Unveiling Classical Reverberations in the Epic Narrative Poems of Michael Madhusudan Dutt – A Bicentennial Homage

Michael Madhusudan Dutt, a key figure in 19th-century Bengali literature, transformed the literary landscape with his epic narrative poems, merging classical Indian themes with Western literary traditions. This paper, written as a bicentennial tribute, examines the classical reverberations in Dutt’s major works, such as Meghnad Badh Kavya, Veerangana Kavya, Tilottama Sambhava Kavya and Brajangana. Drawing from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and other classical Indian epics, Dutt reinvents traditional narratives of heroism, divine intervention, and love, reimagining them through a modern poetic lens. The paper examines how Dutt reinterprets classical themes—valor, divine intervention, duty, and love—through a modern lens, infusing them with emotional depth, tragedy, and an intense exploration of human psyche and devotion. Dutt’s utilization of Sanskritic diction and poetic meter, alongside his adoption of Romantic literary techniques, exemplifies his profound command over both classical and contemporary modes of expression.