especially the victimization of Indian Muslims.
Arundhati Roy and Amitav Ghosh have written about the challenges faced by Muslims. Roy’s writings, in particular, have highlighted the rise of Islamophobia and its impact on Indian Muslims. Other authors, such as Asghar Ali Engineer and Ram Puniyani, have also written extensively on communalism, Islamophobia, and the struggles of Indian Muslims.
Below is a sampling of the modern Indian novels that explore the theme of victimization of Indian Muslims:
- “The Moor’s Last Sigh” by Salman Rushdie: A novel that explores the complexities of Indian society, including the experiences of Muslims.
- “The Shadow Lines” by Amitav Ghosh: A novel that delves into the tensions between Hindus and Muslims in post-Partition India.
- “The Buddha in the Attic” by Julie Otsuka: A novel that explores the experiences of Muslim immigrants in India.
- “The Muslims of India” by Asghar Ali Engineer: A book that explores the history and experiences of Muslims in India.
- “Communalism and Indian Politics” by Ram Puniyani: A book that analyzes the rise of communalism in India and its impact on Muslims.
- “Islamophobia and the Indian Media” by Shabnam Hashmi: A book that examines how the Indian media contributes to Islamophobia.
- “The Autobiography of a Dalit Muslim” by Sajjad Hassan: A memoir that explores the experiences of a Dalit Muslim in India.
- “A Muslim in the Indian Army” by Lt. Gen. Zameer Uddin Shah: A memoir that offers a unique perspective on the experiences of Muslims in the Indian Army.
The above sampling offers a range of perspectives and insights into the experiences of Indian Muslims who feel “victimised”.
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The big problem with Victimhood Literature is that it is a very dangerous double-edged sword.
While on the one hand, this genre of literature does play a great role in preserving historical memory and fostering empathy by narrating experiences that might otherwise have been overlooked or silenced by society, on the other hand, it also has a very dark and menacing side that, more often than not, also contributes to both social unrest and political activism, depending on how the literature gets conceived, framed and narrated.
Victimhood Literature often provides the readymade, ready-to-use “tool-kit for fostering Political Activism”. It empowers individuals, groups and NGOs (non-governmental organisations) to transform personal trauma into collective community or aggrieved class action.
For instance, it can help victims reframe their suffering as societal or policy issues (e.g. Greta Thunberg), and motivating activism aimed at systemic change (e.g. Greenpeace activism). This dynamic has been observed in other movements like Families for Safe Streets, where victims and their lobbies find meaning and agency through political participation.
If Victimhood Literature stopped only at empowering political participation of groups and communities, it would be alright. But the real and grave problem for the State arises when, invariably, such literature goes beyond and further into fomenting “potential for social unrest”.
When victimhood narratives emphasize grievances without constructive outlets, they tend to deepen divisions and incite conflict. Such narratives tend to amplify resentment or else they foster a sense of entitlement to carry out retribution and resistance, potentially destabilizing social harmony. Furthermore, victimhood as a political identity can polarize groups by framing issues in zero-sum terms, where one group’s gains are perceived and pursued as another’s losses.
So, it has very often be found that while victimhood literature can inspire positive activism, its misuse or overemphasis on grievances can lead to great social tensions or unrest.
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Now, we may ask ourselves, are there counter-intuitive narratives in this same genre of “victimisation literature” in Indian writing where authors tell the flip side of the victimhood activism story? Is there literature that reveals the dark underbelly of victimisation? i.e. how “victim posturing” serves to disrupt political order and instead helps to only incite anarchic, societal tendencies ?
Although I have not myself read any such counter-intuitive literature, it seems to be that there are indeed many Indian writers who have written novels that are narratives challenging the conventional victimization genre. These authors argue how victim posturing perpetuates chaos and undermines social order. Here are a few examples:
- The Bestseller She Wrote by Ravi Subramanian: This novel explores the theme of victimhood and how it can be manipulated to achieve personal gain.
- The Family Man by Sumeet Vyas: This novel delves into the complexities of middle-class Indian life, highlighting how victimization postures can be used to justify moral compromises.
- Hindi Literature: Authors like Uday Prakash and Alka Saraogi have written about the ways in which victimization narratives can be co-opted by those in power to maintain social control.
- Marathi Literature: Writers like Vilas Sarang and Dilip Chitre have explored the tensions between victimization and social order in their works.
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Now , that I have finished presenting above a brief overview of what exactly the “victimhood genre of literature” is all about, let me finally turn to the main purpose of writing this essay.
Asking myself if there was anywhere in world literature a piece of creative work written by any author — i.e. as either novel, poem, essay or short-story — which captures, at the very same time, both the soft, empathetic side of “victimhood literature” as well as its dark, socially disruptive side, I began slowly rummaging through my memory of all literature I had read over the years and also went ferrerting through my personal library of books at home to find one such. After much searching and sifting, I finally came across one!
Yes, it was a minor Eureka moment for me!
It was the short-story I remembered to have read years ago. It was titled “Oh, the Public!” and written by the Russian novelist, short-story writer and playwright, Anton Chekov.
In the ensuring Part-2 of 3 I shall reproduce the short-story. Please do take time to read the story first for that is how you will later on, then in the concluding Part-3, understand why I say that Anton Chekov did indeed, 140 years ago, presciently predict that this genre of literature called Victimisation Narratives may well turn out to become a double-edged sword.
Sudarshan Madabushi