| The Fall of the Indigo Jackal: The Discourse of Division and Pūrṇabhadra's Pańcatantra Contributor(s): Taylor, McComas (Author) |
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ISBN: 0791471780 ISBN-13: 9780791471784 Publisher: State University of New York Press OUR PRICE: $33.20 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: June 2008 Annotation: In this book, McComas Taylor looks at the discourses that give shape and structure to the fall of the indigo jackal and the other tales within the Pancatantra. The work's fictional metasociety of animals, kings, and laundrymen are divided according to their jāti, or "kind." This discourse of caste holds that individuals' essential natures, statuses, and social circles are all determined by their birth. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Literary Criticism | Asian - Indic - Social Science | Folklore & Mythology |
| Dewey: 891.23 |
| Physical Information: 0.59" H x 5.98" W x 8.96" (0.75 lbs) 250 pages |
| Themes: - Cultural Region - Indian |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Every child growing up in India knows the story of the jackal who fell into the vat of blue dye, and discovering the power of his majestic new appearance, declared himself king of the forest. In spite of his pretenses, the jackal, eventually betrayed by his own instincts, was set upon by the other animals. This and many similar narratives are found in the Pańcatantra, the collection of Sanskrit tales for children compiled by a Jaina monk named Pūrṇabhadra in 1199 CE. In this book, McComas Taylor looks at the discourses that give shape and structure to the fall of the indigo jackal and the other tales within the Pańcatantra. The work's fictional metasociety of animals, kings, and laundrymen are divided according to their jāti, or kind. This discourse of caste holds that individuals' essential natures, statuses, and social circles are all determined by their birth. Taylor applies contemporary critical theory developed by Foucault, Bourdieu, Barthes, and others to show how these ideas are related to other Sanskritic master-texts, and describes the regime of truth that provides validation for the discourse of division. |