Michael the Rebel

Around the middle of the 18th century, the influence of the intellectual awakening of Bengal was at its peak, questioning Bengal's existing orthodoxies, particularly women's rights, marriage, the dowry system, caste system, religion and other norms. At the same time, Swami Vivekananda was busy establishing the works of the Ramakrishna Mission. Over the summer and early autumn of 1864, he received an unusual letter from Versailles in France. The letter spoke of despair, hardship and even a tinge of terror saying, “I am going to a French jail and my poor wife must seek shelter in a charitable institution. You are the only friend who can rescue me.” 

The writer signed off as Michael M. Dutt. We fondly remember this writer, for his enormous contribution to Bengal literature, as Michael Madhusudan Dutta.

Born in 1824, Madhusudan Datta or simply known as either Madhusudan or Michael, is known for being a revolutionary poet. He is the first person to introduce sonnet poetry in Bengali literature, something which we all came across in our school textbooks. Madhushudan pioneered what came to be called Amitrakshar chhanda (Blank Verse). Although his first love remained poetry, Dutta showed prodigious skill as a playwright as well. He was the first to write Bengali plays in the English style, segregating the play into acts and scenes. He was also the very first to have written satirical plays in Bengali – Buro Shaliker Ghare Ron and Ekei Ki Boley Sabyota. As the letter mentioned above, Madhushudan went through a lot of ups and downs from changing religion to facing extreme poverty. Fortunately, he channeled his miseries into producing some of the best works in Bengali literature.

Madhushudan was born and raised in the district of Jessore, into affluent, if not overly wealthy, circumstances. From a very early age Dutta was recognised by his teachers and professors as being a precocious child with a gift for literary expressions. He was very imaginative and an early exposure to European literature inspired him to emulate the English in taste, manners and intellect. Dutta's teacher, professor David Lester Richardson of Hindu College introduced him to Byron's poetry which got Dutta fully hooked to western literature. He was so influenced by European literature, that at one point, he began to despise Bengali traditional literature and became a somewhat rebel amidst the writers. Another reason for his revolt was the fact that he was also influenced by the thoughts and actions of the Young Bengal - a movement by a group of illustrious former students of the Hindu College against the atrocities, blind beliefs and customs they held as illogical, prevalent in the Hindu society of the 19th century Bengal. These two major influences made Dutta aspire to be an English poet, longing to travel to England to gain fame. When his father, concerned by these trends, arranged his marriage, he rebelled and converted to Christianity. In his own words he described, “Where man in all his truest glory lives, and nature's face is exquisitely sweet; for those fair climes I heave impatient sigh, there let me live and there let me die.” This conversion however made him to leave Hindu College. Later on he was enrolled into the Bishop College where he continued his studies.

Madhusudan gained fame thanks to his writings. Back then, Bengal was following a traditional norm of writing inspired by the ancient texts. Dutta however was one of the firsts to break this barrier. One of his works which truly showed his rebel self was Meghnathbodh Kabbo -- an epic based upon Ramayana. He wrote from a perspective where Ram was shown as the villain, and Ravan and his brother Meghnath were shown as the heroes. This shook all traditionalists but paved the way for Madhusudan to become a renaissance icon. Meghnathbodh Kabbo is also considered to be one of the first epics of modern Bangla literature.

Though Dutta lived a larger than life lifestyle, throughout his young days, his last years were quite hectic. Though he was the third Bangali to be called to the bar, his writings came somewhat to a stop after becoming a lawyer. Dutta faced extreme poverty in the last couple of years in his life, where he could not even provide for his family.

January 25 will mark the 192nd Birth Anniversary of Michael Madhusudan Dutta. It is because of Dutta, that Bangla poetry took a 'rebellious' turn in the 1800s. Even Rabindranath had credited him to be a true pioneer of Bengal's modern poetry. On June 26 1873, Madhusudan's wife, Henrietta, had passed away. After hearing this news, Madhusudan is said to have recited a passage from Shakespeare's Macbeth to his dear friend Bysack, to express his deepest conviction of life. He quoted, “Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow; a poor player.” Three days later Dutta, at the age of 49, died in that same hospital.