Sri Lankan Tamil Literature - Colonial Phase

Colonial Phase

See also: Portuguese conquest of Jaffna Kingdom, Dutch Ceylon, and British Ceylon

Portuguese and the Dutch colonial periods (1619–1796) brought its own local literary responses; Muttukumara Kavirajar (1780–1851) is the earliest known among those who used literature to respond to Christian missionary activities. This was followed by the literary activities of Arumuga Navalar (1822–1879) who wrote and published a number of books. The period of joint missionary activities by the Anglican, American Ceylon and Methodist Missions saw the spread of modern education and the expansion of translation activities which concluded by the close of the 19th century.

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