Navigating Postcolonial Narratives and Cultural Identity in Amitav Ghosh’s The Hungry Tide

Abstract

Colonialism provides the critical backdrop for the emergence of postcolonialism as a literary and theoretical discourse. Postcolonialism, shaped by the political and social ideologies of colonial and imperial domination, has become a powerful framework for understanding the impact of colonization and decolonization. Since the 1980s, many authors, playwrights, and poets have been recognized as postcolonial writers, producing works that interrogate the oppressive structures of imperialism and colonial expansion. Postcolonial literature, which largely emerged in the post-World War II period, reflects the decolonization struggles of various regions, including the Indian subcontinent, Nigeria, South Africa, and the Caribbean. Amitav Ghosh, one of the most prominent figures in postcolonial literature, critically examines the lingering effects of colonialism in his works. His novel The Hungry Tide (2004) engages with the historical, cultural, and ethical complexities of the Sundarbans region, challenging rigid boundaries between cultures, nations, and individual identities. Through the lens of new historicism, Ghosh portrays literary activity as the creation of imaginative representations of reality, reflecting on the intersections of history, environment, and human identity. His work transcends colonial and postcolonial periods, exploring issues of cross-cultural encounters, identity formation, and the legacy of colonialism. It offers a nuanced exploration of these themes, positioning Ghosh’s work as a significant contribution to Indian writing in English and the broader field of postcolonial studies. By weaving together historical fiction with reflections on climate change and human displacement, Ghosh invites readers to reconsider the narratives surrounding imperialism, neocolonialism, and the ongoing challenges of postcolonial societies.The present paper aims to analyze how The Hungry Tide critiques the legacies of colonialism and neocolonialism through the lens of postcolonial theory.  It also attempts to explore Amitav Ghosh’s portrayal of cultural hybridity, environmental concerns, and cross-cultural encounters in both colonial and postcolonial contexts.