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Masks – Merging the Reality with Magic World - in Select Girish Karnad’S Plays

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Masks – Merging the Reality with Magic World - in Select Girish Karnad’S Plays Journal of Fine Arts Volume 1, Issue 2, 2018, PP 1-7 Masks – Merging the Reality with Magic World - in Select Girish Karnad’s Plays Dr. T. Asha Priya Associate Professor, SNS College of Engineering, Coimbatore, India *Corresponding Authors: Dr. T. Asha Priya, Associate Professor, SNS College of Engineering, Coimbatore, India ABSTRACT The mask has been an impersonation of the theatre; its chronological function can be traced to its traditional development as a variety of conventions for the projection of action. The mask functions as a more lasting element, since its form is corporeal. Mask is a covering for the face, usually of a human or animal shape. Masks were designed to fulfil a variety of functions in different societies. Bharata mentions masks as pratishirsha in his Natyasastra, and that different masks are to be used for gods and men, according to their habitation, birth, and age. The masks represent the spirit by whom the dancer seeks to be possessed; whereas, in the western theatre there has been a contrast between the face and the mask - the real inner person and the exterior that one presents or wishes to present to the world outside. Besides, a mask can create a fantasy and bizarre world. Role-playing and disguise are alternatives to mask. These functions of the masks are further explored in detail in select plays of Girish Karnad’s plays in this paper. Keywords: masks, role playing, disguise, fantasy, Girish Karnad’s plays Theatrical performances are a visual literature of dramatic mask anticipated character action from a transient, transitory kind. It is the most both an objective and a subjective viewpoint. impressive one because it can be seen as a The dramatic mask's subjective expression of reality; it expends itself by its very revelation. character action required greater creative cooperation from the actor. The mask has been an impersonation of the theatre; its chronological function can be traced The mask's development as a performance to its traditional development as a variety of convention was the outcome of several conventions for the projection of action. The concurrent factors. The most important factor tradition of the mask as theatrical—or influencing the mask as a performance physical—convention dates long back and is convention was the materialization of the diverse ; it stretches the entire history of the performer as the primary ingenious element in Classical theatre. As a theatrical principle, the the theatrical process and an enveloping desire mask has developed in a different way in the among theatre artists to explore different ways major Classical periods, even though in all in which the mask could be used to project periods, its primary function has been to convey action. The various experiments with the mask an objective image of character or action to both as a performance convention were prompted by the actor and the audience. the need to discover as how it could project the action of the performer. The ensuing development of the mask as a dramatic convention was a logical consequence The mask functions as a more lasting element, of its function as a theatrical convention. As a since its form is corporeal. Mask is a covering theatrical convention, the mask continued to be for the face, usually of a human or animal shape. the primary means for projecting character Masks were designed to fulfil a variety of action, though in a much more intricate and functions in different societies. In the primitive delicate manner. Through the dramatists’ society, man realised that he was subjected to exploitation of dramatic elements, in particular two forces of nature namely, benevolent and the element of thought, the playwright was able malevolent force, as a result of which he felt to suggest character as a mask of actions. The insecure and vulnerable. The former, he thought Journal of Fine Arts V1 ● I2 ● 2018 1 Masks – Merging the Reality with Magic World - in Select Girish Karnad’s Plays was the acts of Gods and the latter, the acts of possible for all spectators to watch the evil and demon spirits. He started creating expressions, simple amplifiers built into the myths and desperately tried to materialize these masks helped to transmit the author’s voice over supernatural powers so that, through appropriate a great distance. rituals, which are but enactments of myths, the Chinese plays used masks to portray different gods could be pleased and the evil spirits types of characters. While ‘red’ represented a appeased. From his myth making faculty were loyal person; ‘white’ represented a cruel person. born many idols, images and icons. And mask A type of Japanese play, Noh used many types was a special kind of icon. of masks to represent different emotions. In The face which gives the body its identity is also Europe, when drama moved to the church, its quintessence. If the face is masked it masks were used only as a convention. Men becomes another face. The body becomes represented female characters; hence, in early another body as it feels that a new ‘being’ flows Elizabethan plays masks were used in a in from the mask. This ‘being’ seizes upon the symbolic way, as in Italian Commedia dell’ ar- body and transforms it so that there is no te to portray the female characters. inconsistency between the new face and the new With the progress of civilization, the age of body. Thus, the masks act as an instrument of positivism came, in which the world of metamorphosis, especially when the mind is perception appeared as absolute as any religious impressionable. The mask psychologically system. Increasing rational approach eroded the elevates the wearer to influence the supernatural religious belief resulting in realism which powers to which he appeals and at the same time invaded theatre and masks became a casualty. permits them to transform him. Mask not only Thus, masks remained confined to the tribal and protects him but transforms, disguises, and non-industrial cultures. As drama is realistic, enhances his face. When the primitive man put one may agree with the Literary Encyclopaedia on the mask, he was amazed at its magical that it is a mistake to assume that masks will powers. Therefore, he regarded masks as ‘the have no place in the future; if drama returns to antennae of supernatural powers’ and as useful the original unrealistic conventions, masks may ritual objects. become a necessity. In recent literature it is found that man has once again come to realise The custom of wearing masks began with the importance of masks. As Jiwan Pani quotes animal heads being worn for the successful in his World of Other Faces: Indian Masks: completion of animal hunt. In some villages, to “The aversion to intellectual conceits and strong ward off evil spirits in a highly infected village, desires to go to the roots being concerned with devil dancers wearing masks offered sacrifice the elemental, have brought back masks into and conjured the demons of the disease into highly civilised and sophisticated surroundings. their own bodies. It has been suggested that They are as they were before uncanny, not masks play a greater part in Africa and Oceanic through magic and sorcery but being the countries than in Asia and in the North and West symbols of the unknown and the mysterious, the of America than in the South and the East. In forbidden and the veiled”. (1986, 4) Europe, masks belong to the folklore and are connected with seasonal performances. The mask tradition in India can be traced to the Mesolithic period. The ancient cave paintings of From the social life of hunting and evil spirits, the period depict magician-priests wearing masks entered into the theatre. Prosoopan in animal masks and head gears while performing Greece meaning face, mein, look, and ritualistic dances. In the Indus Valley appearance were inseparable parts of the excavations, there were hollow masks indicative theatrical production, right from the classical of bigger ritualistic masks. period to the modern. Ancient Greek drama began as a ritualistic dance in honour of the Bharata mentions masks as pratishirsha in his Greek God Dionysius. Thespis presumed to Natyasastra, and that different masks are to be have lived in the mid sixth century, employed used for gods and men, according to their elaborate stage techniques like masks and habitation, birth, and age. He also mentions the costumes. The masks were used to represent crowns, and that the masks of demons, lunatics, gods and mythical heroes; they also represent ghosts, etc. should have long hair. However, in emotions like joy, anger, love and so on, classical Indian theatre, the stress being more on allowing the audience to follow the play. Since, facial expression, masks were seldom used. the Greek theatre was large and it was not Moreover, in classical and traditional Indian 2 Journal of Fine Arts V1 ● I2 ● 2018 Masks – Merging the Reality with Magic World - in Select Girish Karnad’s Plays theatre, women enacted female roles unlike in represent the spirit by whom the dancer seeks to the Greek theatre. Bharata had devised a very be possessed; whereas, in the western theatre rich system of acting, ignoring masks. He had there has been a contrast between the face and also given detailed instructions about how to do the mask - the real inner person and the exterior facial make-up with different colours, taking that one presents or wishes to present to the into consideration the nature of the character to world outside. Besides, a mask can create a be portrayed. fantasy and bizarre world. Role-playing and disguise are alternatives to mask. The traditional theatre, through many forms of ritualistic and stylised schemes, aims at creating In Hayavadana, the characters wear appropriate an atmosphere which becomes easy for the actor masks.
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