Advanced International Journal for Research

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Volume 7 Issue 4
July-August 2026

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Shakespeare at the Margins: Bengali Little Magazines and the Politics of Cultural Representation

Author(s) Dr. Biplab Das
Country India
Abstract Shakespeare's emergence as a global cultural icon has been profoundly shaped by indigenous modes of interpretation and artistic expression across the Global South. In colonial India, Shakespeare functioned as an instrument of imperial pedagogy, reinforcing British cultural authority. From the late nineteenth century onwards, however, this hegemonic image was increasingly challenged through theatrical performances, translations, adaptations, classroom practices, and vernacular literary engagements that reinterpreted Shakespeare within local cultural contexts. This paper examines the reception of Shakespeare in Bengali little magazines, a significant yet understudied site of literary and cultural discourse. As alternative literary platforms, these magazines created space for writers, teachers, theatre practitioners, and general readers to engage critically with Shakespeare beyond the institutional framework of colonial education. By analysing essays and special issues devoted to Shakespeare, particularly those published during the quatercentenary commemorations, the paper explores how Bengali intellectuals appropriated the Bard to articulate indigenous perspectives. Rather than merely celebrating Shakespeare's universal genius, these magazines sought to Indianise, localise, and demystify his canonical status, transforming him from an emblem of colonial authority into a subject of cultural negotiation. The diverse and polyphonic voices preserved in these periodicals reveal an alternative history of Shakespeare's reception in Bengal, one that foregrounds dialogue, reinterpretation, and resistance. The study argues that Bengali little magazines constitute a valuable archive for understanding the decolonisation of Shakespeare and the formation of vernacular literary modernity in India.
Keywords Bengali Little Magazine, Shakespeare, Response, Periphery
Field Arts
Published In Volume 7, Issue 4, July-August 2026
Published On 2026-07-30
DOI https://doi.org/10.63363/aijfr.2026.v07i04.7076
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