Two Gardens of Modernity: India in the Work of Octavio Paz

Abstract

This article focuses on the ways Octavio Paz perceived India and the biographical factors that influenced his judgements —particularly, his voyages to the subcontinent, first as a tourist and then as Ambassador of Mexico. This text attempts, firts and fore-most, to draw on postcolonial theory to examine Paz’s Eurocentric approach in his essay Vislumbres de la India. I also examine critically his collection of poems Ladera este. This comparison seeks to contrast the affinity and distance of the poet towards his subject of study and devotion. The purpose of this article is dual: to emphasize the importance of India in Octavio Paz’s work (often overlooked by literary critics) and to evaluate his approaches aesthetically and academically.