THE FLAME UNMASKED: Stephen Gill's Epic Critically Examined

Ed. by Sudhir K. Arora

ISBN 978-81-7977-357-4

pp. 240

Price: Rs. 200.00

Review of this book is available at:
http://shaleenreviews.blog.com/2009/12/25/the-flame-unmasked-ed-sudhir-k-arora-bareilly-prakash-book-depot-isbn-978-81-7977-357-4-pages-240-rs-200-reviewed-by-shaleen-kumar-singh/

Stephen Gill's The Flame (2008), which is an epical poem with eight parts and sixty two cantos covering 152 pages, is distinctive in itself because of its peace promoting spirit in the world diseased with terrorism. It offers a comprehensive poetic study of destruction caused by the maniac messiahs, as well as, despair out of this destruction and devotion to fight against it with the united efforts under the guidance of the eternal Flame. The poet invokes the Flame, depicts the havoc and destructive scenes, calculates the loss, studies the maniac messiahs psychologically peeping into their hearts and finally offers his determination to pursue his odyssey. Through this poem, the poet in Stephen Gill wages a war against the maniac messiahs by making the masses aware of the evil design.

The Flame is noted for its poetic idiom which is an outcome of an amalgamation of meaningful phraseology, fresh imagery and high imagination with a touch of realism, breath-taking narration and tonal variations. The poet creates the scenes and leaves to the readers to imagine and feel the very pulse which he wishes them to feel. The poem possesses all the characteristic features that make it a poetics of peace as it talks of peace not in any particular nation but in the world. There is no exaggeration in calling The Flame a Bible of Peace.

The present book, which is a collection of 18 papers attempts to decipher the text of The Flame critically in order to highlight the various possibilities of the undiscovered riches that will allure the readers, teachers and researchers for further search and research.

Sudhir K. Arora (b.1968) teaches English at Maharaja Harishchandra P. G. College, Moradabad (M.J.P. Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, U.P.). Besides completing a UGC sponsored project on Narrative Techniques as Delineators, he has co-edited Thunder on Stage: A Study of Girish Karnad's Plays and Festivals of Fire: Niranjan Mohanty. His area of interest is Indian Writing in English, Indian Aesthetics and Postcolonialism. His scholarly papers, book reviews and poems have been published in different reputed anthologies and journals including Indian Literature and World Literature Today. He has authored books, namely A Study of Kamala Markandaya's Women (2006), A Thirsty Cloud Cries (2006) & The Poetic Corpus of Stephen Gill: An Evaluation (2009). His monograph, titled, The Poetic Corpus of Niranjan Mohanty: An Evaluation is in press. Bharat Times from Canada has honored him with a plaque for outstanding contribution as a literary critic.

List of Contents

The Speculative Solemnity in Stephen Gill’s The Flame —R. C. Shukla

Satan’s Followers with Pandora Box: A Comparative Study of The Flame and Paradise Lost  —Sandhya Saxena

Stephen Gill’s The Flame in the Light of the Rasa Theory —Sudhir K. Arora

Human Beings minus Human Values: Maniac Messiahs in Stephen Gill’s The Flame —Madhubala Saxena

Triumph of the Flame: A Comparative Study of Shelley’s Triumph of Life and Stephen Gill’s The Flame —G. L. Gautam

Multifarious Manifestations in Stephen Gill’s The Flame —Sandhya Saxena

Revamping Roles of Terrorism in Ramcharitmanas and The Flame —Anuradha Sharma

Stephen Gill’s The Flame: Symphony of Music, Imagery and Thought —Chhote Lal Khatri

Prayers to the Flame: Niranjan Mohanty and Stephen Gill —Sudhir K. Arora

Stephen Gill’s The Flame: An Epic on Anti-terrorism —K.V. Dominic

The Flame of The Bhagavadgita: A Reading of Stephen Gill’s The Flame —Satish Kumar, Anupam Bansal

Stephen Gill’s The Flame: At a Glance —K. Balachandran

The Prophet and The Flame: A Comparative Study —Sudhir K. Arora

Nature in Stephen Gill’s The Flame —Alka Agrawal

Stephen Gill’s The Flame: An Anatomy of Terrorism —Arun Kumar Mishra

Battling Blazes in Stephen Gill’s The Flame —G. Dominic Savio, S.J. Kala

Celebrating Peace: Stephen Gill’s The Flame —Ruchi Shinghal

Stephen Gill’s Craft in The Flame —Sudhir K. Arora

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Index

List of Contributors

Alka Agrawal, Reader, Dept. of English, N. K. B. M. G. (PG) College, Chandausi–202412.

Anupam Bansal, Dept. of English, M. L. Girls P. G. College, Saharanpur

Anuradha Sharma teaches at Navjivan Arts and Commerce College, Dahod, Gujarat- 389151.

Arun Kumar Mishra, Reader and Head, Department of English, Janta Vedic College, Baraut, Baghpat, (U.P). 250611. Home Address: Krishna Apartment, Block No. 287, Flat No. M 2 C, Shalimar Garden Extension, Sahibabad, Ghaziabad—201005 (UP) 

Chhote Lal Khatri, Editor: Cyber Literature, “Anandamatha”, Near St. Paul School, Harnichak, Anisabad, Patna:800002, Bihar.

G. Dominic Savio, Reader in English, The American College, Madurai—2 

G. L. Gautam, Reader in English, Lajpat Rai Collage Sahibabad Ghaziabad (U.P.)

K. Balachandran, Professor of English, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar-608002. Tamil Nadu, India. He is a bilingual writer, a poet, critic, reviewer, translator and essayist with 14 books to his credit.

K. V. Dominic, Professor in English, P. G. Department, Newman College, Thodupuzha East P. O., Idukki District, Pin-685585. Kerala, India. He edits a referred biannual Journal of Postcolonial Literatures (IJPCL), (ISSN 0974 – 7370).

Madhubala Saxena, Department of English, Maharaja Harishchandra P. G. College, Moradabad-244001 UP India

R. C. Shukla, Former Head, Department of English, K. G. K. Postgraduate College, Moradabad. He is a bilingual poet writing both in Hindi and English. His poetic collections include: Darkness at Dawn, Belated Appearance, Depth and Despair, My Poems Laugh, The Parrot Shrieks Part I, II and III. He resides at MIG 33, Ramganga Vihar, phase 2, MIT Road, Moradabad-244001 (Tel: 0591-2452040 Mobile: 09411682777).

Ruchi Shinghal, Lecturer, Department of English, Kanya Mahavidyalaya, Bhoor, Bareilly. Home Address: B-21, Gangwar Complex, Karmchari Nagar Road, Izatnagar, Bareilly 243122 (UP) India.

Sandhya Saxena, Senior Lecturer, Department of English, V.R.A.L. Govt. Girls P.G. College, Bareilly, U.P., India.

Satish Kumar, Former Dean, Faculty of Arts, M. J. P. Rohilkhand University, Bareilly and former Principal, Govt. Raza P. G. College, Rampur (UP) is a renowned writer of more than twenty four books. Home Address: H. I. G — 27, Ram Ganga Vihar II, Moradabad—244001 (UP) India.

S. J. Kala, Senior Lecturer in English, Fatima College, Madurai—18.

Sudhir K. Arora, Department of English, Maharaja Harishchandra P. G. College, Moradabad-244001. UP India. Home Address: B-72, Deendayal Nagar, Phase-2, Near Sai Temple, Moradabad-244001 UP India