This paper intends to explore the Indian theory of “Rasa” in a Western literary work like John Keats’s Lamia. Rasa is one of the most prominent concepts of Sanskrit Poetics. We see its usage in almost every piece of ancient and modern Indian literature. Since the base of Rasa is human sentiment, it is likely to be found in global literature. Rasa itself stimulates in the sensibility of the speculator. Rasa is the resultant of the unification of Vibhavas (Determinants), Anubhavas (Consequent) and Vyabhicharibhavas (Transitory Feelings).This is a small venture to explore it in a western discourse. Lamia is one of the well-known narrative poems of Keats. Lamia provides us amazing colourful imagery and well-executed depiction of human sentiments. Being a romantic poet Keats, though unconsciously, is very near to the concept of Rasa. The creation of poetry is not possible without the awakening of Rasa in the sensibility of the poet. Lamia is a love poem and hence it contains a lot of imaginative bulk in it, extending the scope of searching out for the basic elements of Sanskrit poetics in the poem. Written in Heroic Couplets Lamia is full of examples of Shringara (Erotic) Rasa, Adbhut (Wonderful) Rasa and Karun (Pathetic) Rasa. The first half of the poem constitutes of Shringara (Erotic) Rasa, Adbhut (Wonderful) Rasa whereas the second half of the poem exemplifies mostly Karun (Pathetic) Rasa and to some extent Bhayanaka (Furious) Rasa.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of English University of Delhi, Delhi
