Analysing Waliullah's Majeed in Tree Without Roots: An Existential Perspective

Abstract

With only five novels to his credit -Lal Shalu (Red Cloth)(1948), Chander Amabasya (Night of No Moon)(1964), Kando Nodi Kando (Cry, River, Cry)(1968), How to Cook Beans (2012), and The Ugly Asian (2013), Syed Waliullah (1922-1971) holds an eminent place in Bengali literature. He had always been quite introspective as an author, focusing more on analysing the psyche of the characters than elaborating on the plot. The protagonists Aref Ali from Chander Amabasya, and M uhammad Mustafa from Kando Nodi Kando are considered to be two of the very first existential characters in Bangladeshi as well as Bengali literature. Majeed from Lal Shalu shares the trait of introspection to a certain degree and the author leads us to his innermost turmoil through extensive use of stream of consciousness, but Majeed is usually considered to be an opportunist fraud feeding upon the religious sentiment of people. However, Tree Without Roots, the English version of Lal Shalu presents a Majeed more contemplative and less villainous in nature, different from his counterpart in the Bengali original. The English version, a revision by the author, differs substantially from the Bengali version and the protagonist in the English version seemingly emerges with an existential undertone. This article aims to focus on the differences between the two versions of the novel as well as the character in question and analyses whether the protagonist can be considered as an existentialist character or not.