Violence and Trauma in Salman Rushdie’s Shalimar the Clown

Abstract

This dissertation explores the impacts of aftermath of violence and trauma in the life of an innocent Muslim youth, Shalimar. Rushdie depicts personal hatred and enmity as the source of communal trauma that crosses local boundaries and becomes global. Shalimar the Clown weaves the destiny of three characters; Shalimar, a humble Muslim boy and Boonyi, a Hindu girl from Kashmir and Maximillan Ophuls, the shrewd American Ambassador to India. Max lures the innocent Boonyi into his charismatic personality and impregnates her. When Shalimar is hurt due to Boonyi’s betrayal, he becomes furious not only with Max but with the American system, thus the seeds of communal violence and trauma is sown. The notion of love and hatred gets the touch of cultural conflict of trans-border scenario, engulfing the life of people from a small village in Kashmir to Delhi, Afghanistan, Philippines, Europe and the US. Shalimar the Clown from the usual tits and bits of lovers moves to an episode of hatred and avenge turning from personal level to the communal. As such, from an act of personal level, it turns communal and an entire race is dragged in the battle of violence and hatred.