The Emergence of Tragedy in Gujarati Theatre
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THE EMERGENCE OF TRAGEDY IN GUJARATI THEATRE: A Comparative Study of Three Dukhdarshak Natak (Plays) © Bridge Center, 2014 BRIDGE CENTER Buzau, Al. Marghiloman 245 bis, 120082 Tel. 0728394546 e-mail: [email protected] Romania, European Union Printed in Romania First published, 2014 ISBN 978-606-93502-3-2 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without permission. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. The publishers have applied for copyright permission for those pieces that need copyright clearance and due acknowledgement will be made at the first opportunity. The views and contents of this book are solely of the author. 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DIPAK BARKHADE THE EMERGENCE OF TRAGEDY IN GUJARATI THEATRE: A Comparative Study of Three Dukhdarshak Natak (Plays) Bridge Center 2014 4 Contents PREFACE…………………………………………….…………………………………7 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………………………………………………...9 INTRODUCTION The Development of Modern Theatre in India……………………………………………….12 The Development of Modern Gujarati Theatre……………………………………………....19 “Women’s Question”: Representation of Hindu Woman and the Issues…………………26 The “Women’s Question” in the Reformist Context of Gujarat……………………………32 Methodology of Discussion……………………………………………………………………37 CHAPTER ONE Lalita Dukhdarshak Natak (A Play Revealing Lalita’s Sorrow): Formation of the Genre The Plot of Lalita……………………………………………………………………………...….50 The plot and its Theoretical Background…………………………………..…………………52 The Textual and Theatrical Elements in Lalita………………………………………..………58 Lalita’s Sorrow and its Larger Context…………………………………………………..……70 Lalita and the Making of the Genre of Tragedy…………………………………...………….82 CHAPTER TWO Kajoda Dukhdarshak Natak (A Play Revealing the Sorrow of Incompatible Marriage) and Kanyavikray Khandan Natak (A Play Denouncing the Practice of Accepting Bride Price): Reconfiguration of the Genre The Plot Summary of Kajoda and Kanya……………………………………………………..100 Lalita, Kajoda and Kanya: A Comparative Discussion………………………………………103 The Idea of Sorrow in the Kajoda Plays……………………………………………………..117 5 The Tragic End and the Public Discussion………………………………………………….122 CONCLUSION Summary of the Main Argument………………………………………………..…………..135 The Limitations of the Study…………………………………………………………………140 Further Scope of the Study………………………………………………………….………..140 BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………………………………143 6 Preface This book is a textual analysis of three Gujarati tragedies, Lalita Dukhdarshak Natak (A Play Revealing Lalita’s Sorrow) (hereafter, Lalita) by Ranchhod Udayram Dave (1837-1923) written in the year 1866, Kajoda Dukhdarshak Natak (A Play Revealing the Sorrow of Incompatible Marriage) (hereafter, Kajoda) by Keshavlal Motilal Parikh written in the year 1872 and Kanya Vikray Khandan Natak (A Play Denouncing the Practice of Selling a Girl Child) (hereafter, Kanya) by Harilal Vitthaldas written in the year 1888. The book focuses on the emergence of tragedy in modern Gujarati theatre in the second half of the nineteenth century. It not only highlights both the rupture and continuity of indigenous traditions in the existing literary and cultural sphere where the indigenous forms of lament found a new expression in the process of modernization but also the implications of the new public sphere, printing press and the new reading public. In this process, the present work is a comparative study of three plays to comprehend the ambivalent attitude of the Gujarati playwrights. The first chapter, “Lalita Dukhdarshak Natak (A Play Revealing Lalita’s Sorrow): Formation of the Genre” explains how Dave develops theatrical realism by adopting Shakespearean idea of plot structure and highlights the ambivalence in his writing a tragedy in Gujarati for the first time. The chapter highlights the textual and theatrical elements which constituted Lalita as a new genre. In this, the chapter discusses Dave’s ideological framework in which he situates the sorrow of Lalita and explains how Dave is strategic in his aim to develop the mode of realism and a theory of tragic genre. The chapter questions the visibility of Gujarati women in the public sphere to explain the consolidation of caste and gender and highlights the hybrid aspect of the tragic genre by unravelling the appropriation of local forms of representation of incompatible marriage. The second chapter, “Kajoda Dukhdarshak Natak (A Play Revealing the Sorrow of Incompatible Marriage) and Kanya Vikray 7 Khandan Natak (A Play Denouncing the Practice of Selling a Girl Child): Reconfiguration of the Genre” presents the two other plays that reconfigure the genre based on the concept of dukhdarshak (Revelation of Sorrow) in the discourse of social reform of Gujarati women in the last three decades of nineteenth century. The chapter highlights the comic side of dukhdarshak tradition and compares it with Dave’s framework of Gujarati theatre. It presents a comparative study of the Kajoda plays and Lalita discussing the concept of mimicry as a mode of response to the ideological domain of social norms. The chapter shows the mixture of English, Bhavai and Sanskrit influences in the new theatrical form, prahasan (comic farce) and highlights the role of jester and the new upper caste women’s expression of sorrow. The chapter indicates the parody of Dave’s idea of Hindu bride and criticizes the expression of sorrow. In this, it shows the nature of sorrow discussed in the Kajoda plays. The chapter also shows the similarities and differences between the Kajoda plays and highlights the function of the hybrid nature of Lalita and two Kajoda plays to discuss the implications of modernity. It notes that the writing of Kajoda plays in the last three decades of nineteenth century suggested the appearance of new authors. Dave aimed to mediate the Gujarati culture and literature in new way and the writers of Kajoda plays showed their participation in the writing of modern form. In conclusion, the book highlights the implication of modernity from a comparative framework. The conclusion also suggests the scope for the further exploration from the present discussion. It states the limitations felt in producing the present work. Dr. Ecaterina Patrascu “Spiru Haret” University Bucharest, Romania 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all, I wish to extend my earnest thanks to my research supervisor, Dr. Urmila Bhirdikar, Assistant Professor, School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, Central University of Gujarat for providing me her critical and constructive suggestions during the planning and development of this research work. I am particularly grateful for her genuine criticism, patient guidance and tolerance to bear my limitations during the occurrence of shortcomings in my approach. Her critical assessment has inspired me further to nurture my character as a researcher in the learning process. I extend my gratitude to Prof. R.K. Kale, the Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Gujarat for his encouragement and support. I also owe gratitude to Prof. E. V. Ramakrishnan, Dean, School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, Central University of Gujarat for providing his support and encouragement. I want to thank Balaji Rangnathan, Atanu Bhattacharya, Ishmeet Kaur, Navneetha Muakkil, Niveditha Kalarikkal and Jakia Firdaus for their helpful suggestions. I would like to thank Zarna Maheshwari and for examining my drafts and helping me to overcome the problems in translating the extracts from Gujarati texts. I am also indebted to the help of the staff-members of CUG library, B.J. library (peon Harshadbhai), Gujarati Sahitya Parishad Library (peon Snehalbhai), Gujarat Vidyapith, Dahilakshmi library, and State and District libraries of Gandhinagar. I am also thankful to my friends without whose support and help this journey would have been tedious. I wish to thank Divya Shah for going through the proof reading of the chapter and providing important suggestions. I wish to thank Hiren for his helpful presence at the required time and for always making me aware of the important facts. I also thank him for the proof reading of the chapters and helping me in removing the errors. I wish to thank him, Ishan and Divya for their soothing accompaniment during our visits to the library at Nadiad. I am grateful to my family. I thank my elder brother Umesh, my mother Pankitaben Barkhade and my father, Mangalbhai Barkhade for their support and encouragement throughout my study. I thank my younger sister, Tejal for being patient and putting her faith in me during the period of crisis. 9 INTRODUCTION This dissertation aims to study the reception of tragedy in Gujarati. To that end, it focuses on the study of the late nineteenth century Gujarati theatre and three plays that were received as tragedy in the reformist context. Here, the generic phrase, dukhdarshak natak is equivalent to the Western form of tragedy and it shows the death of the heroine at the end of the play. Ranchhod Dave, as Sisir Kumar Das notes in his book, The History of India Literature: Western Impact: Indian Response, 1800-1910,