Essay: Myth of Sisyphus and a conversation

Debashis Chakraborty’s essay is a cross-cultural exploration of existentialism and the human will to endure with an imaginary dialogue between the Greek mythological figure Sisyphus and Jibanananda Das’s Banalata Sen.

Every time, the rock rolls back toward Sisyphus—he pushes it away. But like a recurring nightmare, the rock returns to him again. Now, imagine in the gentle murmur of spring, a conversation unfolds between them—Jibanananda Das’s Banalata Sen and Sisyphus of Greek mythology.

What would their conversation be like? Let’s say, due to the swinging yorkers of time’s relentless change, Banalata now wears jeans. Sisyphus, perhaps, stirs a storm on the keyboard, writing poetry. In that delicate darkness of their meeting, let’s imagine Sisyphus gazes at Banalata unblinkingly for a long time. Then, the conversation begins. The hero of Greek mythology asks Banalata, “Do you read poetry?” In response, Banalata says, “With the rustic moon and rustic stars, / Awake alone in the night of Aghran(a month of bengali calendar), / That bird.” She adds, “Sisyphus, are you that bird? The one who must forever push the rock alone?”