Navigating the Hyphen: Diaspora and Identity in the Poetry of Sujata Bhatt and Marlene Nourbese Philip

Abstract

This paper examines the complex and nuanced ways in which diaspora, displacement, and the search for identity are articulated in the poetry of Sujata Bhatt and Marlene Nourbese Philip. Though originating from distinct geographical and cultural contexts—Bhatt from India and Philip from Tobago—both poets grapple with the fragmented selfhood inherent in the diasporic experience. By analyzing selected poems from their respective oeuvres published up to 2017, this study explores how Bhatt and Philip utilize language, form, and imagery to navigate the complexities of belonging, alienation, and the reclamation of voice in a postcolonial world. Their poetic journeys, though unique, converge in their exploration of the hyphenated existence, the negotiation of multiple cultural landscapes, and the enduring impact of historical trauma on individual and collective identity.