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January 11, 2016
8-St. Anne
MYANMAR LITERATURE
Non-fiction and religious works prevailed during this period although Ka gyin,
a war poem by a monarch, was an early form of this genre in history. As literature
grew more liberal and secular, poetry became the most popular form of literature in
Myanmar. The flexibility of the Burmese language, because of its monosyllabic and
tonal nature, and its lack of many consonantal finals allowed poetry to utilise
various rhyming schemes.
By the 1400s, four primary genres of poetry had emerged, namely pyo
(poems based on the Jataka Tales, linka (metaphysical and religious poems),
mawgoun (historical verses written as a hybrid of epic and ode), and eigyin
(lullabies of the royal family). Courtiers also perfected the myittaza, a long prose
letter.
As the Konbaung Dynasty emerged in the 1700s, the Third Burmese Empire
was founded. This era has been dubbed the "Golden Age of Literature". After a
second conquest of Ayutthaya (Thailand), many spoils of war were brought to the
Burmese court. The Ramayana was introduced and was adapted in Burmese. In
addition, the Ramayana inspired romantic poems, which became popular literary
sojourns among the royal class. Burmese literature during this period was therefore
modelled after the Ramayana, and dramatic plays were patronised by the Burmese
court.
Monks remained powerful in Burmese literature, compiling histories of Burma.
Kyigan Shingyi (1757-1807) wrote the Jataka Tales incorporating Burmese elements,
including the myittaza.
During the First Anglo-Burmese War (1823-1826), more solemn and muted moods
exuded from Burmese literature, including lyrical music.
The British author George Orwell, who was severely critical of the Burmese,
wrote Burmese Days published in 1935.
When Burma became a colony of British India, Burmese literature continued to
flourish. English literature was still relatively inaccessible although both English and
Burmese were now taught in schools. Despite the fact that Burmese literature was
well entrenched in Burmese culture, the lack of patrons to support literature did
slow its further development.
One of the greatest female writers of the Post-colonial period is Gyan gyaw
Ma Ma Lei. The journalist Ludu U Hla was the author of numerous volumes of ethnic
minority folklore, novels about inmates in U Nu era jails, and biographies of people
working in different occupations. The Prime Minister U Nu himself wrote several
politically oriented plays and novels.