Maternal Intertextuality, Diasporic Identity, and Narrative Hybridity in Amit Chaudhuri’s Odysseus Abroad

Abstract

Amit Chaudhuri’s Odysseus Abroad is a subtle expedition of identity, belonging, and meaning in the globalised era. The novel’s explorative narrative structure interweaves genres, blending themes of diasporic experience, cultural hybridity, and existential introspection. Through its non-linear narrative, stream-of-consciousness narration, and intertextuality with Homer’s Odyssey, Chaudhuri both reinstates essentialist notions of identity and celebrates its temporal, conditional nature. The paper examines how Chaudhuri’s narrative techniques depict the intricacies of identity formation in a transnational world. His fragmented self mirrors the novel’s hybrid form, which resists simplistic categorisations and embraces multiplicity. Chaudhuri’s intertextuality with the Odyssey deepens the exploration of identity, reimagining Homer’s epic in a contemporary context. Ultimately, the novel presents an intricate understanding of identity as a palimpsest, written and rewritten through history, culture, and narrative. By accepting this ambiguity, Chaudhuri presents an image of self-identity that is subtle, multi-stratum, and deeply human.