Published Paper Details:

The intersection of mythology and contemporary literary forms offers new insights into cultural narratives and their representation of identity, agency, and existence. In particular, the retellings of Indian mythology have come more and more to adapt to modern sensibilities and frameworks of understanding. One compelling lens through which to explore these transformations is the concept of the "posthuman" which challenges traditional notions of humanity and its boundaries. Environmental posthumanities, as a sub-genre focus on Nature as an active agent capable of influencing human behaviour and societal structures. It deconstructs dualisms like nature/culture, human/nonhuman and subject/object to emphasise the interconnectedness of all life forms. This paper makes a posthuman material analysis of the grotesque characters in Amish Tripathi's Shiva Trilogy to show that they embody hybrid identities that reflect and critique contemporary societal and ecological concerns.