Is Heroism Masculine? A Study of Heroic Poems of Chāran Literature

This paper attempts to understand the concept of heroism in the heroic poems of Chāran literature.Dingal language,an art of rendering poetry with its distinct meters and rhythms,was primarily used by the Chāran poets to motivate the kings and their troops in the battlefield.Since heroism is primarily associated with masculinity,the heroic poems vividly depict valor and courage as quintessential masculine virtues,highlighting the embodiment of these traits in the protagonists of Chāran literature. By employing the masculinity studies and heroism as theoretical bases, the paper will illustrate how the connection of heroism and masculinity is established in the heroic poems of Chāran literature.