Impact of Colonialism on Indian English Literature

Abstract

This article critically examines the deep and lasting impact of colonialism on Indian English literature. British colonial rule did not only reshape India’s political and economic systems but also left a complex legacy in its cultural and linguistic domains. English literature produced in colonial India reflects a rich interplay of submission, resistance, mimicry, and identity assertion. This paper traces the emergence of Indian English literature, analyzes its key themes and transformations across colonial and postcolonial contexts, and evaluates how colonialism molded language politics, narrative strategies, and the voice of the native intellectual. Through textual examples and theoretical lenses, the paper highlights how colonial impositions created a new literary consciousness that continues to inform contemporary Indian writing in English.