Cultural influences in writing and on writers, have been in the mainstream for way too long. From the legendary classics to the contemporary writers now a days, you’ll witness this impact. The books in forms of the various inferences and references mentioned, exhibit a peculiar cultural impact. More or less, it depends on the cultural identity of the writer. Some authors more intentionally than others, write from the perspective of their culture or the cultural ramifications that are happening around them during their time. While others are influenced from the work of the legends they idolize.
Be it Shakespeare or Premchand, Austen or Ruskin Bond, Winston Churchill or Jhumpa Lahiri; you can easily experience this impact on their work. Take for example any Shakesperean literature: Hamlet, King Lear or Romeo and Juliet- while Hamlet was based on the legend of Amleth, King Lear is based on the legend of Leir of Britain and Romeo and Juliet is about the two lovers stuck in the family feud. The cultural similarities can indeed be drawn here.
Not going far away from our homeland, we have Munshi Premchand whose writings prominently features realism. His work depicts a realistic outlook and describes the problems of poor and the urban middle-class. Indeed an Indian synopsis! Talking further about the Indian impact, Jhumpa Lahiri who herself is an Indian American- her work is always based on the Indian immigrants to America and their experiences in the foreign land. Or take for instance the famous Ruskin Bond- be it The Blue Umbrella or Angry River– his work has always been influenced by his life in the hill stations.
While these examples strongly hold the point, we cannot really ignore the likes of Jane Austen or Danielle Steele whose romantic fiction has inspired many a girls. Believe it or not, these novels have always been inspired by the cultural acceptance of the age-old romance. They say ‘You are what you read’. Holds true here, perfectly!
In fact, not just from the cultural aspect of writers but also from the readers’ point of view, the effect stays there. While reading a book, one reads it keeping intact ones own cultural mindset. And that thereby instills multiple cultural effect. Think hard and you won’t deny this fact! An indeed intriguing thought to ponder upon.
