A Critical Study of Magic Realism in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s The Mistress of Spices

Abstract

Magic realism refers to a literary style or narrative technique that incorporates magical and supernatural elements into a realistic framework, presenting them as ordinary occurrences without questioning their improbability. It is also sometimes described as fabulism, as it draws upon conventions associated with fables, myths, and allegories. The term “magic realism” was first introduced in 1925 in Germany by the art critic Franz Roh to describe a post-expressionist visual style known as New Objectivity. Later, in the 1940s, the concept was applied to literature by the Cuban novelist Alejo Carpentier, who used it to interpret the unique characteristics of Latin American writing. The movement initially flourished among Latin American authors, who blended reality with extraordinary elements to portray the richness and complexity of their cultural experiences. In A Glossary of Literary Terms, M. H. Abrams defines magical realism as a narrative mode in which writers combine detailed realism with fantastical and dreamlike elements, often drawing from myths and fairy tales. Prominent practitioners of magical realism include Gabriel García Márquez, Jorge Luis Borges, Miguel Ángel Asturias, and Isabel Allende. Although these writers differ in historical context, nationality, and socio-political background, each has contributed uniquely to the genre. A quintessential example is One Hundred Years of Solitude, where Márquez narrates the rise and decline of the Buendía family across generations, blending historical events with fantastical occurrences in the fictional town of Macondo.