BUFT Journal of Fashion and Technology

Perplexing Homecoming in Robert Frost’s “The Death of the Hired Man” and Amitav Ghosh’s The Shadow Lines

Assistant Professor, Department of English, BGMEA University of Fashion & Technology
Email: mahmudaiasmin@buft.edu.bd

Abstract

Defining home is problematic as it is impossible to give a single statement about what it is. The recurring ideas of home are as a fixed place or a dwelling where the family members live, a place constituted of one’s memories or somewhere/thing to go back to. Though closely related to our personal life the concept of home is deeply influenced by individual and social conditions. Because of different conditions the definition of home varies. This problem of definition is responsible for a strange confusion of homecoming. As it is difficult to say what it is, so going or coming there is the same thing or nothing. This paper focuses on this problem and it discusses the different handling of the meaning of ‘home’ in Robert Frost’s “The Death of the Hired Man” and Amitav Ghosh’s The Shadow Lines to show that homecoming is perplexing in these two literary pieces.