Early Cultural Writings (CWSA Volume 1) collects Sri Aurobindo’s essays and prose writings on literature, education, art, and other cultural subjects, written mostly between 1890 and 1910, with a few from 1910–1920. The material is arranged by topic in nine parts and two appendixes.

Contents

Part One: The Harmony of Virtue — Early philosophical essays including “The Harmony of Virtue”, “Beauty in the Real”, “Stray Thoughts”.

Part Two: On Literature — The most substantial section, including:

  • Bankim Chandra Chatterji (eight essays): A comprehensive study of the Bengali novelist and cultural figure, covering his youth, career, literary history, and influence
  • On Poetry and Literature: Essays including “Poetry”, “Characteristics of Augustan Poetry”, “Sketch of the Progress of Poetry from Thomson to Wordsworth”, “Originality in National Literatures”
  • The Poetry of Kalidasa: A proposed work on Kalidasa, studies of the Malavas, the Age of Kalidasa, Hindu drama, Vikramorvasie, and translating Kalidasa
  • On the Mahabharata: Extensive notes on the Mahabharata

Part Three: On Education — Essays including “Address at the Baroda College Social Gathering”, “Education”, “The Brain of India”, “A System of National Education” (covering the human mind, powers of the mind, moral nature, teaching methods, training of the senses), “National Education”, “A Preface on National Education”.

Part Four: On Art — Essays including “The National Value of Art”, “Two Pictures”, “Indian Art and an Old Classic”, “The Revival of Indian Art”, “An Answer to a Critic”.

Part Five: Conversations of the Dead — Imaginative dialogues between historical figures: “Dinshah, Perizade”, “Turiu, Uriu”, “Mazzini, Cavour, Garibaldi”, “Shivaji, Jaysingh”, “Littleton, Percival”.

Parts Six through Nine — Additional essays and translations, including the “Ilion” fragment and other literary experiments.

Key Themes

  • Literary Criticism: Wide-ranging criticism of English, Sanskrit, and Bengali literature, demonstrating deep engagement with both Western and Indian literary traditions
  • National Education: A vision for an education system rooted in Indian culture while assimilating the best of Western knowledge
  • Indian Art: The national value and spiritual significance of Indian art
  • The Spirit of Indian Culture: Early expressions of Sri Aurobindo’s cultural nationalism

Source Summary

CWSA Volume 1 contains essays checked against journals, books, and manuscripts. About half the material was not prepared by Sri Aurobindo for publication and was transcribed from manuscripts. The volume provides the foundation for understanding Sri Aurobindo’s early intellectual development and his lifelong engagement with culture, literature, and education.

See Also