Tennyson Perera
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Tennyson Perera (born 2 February 1940) is a renowned author in Sri Lanka.[1] He has written about 100 books,[1] comprising Short story collections, Novels, and translations. Most of his works show both the influence of surrealism[1] and magical realism,[1] and hence is noteworthy among the Sinhala Literature. Most of his early works harshly criticize the religious institutions, capitalism[2] and Sinhala Buddhist nationalism, using the sarcasm as a powerful literary device, mostly by blending myths, historical figures and contemporary events. Dhutta Gamini Nomala Wagai (King Gamini isn’t Dead) and the short story collection Dethi Rodhen Upan Budun (cog-wheel Buddha) are prominent examples. The latter became the first book ever to banned in Sinhala literature and met a huge controversy, due to its alleged religious insult.[2]
His works also show the post-colonial aspects, as K. K. Saman Kumara notes.[3] Critic and writer K. K. Saman Kumara recognizes him as one of the authors, which he calls as the ‘Modernist Trinity’ in Sinhala Literature, Simon Nawagaththegama and Ajith Thilakasena among others.[4]
Sakwala Dhadayama (Hunt of the Universe)[edit]
Sakwala Dadayama, which is the greatest work of him,[5] tells a story of a female Bodhisathva, who is fulfilling the requirements to become a Buddha. The story unravels in a mythical setting and blends the origin myths of Sinahalese, like Vijaya. Annathara, a Mahayana father-deity challenges the patriarchy within the council of deities, by saying that, he will beget a female-Bodhisarhva, who will become a Buddha in the future. Padmi the female Bodhisathva, who is expected to be a Buddha by Annathara, must collect male sperms, as a prerequisite for it. Vijaya is entrusted with her protection, but she ends up having sex with Vijaya, thus obliterating her chance of becoming a Buddha.[6]
K. K. Saman Kumara says that, Tennyson is telling about the feminist movement, and it’s fate allegorically, by this Novel.[5] The Novel consists of many magical elements, which is symbolical.[6]
List of works[edit]
Short story collections[edit]
- Uththareethara Sandhaeliya (1958)
- Dhethi Rodhen Upan Budhun [Cogwheel Buddha] (1967) -banned.
- Rathu Banaraya [Red Banner]
- Nidhahase Dharuvage Umathu Kathava [Mad Story of the Child of Independence]
- Ow Nagarayen Ne Nagarayata [from the town of yes to the town of no]
- Mahagedhara Nifhanaya
- Indhrajala Kathandhara
- Waiwarna [Vivacious]
- Asirimath Wedabima [Marvelous Workspace] (winner of the state Literary award)
- Veerabime Kalabegeniya [Hurly-Burly in the land of victory] (2012)
Novels[edit]
- Dhtta Gamini Nomala Wagayi [King Gamini isn't Dead] (1968)
- Sathyavadinge Marana Manchakaya [Death bed of the Truthists]
- Agni Kalpaya [Fire Epoch]
- Sakwala Dhadayama [Hunt of the Universe]
- I'm the King of Kings
- Mama Wesmarukaragena
- Rajabarana
- Ginnen Negena Dhum
- Bhavantharaya (shortlisted for the Swarna Pusthaka award)
- Abirahas Jeevitha Tharanaya [Crossing the Mysterious Lives] (shortlisted for the Swarna Pusthaka Award)
- Sasara Dhiganthaya
- Maha Ravana [The Great Ravana] (winner of the Fairway awards)
- Ekolos Gini
- Dhandabhoomi
Translations[edit]
- Nadu Yanno (Sinhala translation of the Franz Kafka's The Trial)
- Rupantharaya (Sinhala translation of the Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis)
- Arabi Nisollasaya (Sinhala translation of the Arabian Nights)
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Wijewardhane, Ravindra (19 September 2021), "I am in the struggle of modernising Sinhala fiction – Tennyson Perera", Sunday Observer
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The First Banned Book in Sri Lanka, The University of Iowa, 3 February 2020, retrieved 2021-12-15
- ↑ Saman Kumara, K. K. (2014). සාහිත්ය ෂානර විමංසා [Analysis of Literary Genres] (in Sinhala) (first ed.). Sayura publishers. p. 127.CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link) Search this book on
- ↑ Saman Kumara, K. K. (October 5, 2017). "මම ඉතිං ජීවත් වෙන්න මේසන් බාස්ලා වගෙ එක එක වැඩ කරනවා - කේ. කේ. සමන් කුමාර". vivarannews.com (Interview) (in Sinhala). Interviewed by Sunil Mihindhukula.CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Saman Kumara, K. K. (2014). "බෞද්ධ ප්රඥා මාර්ගික සාහිත්යය [Buddhist Wisdom Literature]". සාහිත්ය ෂානර විමංසා [Analysis of Literary Genres] (in Sinhala) (first ed.). Sayura publishers. pp. 171–172. ISBN 978-955-4788-08-4.CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link) Search this book on
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Saman Kumara, K. K. (2007). සිංහල ජාතියේ වංශකතාව, සයිමන් නවගත්තේගම සහ සංසාරාරණ්යය [Chronicle of Sinhalese, Simon Navagaththegama and the Wilderness of Sansara] (in Sinhala). author. ISBN 9789551823009.CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link) Search this book on
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