Tennyson Perera
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 are noteworthy among the Sinhala Literature. Most of his early works harshly criticize religious institutions, capitalism[2] and Sinhala Buddhist nationalism, using 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 be banned in Sinhala literature and met with 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 the ‘Modernist Trinity’ in Sinhala Literature, Simon Nawagaththegama and Ajith Thilakasena among others.[4]
Sakwala Dhadayama (Hunt of the Universe)
Sakwala Dadayama, which is his greatest work,[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 Sinhalese, 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 its fate allegorically, by this Novel.[5] The Novel consists of many magical elements, which are symbolical.[6]
List of works
Short story collections
- 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
- 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
- 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
- ↑ 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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