The subaltern’s speech: reframing narratives of subaltern representation and voice through tales of the Sundarbans in Amitav Ghosh’s The Hungry Tide and Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children

Abstract

The subaltern in literary discourse has long been regarded as a greatly complex subject, with their identification, representation and narratives considered challenging to depict. Both Western and non-Western discourses theorise the state of the subaltern through critical inquiry, and this paper examines the methods and manner of such treatment. It focuses particularly on Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak’s assertion that the subaltern “cannot speak”, highlighting the perceived need to represent subaltern groups. By engaging critically with the existing frameworks that shape how marginalised groups are showcased and theorised, this study seeks to uncover the limitations of such engagement. Through close readings of Amitav Ghosh’s novel The Hungry Tide and Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children, this research centres on showcasing the lived realities of the Sundarbans’ inhabitants and the legends they share, such as that of Bon Bibi, to highlight the diverse narratives of indigenous people that challenge the notion of subaltern voicelessness. These stories, expressed in multiple forms, often go unheard or unacknowledged due to external impositions of knowledge. This thesis primarily argues for a paradigm shift from representation to participation, emphasising the necessity of listening as a means to engage authentically with subaltern narratives, where their voices inform and reshape contemporary discourse, offering a path forward that recognises the autonomy and agency of these communities.