A Comparative Study of Selected Plays by Mahesh Elkunchwar and Sam Shepard

1 A Synopsis for Ph. D. Degree to be Submitted to SWAMI RAMANAND TEERTH MARATHWADA UNIVERSITY, NANDED A CompArAtive Study of SeleCted plays by Mahesh Elkunchwar and Sam Shepard Researcher FARNAAZBEGUM AKBAR SAYYED Supervisor Dr. Laxman D. Jogdand Associate Professor & Head, Department of English and Research Centre Mahatma Gandhi Mahavidyalaya, Ahmedpur (MS) - 413515 MAY 2019 2 A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SELECTED PLAYS BY MAHESH ELKUNCHWAR AND SAM SHEPARD Introduction While reading the plays by famous American playwrights such as Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee, Eugene O'Neill, Arthur Miller and Sam Shepard, it is strongly felt that the discussions in their plays are very much similar to the issues India has been facing. While comparing to American drama Indian drama got its identity late in the field of English literature but certainly created its own space. Indian dramatists have written in many regional languages and in English as well. Their contribution to the modern English drama is considerable. The playwrights like Rabindranath Tagore, R. K. Narayan, Mahesh Dattani, Vijay Tendulkar, Satish Alekar, and Mahesh Elkunchwar have produced numerous remarkable plays; these writings availed them name and fame in comparatively short time. It is quite natural that the sensitive mind of an artist should respond to the problematic situation they face and reflect it through his/her work, the same phenomenon can be observed while studying the aforementioned playwrights. It is widely notice d that while reflecting the issues in their works, these (both the American and Indian) playwrights exhibit a lot of resemblance in many respects. Though it would not be wrong to say that the socio-cultural and politico-economic background of these two countries is quite different, the problems arising out of it are very similar. It is also a common belief that India is following the footsteps of America. Therefore, the phases, America had gone through in the past, are being experienced by India too. Through studying criticisms by major critics, it can be stated that there are many similarities in the style of both American and Indian dramatists, especially 1970s onwards; however, this similarity is without any blind imitation of form or style of writing. 3 The present research work will be dealing with two writers, Mahesh Elkunchwar and Sam Shepard; it is just like an East-West comparison of many different and/or similar aspects of human life. There is every possibility that the writers who got acquainted with the contemporary English literature were influenced by the different themes and style found in their selected plays that was followed consciously or unconsciously by them. It will be very interesting to explore the parallels in the plays, through different points of view written by these two playwrights. The reason behind selecting the two playwrights, namely, Mahesh Elkunchwar and Sam Shepard is that these two authors have been recognized as major dramatists in their respected literary traditions. Mahesh Elkunchwar is recognized as one of the pioneers of Modern Indian Drama, not merely as a regional playwright who wrote in Marathi on the issues presented in the then Indian society, especially the Maharashtra. The second playwright Sam Shepard has given the same touch of existentialism as we get in the dramas by Elkunchwar. A similar type of relationship is found between the works of these playwrights. The present research work is a comparative study of selected plays by Mahesh Elkunchwar and Sam Shepard. It consists of six dramas, three by each playwright. The focus will be on the similarities found in playas by both the writers. The selected plays are the family dramas named Wada Chirebandi (Old Stone Mansion), Magn Talyakathi (The Pond) and Yugant (Apocalypse)] by Mahesh Elkunchwar and Curse of the Starving Class, True Wes, and The Lie of the Mind by Sam Shepard. These selected plays have very similar themes and techniques. The very conspicuous distinctiveness of these two playwrights is that they have presented the reflecting part of the contemporary societies. Their selected plays show the picture of families living meaningless life. These family dramas are characterized through the notion of absurdity. The plays have the elements of existentialism as well. As critique of the dramatic form developed in 4 these plays has shown, each playwright has translated specific existential tenets into dramatic constituents to present a vision of reality reflecting a concern with consciousness and nonbeing. An existential perspective can be seen transformed into dramatic form here. While going through the personal lives of these playwrights it becomes clear that they a little absurd experiences in their lives that made them to write these plays. Connectedly, this research work will consider how Elkunchwar and Shepard, like surrealist artists, have used violence, absurdity, alienation, family issues, etc. as the instruments in bolstering the contemporary societies. Shepard’s Curse of the Starving Class(1977) True West(1981), and A Lie of the Mind (1985) are concerned with the primal unit of human interaction—the family/home, the origins of all social interface and the domain that shapes our psychic development; at the same time, the similar scenario can be observed in Wada Trilogy by Elkunchwar. However, Sam Shepard situates his plays within the spectrum of an American modern theatrical convention that reveals the visuals in a painterly way and follows naturalism as the foundation for his enquiry. In both playwright’s plays, the apparent realism of the backdrop fortifies the surreal elements of the drama. Through in these plays, the society and culture of East and West can be seen very clearly as it is represented by both dramatists. It is just like a cycle of family plays departed from their other works they lived and wrote a classic amid the East- West rustic side in form of experimental theatre. Mahesh Elkunchwar is one of the major playwrights in Marathi who directly deals with the issues such as gender, relations and family problems. His trilogy, consisting of Wada Chirebandi, Magna Talyakathi and Yugant deals with the disintegration of traditional joint family and rural life under the modern forces of urbanization and industrialization. The degeneration of rural life and joint family is represented here is through the portrayal of the span of some thirty years in the life of one aristocratic Brahman family of Dharangaonkar Deshpande (of 5 Dharangaon). Through Wada Trilogy, Elkunchwar shows critically, yet sympathetically at the inevitable doom of the feudal order and suffering, to ultimately crumble down, under the force of capitalism and the new order. The other playwright Sam Shephard’s express his America. The 1960s have been a turbulent period in cultural history US. Many had to face the sad situation as a result of the absurd condition created by the time and situation. On a wide canvas, he paints a picture of post-war America and its absurd situation. The American family is found as Shepard’s great subject. His quintet of family plays that premiered between 1978 and 1985 – Curse of the Starving Class, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Buried Child, Fool for Love, True West (both nominated for Pulitzers) and A Lie of the Mind – form the foundation of Shepard’s lofty reputation. The present research work will be dealing with three of the quintet. Review of the Literature Many research scholars have analyzed these two selected playwrights. A. Sunkanna in his research work has discussed about selected plays by Mahesh Elkunchwar. In this work he has critically analysed past and present of Wada culture and feudal system of the Deshpade family as well. He has also focused on the important characters individually. But his main focus was on thematic concern. Another research scholar named Kadam Shatrughna Bhanudas has done his research on Mahesh Elkunchwar and Vijay Tendulkar under the title Socio- Cultural Elements in the Selected Plays of Vijay Tendulkar and Mahesh Elkunchwar. He studies the socio- cultural elements in both of these Marathi playwrights. Parimel Azhaghan had done his research work on Sam Shepard’s Trilogies. His focused on the characters, specially fathers of the families in Shepard’s plays. In this work he talks about the relationships in the families such as marital, parent’s child relation, siblings relation etc. Rajabali askarzadhe has studies the language used in selected plays by Shepard. 6 Many people have studied both the selected writers but not at a certain proportional level. This proposed research work will be a different perspective of Mahesh Elkunchwar and Sam Shepard’s selected writings as a comparative study of selected plays of these playwrights. Objectives The present research work is a comparative study of selected plays by two playwrights belonging to different societies and cultures. The objectives of this research work are as follows: To study and analyse similarities between social, cultural, political scenario of India and the USA. To disclose comparative mechanism of absurd existence of people in the two different countries. To highlight the similarity between ethnic identity of Americans and Indians. To identify the meaninglessness, emptiness, alienation and inner violence among people from different cultured families. To study the themes and techniques used in selected family plays by the playwrights in a comparative manner. Hypothesis The present research work intends to display two playwrights from two different countries with similar writing style with a realistic touch in their family plays. In their plays life seems something different but in real it is nothing but absurd. People have lost the aim of life and living a meaningless life. In family or a group of people they are alone, alienated, and sad, living life without any goal. These things are not on pages only but it is existed in society. The number of such 7 factors like isolation, violence, sadness, meaninglessness, and emptiness in life is being increased day by day.

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