The Malayalam novel is an important part of Malayalam literature. They are novels written in Malayalam language, a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the Indian state of Kerala and the Lakshadweep islands.
Old novels Fulmoni Ennum Koruna Ennum Peraya Randu Sthreekalude Katha (Phulmōni ennuṁ kōruṇa ennuṁ pērāya ranṭu strīkaḷuṭe katha), a translation of Rev. Joseph Peet Hana Catherine Mullens's Bengali novel Fulmoni O Korunar Biboron, is a novel printed and released in Malayalam in 1858. Ghathakawadham (Ghātakavadhaṁ, 1877) by Rev. Richard Collins was the first novel printed and published in Malayalam with a story based in Kerala and around Malayalis. However, it was not originally conceived in Malayalam but was a translation of The Slayer Slain (English, 1864–1866) by Mrs. (Frances) Richard Collins and Rev. Richard Collins. Pathminiyum Karunayum, another translation of Fulmoni O Korunar Biboron, came out in the year 1884 (author unknown). world-famous novels like Ameer Hamza, Gulsanober, etc. were also translated to Malayalam and published in Arabi-Malayalam script during the same era.
The first novel conceived and published in Malayalam was Appu Nedungadi's Kundalatha (1887)."Seminar in memory of Appu Nedungadi" Though Kundalatha is not considered a major novel, it gets the pride of place as the first work in the language having the basic characteristics of a novel. It was also the first novel to be written by a Malayali Keralite and the first novel published in Malabar region. It had a historical narrative centred on Kundalatha, the daughter of the king of Kalinga.
O. Chandhu Menon's Indulekha was the first major novel in Malayalam language. It was a landmark in the history of Malayalam literature and initiated the novel as a new flourishing genre."Voice of rebellion" The title refers to the main character in this novel, a beautiful, well educated Nair lady of 18 years. The novel was written at a time when there was an emerging class of upper caste men (mostly Nairs) who received a Western style education, and were achieving prominent positions in British India. The response to Indulekha was so good, that Menon felt encouraged to write another novel. Thus he started writing Sarada and completed writing the first eight chapters in 1892. He released the first volume of the book but the author could add only three more chapters before his death in 1899. C. V. Raman Pillai's Marthandavarma (1891) had many distinctions: it was the first historical novel in any South Indian languages, first novel from Travancore, first Malayalam novel to be a part of a trilogy and the first Malayalam novel to have a masculine title. Marthandavarma was completed even before Indulekha but could not be published until 1891, owing to lack of finance. The novel recounted the history of Venad (Travancore) during the final period of Rajah Rama Varma's reign and subsequently to the accession of Marthanda Varma. The novel had a film adaptation of the same name in 1933 and was the first Malayalam novel to be adapted into film.
The first Malayalam novel that dealt with the socially backward classes was Saraswathy Vijayam by Kunjambu in 1892. Kochuthomman (1892) written by "Kocheeppan Tharakan" was one of the earliest novels on Christian life in Kerala.
List of Malayalam-language novels before the 1900s
Title Author Year Make Other notes Fulmoni Ennum Koruna Ennum Peraya Randu Sthreekalude Katha(ഫുൽമോനി എന്നും കോരുണ എന്നും പേരായ രണ്ടു സ്ത്രീകളുടെ കഥ - Phulmōni ennuṁ kōruṇa ennuṁ pērāya ranṭu strīkaḷuṭe katha) Rev. Joseph Peet 1858 Translation First novel printed and released in MalayalamFirst novel translated to Malayalam which was originally conceived in an Indian languageTranslation of The History of Phulmani and Karuna (English, 1853) by Hana Catherine Mullens which is a translation of Fulmoni O Korunar Biboron (Bengali, 1852) by Hana Catherine Mullens Ghathakawadham(ഘാതകവധം - Ghātakavadhaṁ) Rev. Richard Collins 1877 Translation First novel printed and published in Malayalam with a story based in Kerala and around MalayaleesFirst novel translated to Malayalam which was originally conceived in EnglishTranslation of The Slayer Slain (English, 1864–1866) by Frances Richard Collins and Rev. Richard Collins Pathminiyum Karunayum(പത്മിനിയും കരുണയും - Patmiṉiyuṁ karuṇayuṁ) Anonymous Writer 1884 Translation First repeated translation of a novel to MalayalamTranslation of The History of Phulmani and Karuna (English, 1853) by Hana Catherine Mullens which is a translation of Fulmoni O Korunar Biboron (Bengali, 1852) by Hana Catherine Mullens Kundalatha(കുന്ദലത - Kundalata) Appu Nedungadi 1887 Original First novel conceived and published in Malayalam First novel by a Malayalee KeraliteFirst novel from MalabarFirst Malayalam novel to have a story outside Kerala and without Malayali characters Indulekha(ഇന്ദുലേഖ - Indulēkha) O. Chandhu Menon 1889 Original First social novel in Malayalamfirst novel made in Malayalam with Malayali characters and a story based in Malabar, Kerala Indumathee Swayamvaram(ഇന്ദുമതീസ്വയംവരം - Indumatīsvayaṁvaraṁ) Padinjare Kovilakathu Ammaman Raja 1890 Original Meenakshi(മീനാക്ഷി - Mīṉākṣi) C. Chathu Nair 1890 Original Marthandavarma(മാർത്താണ്ഡവർമ്മ - Māṟttāṇḍavaṟmma) C. V. Raman Pillai 1891 Original First Historical novel in Malayalam, Kerala and South IndiaFirst novel from TravancoreFirst Malayalam novel to be a part of a trilogyFirst Malayalam novel to have a masculine titleFirst Malayalam novel to have a film adaptation Saraswatheevijayam(സരസ്വതീവിജയം - Sarasvatīvijayaṁ) Potheri Kunjanbu 1892 Original Parishkarapathi(പരിഷ്ക്കാരപ്പാതി - Pariṣkārappāti) Kochuthomman Appothikari 1892 Original Parangodee Parinayam(പറങ്ങോടീപരിണയം - Paṟaṅṅōṭīpariṇayaṁ) Kizhakepattu Raman Menon 1892 Original First satirical novel in Malayalam Sarada(ശാരദ - Śārada) O. Chandumenon 1892 Original First novel foretold to have sequels in a trilogy Lakshmeekeshavam(ലക്ഷ്മീകേശവം - Lakṣmīkēśavaṁ) Komattil Padu Menon 1892 Original Naluperiloruthan(നാലുപേരിലൊരുത്തൻ - Nālupēriloruttan) C. Anthapayi 1893 Original Chandrahasan(ചന്ദ്രഹാസൻ - Candrahāsan) P. Krishnan MenonT. K. Krishnan MenonC. Govindan Eledam 1893 Translation Akbar(അക്ബർ - Akbaṟ) Kerala Varma Valiya Koi Thampuran 1894 Translation First Historical novel translated to MalayalamTranslation of Akbar (English, 1879) which is a translation of Akbar (Dutch, 1872) by Dr. P. A. S. van Limburg Brouwer Kalyani(കല്യാണി - Kalyāṇi) Anonymous Writer 1896 Original Published in Vidyāvinodini periodical Sukumari(സുകുമാരി - Sukumāri) Joseph Mooliyil 1897 Original Saguna(സഗുണ - Saguṇa) Joseph Mooliyil 1898-1899 Translation Translation of Saguna (English, 1896) by Kirubai Sathyanathan Ammal Kamala(കമല - Kamala) C. Krishnan Nair 1899 Translation Translation of Kamala (English, 1896) by Kirubai Sathyanathan Ammal
Early 20th century During early 20th century, Malayalam received outstanding novels, either as translations or adaptations of Western literature. Important among them include Kerala Varma Valiya Koi Thampuran's Akbar (translation of Van Linberg Broaver's Dutch novel of the same title, 1894), independent translations of Samuel Johnson's Rasselas by Pilo Paul (1895) and Kanaran (1898), Robinson Crusoe by C. V. Raman Pillai (1916, translation of Daniel Defoe's English novel Robinson Crusoe), Satyakirticharitam by P. N. Krishna Pillai (1930, translation of The Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith), Rajasimhan by K. Govindan Thampi (1930, translation of The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas). Pavangal (1925), a translation of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables by Nalappat Narayana Menon, was a milestone in the history of Malayalam literature and it set off a social reformation of sorts in Kerala. Despite being a translation, it gifted Malayalam a new prose style. Literary critic M. Leelavathy notes: "The translation was an extraordinary phenomenon as it prepared the ground for the Communist movement to take roots in Kerala. With its philosophy of human equality, the heart-wrenching tale of the oppressed left a profound impact in our society. For E.M.S. Namboodiripad, this was Nalapatan's best work. Its influence was both sociological and philological.""How Paavangal enriched Kerala…"
More than translations, what influenced Malayalam novels of this era was the works of "C. V. Raman Pillai" and "Chandhu Menon". This era saw many pioneering works in Malayalam literature. Important social novels of the period include Virutan Sanku by Karat Achutha Menon (1912) and Balikasadanam by Kocheeppan Tharakan. Appan Thampuran's Bhuta Rayar (1923) along with six novels by Sardar K. M. Panicker, four based on Kerala history and two based on Indian history, were the significant historical novels of the time. There also have been some attempts to write detective novels, most of them deriving inspirations from popular fictitious detectives in English. The first was that of Appan Thampuran, whose Bhaskara Menon was published as early as 1905. Another novel of the detective genre, Kaalante Kolayara, was written by O. M. Cheriyan in 1918. The first political novels were written by K. Narayana Kurikkal—Parappuram (three parts, 1908) and Udayabhanu (four parts, 1905). The late forties was the time of Progressive literature in Kerala which gained momentum after India's independence in 1947.
Post-independence period The post-independence period saw a fresh start in the history of longer fiction in Malayalam as in many other Indian languages, parallel to the evolution of post-world war fiction in other parts of the world. It was both a break and a continuation. P. Kesava Dev, who was a Communist in the thirties and forties turned away from diehard ideologies and wrote a symbolic novel called Arku Vendi? (For Whose Sake?) in 1950, challenging the philosophy of Stalinist liquidation of political enemies. It had a special significance in the context of the 'Calcutta thesis'. After portraying the class struggle of farm labourers in Randidangazhi (Two Measures) in 1949, Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai turned away from party politics and produced a moving romance in Chemmeen (Shrimps) in 1956. For S. K. Pottekkatt and Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, who had not dabbled in politics, the continuity is marked in the former's Vishakanyaka (Poison Maid, 1948) and the latter's Ntuppuppakkoranendarnnu (My Grandpa had an Elephant, 1951). The non-political social or domestic novel was championed by P. C. Kuttikrishnan (Uroob) with his Ummachu (1955) and Sundarikalum Sundaranmarum (Men and Women of Charm, 1958).