Dalit Literature in Tamil Nadu and Caste Values in Malarum Sarukum Novel

Abstract

"Everything changes except change itself" said Karl Marx. In that way, the content of the literature also keeps on changing from time to time. Tamil literature also interprets the subject matter according to the change of time. Through Dalit literature we can know the liberation of the people who have been neglected, marginalized and humiliated by the Indian society. The idea of equality put forwarded by the Europeans who came to India brought a great change in the Indian and Tamil social structure. Due to this the people who were neglected in Indian social status until then got the right to religion, the right to education, the right to equality and they even questioned their social status. As a result of good education provided by the Europeans, they got government jobs and holds high position and they tried to make their life as a subject matter of literature. Thus, Dalit literature emerged in India. Overall, the article examines the Dalit literature in Tamil Nadu.