INTRODUCTION
The most basic information that one can start with, is the birth date and place. What does this do? It kind of places the writer against the socio-economic milieu of the era.
The era of the British Raj!
The youngest son of Sarada Devi and Brahmo Samaj leader Debendranath Tagore, Rabindranath Tagore was born on 7 May 1861.
Find out, what is Brahmo Samaj? How do the social upheavals of the time nurture young Tagore's mind?
As early as eight, he started writing poetry and published his first collection under the pseudonym ' Bhanusimha'.
The legend has written national anthems for three different nations- India's ' Jana Gana Mana, Bangladesh's ' Amar Sonar Bangla' and ' Sri Lanka's 'Sri Lanka Mata'.
He was awarded the Nobel Prize in the year 1913.
Till now, we have covered the first lap of the marathon: the essential milestones in Tagore's literary journey.
AN OVERVIEW OF TAGORE STUDIES
Tagore wasn't only a writer, but composed songs, painted, delved into philosophy and showed his keenness as a social reformer.
His versatility has been summed up as 'TAGORE STUDIES'.
But, what does it consist of? When I was searching for material online, I came across the syllabus of Tagore Studies from Amity.
Click here to have a look!
A quick glance at the syllabus gives you the crux.
Neatly divided into six semesters, it has:
1) Rabindranath Tagore in the 21st Century
2) Tagore's autobiographies and biographical sketch
3) Tagore as a Cultural Icon- Tagore as the Painter and Performer
4) Tagore as a Poet
5) Tagore as a Fiction Writer
6) Tagore and Mass Media
The course has been designed such that after every Title, it begins with the theme, subdivided into modules. Additionally, with expected learning outcomes supplemented with the reading list, you can search for PDFs online or in your library to write excellent essays!
ONLINE RESOURCES ON TAGORE AND HIS WORKS:
1) TAGORE AS A SOCIO-POLITICAL THINKER
I found the material on IGNOU under the heading ' social and political thought in modern India'- click here to read
2) THE HOME AND THE WORLD
PART 1- CLICK HERE
PART 2- CLICK HERE
3) TAGORE ON GENDER INEQUITY AND PATRIARCHY
A newspaper column highlights Tagore's three short stories: Haldargoshthi, Haimanti, Strir Patra. Click here to read.
Also, read the relevance of Tagore in India's political history- click here