Keywords
Narratology, Focalization, Narrative Perspective, Limited Narration, Companion Narrators, Detective Authority, Bengali Detective Fiction, Gérard Genette.
Abstract
The present study examines the role of companion narrators in Bengali detective fiction and analyses how they contribute to the construction of detective authority. Bengali detective narratives are often discussed mainly through the figure of the detective and his intelligence, observation, and analytical skill. However, in many important detective texts, the story is not narrated by the detective himself. Instead, the reader encounters the detective through companion figures such as Ajit and Topse. This study focuses on how these companion narrators influence the reader’s understanding of the detective through observation, interpretation, emotional response, and limited knowledge. The study is based on selected texts by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay and Satyajit Ray, particularly Satyanweshi, Arthamanartham, Sonar Kella, and Joi Baba Felunath. The study uses the narrative theory of Wayne C. Booth along with selected narratological concepts associated with Gérard Genette, especially focalization and narrative perspective. The methodology of the study is based on close textual reading and comparative analysis. Through an analysis of Ajit and Topse as companion narrators, the study argues that detective authority in Bengali detective fiction is not presented independently, but is carefully constructed through narration. The study also shows that the limited perspective of companion narrators helps in maintaining suspense and shaping the reader’s perception of the detective. At the same time, differences between Ajit and Topse reveal different narrative styles and relationships within the Byomkesh and Feluda stories. The study therefore attempts to offer a different perspective on Bengali detective fiction by shifting attention from the detective alone to the narrative process through which the detective is represented and understood.
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