Question

‘Printing press played a major role in shaping the Indian society of the 19th century’. Explain by giving examples.

Answer 1

Hint: Print culture is the conglomeration of impacts produced by the development of printed forms of communication on human society. As it has progressed in response to technological developments, print culture covers several stages.

Complete answer: The culture of printing had a big influence on the growth of nationalism in India. Nationalist newspapers rose in numbers, despite passing the Vernacular Press Act. They wrote on the misrule of colonies and advocated nationalist practises. The British government was attempting to put down nationalised criticism, but more demonstrations occurred. 'Revolutionaries from Punjab have been deported,' wrote Tilak in Kesari. In 1908, it led to his arrest, provoking conditions of protest.

Some early English novels were translated into the Indian language, but it was soon realised that in the book, for example, the readers are unfamiliar with the English culture of characters, their dress, language style, manners. So novels have been published in the manner of English novel books in Malayalam. A few early novels were translated into Indian languages from English novels. Later, many authors began to write novels in their own languages, such as Chandu Menon and others.

Note: Chandu Menon, a Malabar subjudge, tried to translate Benjamin Disraeli's English novel Henrietta Temple into Malayalam, but he realised that his readers in Kerala were not acquainted with the characters of English novels, so he gave up this idea and wrote a storey in Malayalam in the manner of English novel books. Indulekha was the name of this novel and it was written in 1889 and was the first modern Malayalam novel.