The Concept of Self in Indian Philosophy and English Romantic Literature: A Comparative Exploration
International journal of language, literature, and culture November 1, 2025 Willibald Vishal Francis
A comparative analysis examines how the concept of self is understood in Indian philosophical traditions—Advaita Vedānta and Sāṃkhya-Yoga—and in the works of English Romantic poets Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Shelley. Romanticism portrays the self as a creative, reflective consciousness engaged with nature and the sublime, while Indian systems view the self (ātman) as a pure, unchanging, non-dual ontological reality. The study argues that Indian metaphysical insights critique the Romantic valorization of the poetic ego, suggesting selfhood is not expressive individuality but spiritual unveiling, opening an East–West dialogue at the intersection of literature, philosophy, and consciousness studies.