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• May 1, 2025
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Are you preparing for UGC-NET English Literature exam? Yes! We know you must be feeling overwhelmed due to the vast UGC-NET English Literature syllabus. Have you explored meditative poetry or other literary works? What is that? Meditative poetry? Oh wait…you do not have any idea about meditation literature. But it is definitely a part of your exam’s syllabus. You must have heard about Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha. Yes! It is an introspective writing. Hmmm…so meditative literature is spiritual and introspective. What brings us closer to us is a form of meditation in itself. So, in this blog, we are going to focus on the literary works of top meditative writers from the UGC-NET English Literature preparation perspective.

What is meditation literature?

Meditation literature often speaks of silence, stillness, and awareness. These literary works are not meant for consumption but they emerge from the act of meditation and profound reflection. In this kind of literary work, there is observation of thoughts, emotions, sensations, and letting them pass through the pen without clinging or resisting. There are certain authors whom you can consider as meditative because reading their works often becomes an act of meditation. These phenomenal meditative writers don’t just tell stories, they slow down time.

When Mary Oliver asks:

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?”

These lines ask deep existential questions while making us aware of our deeply embodied purpose.

A lot of confessional poetry by Sylvia Plath and Kamala Das often carry these deep-seated reflections on emotions.

Basically, meditative literature teaches us how to be. Further, the meditative writers don’t have the intention to impress but to express, not to explain, but to explore. It is deeply spiritual and a dialogue with silence.

Top meditative writers in English Literature

A lot of confessional poetry by Sylvia Plath and Kamala Das often carries deep-seated reflections on emotions, identity, and the silent sufferings of the self. In their poetic journeys, the act of writing becomes catharsis — a purging of inner turmoil and a search for emotional clarity. For Plath, poems like “Lady Lazarus” or “Tulips” delve into psychological landscapes with fierce honesty, while Kamala Das, in “An Introduction” or “The Looking Glass,” strips away societal masks to reveal the vulnerable core of womanhood. This vulnerable exploration becomes a form of literary meditation — not always serene, but undeniably soulful.

The tone of confessional poetry is different from the calm of Wordworth and Tagore. But these confessional poets have a meditative tone where they deeply self-examine themselves.

While meditative writing often evokes images of serene landscapes and spiritual transcendence, confessional poetry introduces a different, yet equally profound, form of inner reflection. In this vein, Sylvia Plath and Kamala Das stand out as powerful voices whose writing transforms emotional vulnerability into literary depth — making them essential for UGC-NET aspirants like you.

Plath’s poetry is often stormy and psychologically intense, but beneath the rage and melancholy lies a silent confrontation with the self. In works like “Lady Lazarus” and “Daddy,” she wrestles with themes of death, identity, and rebirth. Her verse may not always soothe, but it compels readers to pause and feel — making her a meditative writer through emotional excavation.

Not all meditation is peaceful. Sometimes, it’s a fierce honesty that leads us to the truth. Confessional poets like Plath and Das remind us that writing can be a brave, meditative confrontation with one’s own demons.

Sri Aurobindo, another profound writer, a deep and empathetic witness of life uses meditative tone in his writings. His meditative writings are deeply rooted in Indian philosophy, particularly drawing from Vedanta, yoga, and the Vedas. Aurobindo’s meditative works transcend mere contemplation—they are paths toward self-realization and divine awakening. Aurobindo’s The Life of Divine explores the nature of the divine and its relationship to the material world. It helps readers to engage in self-reflection, understanding the meaningfulness of life and potential for spiritual evolution. Aurobindo in his epic poem, Savitri explores life, death, and rebirth, urging readers to reflect on soul’s journey and its evolution towards divinity.

What is true about meditative writing is: it rebuilds us from inside and heals us from within. It is soulful talk which considers a powerful remembrance of the self. So, whenever we are standing in the deep trenches of illusions, these meditative literary works like Mohan Rakesh’s play Hans help us to understand if self-knowledge can be found in isolation or through engagement. The hāns in Indian philosophy represents the paramhamsa—the spiritually evolved being who discerns truth from illusion. Kalidasa’s journey mirrors this symbolic flight toward inner clarity. Each monologue in this play becomes an act of meditation—on time, love, ego, and the burdens of creativity. Hāns imagines a turning point in Kalidasa’s life when he must choose between a life of spiritual retreat or the demands of courtly life and relationships. The swan (hāns) becomes a symbol of purity, detachment, and enlightenment—qualities Kalidasa aspires to, but struggles to uphold.

Søren Kierkegaard, a Danish philosopher, emphasized the individual’s inner experiences over objective systems of thought. In his work, Fear and Trembling, he explores the concept of the “leap of faith” through the biblical story of Abraham. It’s a call to spiritual courage, beyond logic—a form of meditative surrender. In another work titled, The Sickness Unto Death, Kierkegaard defines despair as a misrelation within the self—when one either refuses to be oneself or tries to be something one is not. It’s a meditative exploration of human suffering, identity, and reconciliation with God.

Hermann Hesse’s prose writings are slow, deliberate reflection, inviting readers to pause and read in-between the lines. Many of his books feature long conversations between seeker and guide—mimicking Socratic or Upanishadic dialogues. In his book Siddhartha, he explores a young Brahmin’s journey toward spiritual enlightenment. The book was deeply inspired by Buddha’s journey. In another work, Demian, he seeks to understand the process of awakening of self-awareness and rebellion against social norms. Hesse’s protagonists often embark on inward spiritual quests rather than outward adventures. His novels reflect the soul’s yearning for wholeness, a central feature of meditative literature.

Friedrich Schiller is not directly considered as meditative writer but his literary words reflect a deeply contemplative worldview. Schiller contemplated the idea that true freedom comes from within- this is a theme resurfacing in meditation literature. His idea of the “aesthetic state” envisions a person who, through art and beauty, reconciles reason and emotion, duty and desire. Schiller’s essays, such as On the Aesthetic Education of Man, are almost meditative treatises on how beauty transforms the soul, cultivating inner freedom and ethical clarity. His dramas, like Wallenstein and Don Carlos, portray characters who seek moral or spiritual redemption, often in conflict with worldly power—a reflective, philosophical tension that invites contemplation. Schiller believed that beauty educates the soul. According to him, engaging with art is not a luxury, it is a path to inner freedom and ethical awakening. His poetic imagination resounds with Marcuse’s idea Great Refusal.  Marcuse’s idea of the Great Refusal contemplates the Vedantic idea of Nakaar Bhavna or Neti-Neti which is nihilistic denial but a discerning inquiry. Here, the seeker is taught not to identify with the body, mind, emotions, and sensory experiences.

The idea of Neti-Neti is also featured in one of the known literary works of T.S. Eliot, Four Quartets. In Four Quartets, Eliot’s mystical and meditative tone evokes a Neti Neti-like transcendence—going beyond time, self, and intellect:

“You are the music while the music lasts.”

With that, we will end this journey here. Let us know your reactions in the comments’ section. What else? If you want to enroll in the best UGC-NET English crash course, you must keep in touch with the Sahitya Classes’ team. We are here to provide remedy for all your UGC-NET English problems. We are the best coaching for UGC-NET English in Delhi. Not just that! We are also providing the best UGC-NET online classes for Paper 1 and Paper 2. Our Paper 1 faculty are experts in their own domains and Paper 2 is taught by Prof. Vineet Pandey who has himself qualified for NET 11 times, JRF twice, and SET 17 times.

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