Journal of Critical Reviews ISSN- 2394-5125 Vol 7, Issue 5, 2020

Review Article THE RAMIFICATION OF SHAKESPEARE'S AS KARMAYOGI: REFLECTING THE CULTURAL TRACES OF POST-COLONIAL

K. S. Shahanaaz Kowsar, Dr. Sangeeta Mukherjee

Research Scholar, Department of English, School of Social Sciences and Languages, Vellore Institute of Technology,Vellore – 632014, India.Email Id: [email protected] Senior Assistant Professor,Department of English,School of Social Sciences and Languages,Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore – 632014, India.Email: [email protected]

Received: 08.01.2020 Revised: 16.02.2020 Accepted: 24.03.2020

Abstract Even in the contemporary era, ’s plays stand unshaken because of the universal truth of humanity that is contained in them. This quality of humanity along with adaptability and flexibility of Shakespearean plays makes them friendlier to be transformed into any genre. His plays have thus been widely adapted, interpreted and appropriated as movies the world over. The current research article tries to analyze how the tragic play Hamlet has been re-contextualized in the Indian (Malayalam) film, Karmayogi, to suit the Post-colonial Indian backdrop. The research article also explores the projection of the Orient exotic culture as far more superior to that of its Occidental counterpart. To highlight this cultural superiority of Orient over the Occident, the film has been enriched with local exotic traditions of Kelipathram and Poorakkali of Kerala. Simultaneously, the article also portrays the alterity between the scenes of original, Occidental metanarrative Hamlet and the exotic, Orient Karmayogi.

Keywords: Kelipathram, Poorakkali, Alterity, Occident and Orient, Recontextualization, Interdiscursive Recontextualization.

© 2019 by Advance Scientific Research. This is an open-access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.31838/jcr.07.05.39 versions’ of the plays adapted in regional movies. One such INTRODUCTION regional hybrid versions of William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet William Shakespeare’s plays were brought to India before the is taken for analysis in the current research paper. Hamlet has Independence as a form of entertainment for the foreign been adapted and appropriated as the Indian film Karmayogi traders who landed and settled in the eastern shores of India. in the regional language Malayalam. Setting up of the theatres that staged the British plays had a wider aim than just concerning entertainment. The alternate Against this backdrop, this study aims to analyse the and significant aim of performing the plays in India was to recontextualization of Hamlet to emphasise the cultural promote and promulgate the habitus, culture of their country supremacy of the exotic Orient and the alterity among the (Occident) over the Orient. It has been recorded that the plays grand narrative of Hamlet and the local narrative of which were performed in the Calcutta Theatre were Karmayogi. Shakespeare's plays and it was also noted that some of the plays of Shakespeare were performed in the theatres more REVIEW OF LITERATURE & RESEARCH QUESTIONS than once. The current research analysis adopts a multifaceted approach. The literature review foregrounds the post-modern context of In the contemporary Post-Colonial India, Shakespearean plays adaptation and appropriation of Shakespearean plays in have been translated, performed, adapted and absorbed into cinemas. Deborah Cartmell (2006) emphasises that the film the cultural fabric of India. Though the plays have been adaptation of Shakespearean text or any text for the matter of absorbed into the Indian cultural fabric, the orient has its concern is not a mere imitation of the textualities or subtle way of adapting or recreating Shakespearean plays; and intellectual pretentiousness which makes the industry of implicitly writing back to the Occident about the cultural, cinema inferior to literature. Instead, Cartmell points out that ethical and societal differences between the meta-narrative of this interpretation of the text to successful adaptations breaks Shakespearean plays and the adapted or recreated Indian this inferiority as well as proudly declares these successful narratives. On considering this process of recreation and adaptations as "the new Shakespeare" of the age. transculturation of Shakespearean plays, Harish Trivedi argues that Blair Orfall (2009) examines the issues of legitimacy in adaptations of Bollywood films. The adaptation of Shakespeare's status, popularity, and dissemination today is Shakespeare’s play in Bollywood as Maqbool and determined to a larger extent by a non-literary factor, just as it Hollywood as Throne of Blood has a difference in context due was in colonial India. Then it was the Empire; now it is ELT to cultural differences. The researcher also examines the (English Language Teaching) or the hegemony of English as contemporary Indian Bollywood movies that are adapted from the pre-eminent International Language (Trivedi & Hollywood’s popular American films, where there is a lift of Bartholomeusz, 2005, p. 21). plots and pirated versions of DVD and unauthorized borrowings. Dan Venning (2011) in his research article Shakespeare in the contemporary post-colonial era has been discusses the interculturalism and cultural imperialism into continuously transcultured, indigenized and relocated ‘Shakespeare in Asia’ and the outlook towards postcolonialism according to the cultural and social backdrop of a target and the role of Shakespeare in India, i.e. different approaches language, which it is being transcultured. The assimilation of of postcolonial cross-cultural interactions that are portrayed Shakespearean plays in the field of theater and performance in the film. has influenced the Indian cinema as well through filmic adaptation and appropriation of Shakespearean dramas. Pradipta Mukherjee (2011) reports that Michael Almereyda’s Regional relocation of Shakespeare has resulted in the adaptation of Hamlet has different contests on aesthetic adaptation and appropriation of Shakespearean plays in strategies and in the frame of reference. Similarly, due to this movies with the indigenized fusion of regional arts such as new mode of adaptation in postmodern age has brought , , Sangeet-nataka, South-West and North- Hamlet to an ‘Un-Shakespearean Universe’. The researcher Eastern Martial Arts. This has led to the ‘fused regional hybrid also points out that this adaptation is intentionally renovated

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for the target audience of the art house. Vijay George (2012) The brief review of the literature reveals that a lot of research reports that many actors had to learn the art of Kelipathram as has been conducted on the assimilation of Shakespeare’s it is the backdrop of the story. The director V.K. Prakash gives in diverse cultural locales of the world. However, the reason that Hamlet has more realistic and more features of research on the indigenization of Shakespearean plays in India the theatre which shows the inner conflict of mind, emotive is scant despite the awakened interest of the Indian film moments, romance and action which is seldom seen in producers and directors across Indian languages. cinemas. One of the remarkable developments in the filmic Ritu Mohan and Mahesh Kumar Arora (2013) state that appropriation is the localization of Hamlet as Karmayogi by Macbeth is one among Shakespeare’s most performed play the director and proprietor of the ad film production company, which fascinates the theatre personalities as well as the film V.K. Prakash. directors. Researchers comment that the dominant factor of adaptation is influencing the target audience with the target V.K. Prakash has relocated the play Hamlet in the south-west culture in adaptations. All the adaptations of Macbeth retain region of Tamilnadu, Kerala. He has infused the traditional arts the connection between power and gender but it is offered in a of ‘Kelipathram’ and ‘Poorakkali’ to have a foot in the different way for the modern-day audience. Thea Buckley contemporary Orient regions. Ania Loomba in her introduction (2013) points out that Shakespearean Hamlet is retold in the to “Post-Colonial Shakespeare” comments that the regional perspective of portraying Rudran/Hamlet in Karmayogi as a post-colonial discussions offer a digressional scope for "Other" superhuman and having a bloodline of God and his art form Shakespeare which leads to the forming of a firm base of the lineage of Kalarippayattu. Orient narratives on the metanarratives of the West. Kelipathram and Poorakkali have been incorporated by V.K. İnci Bilgin Tekin (2015) examines the 1990’s screen Prakash to emphasise on the exotic nature of the Orient in adaptation of Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern traditional and standardization of arts when compared to the are Dead, the researcher comments that the absurd play like West. this barely contributes to the flawless draught for transferring it from a stage art to screen adaptation. The research article Kelipathram is a ritual art popular in the northern parts of the also points out that the movie goes through double adaptation performed by the Gurukkals. Similarly, due to inter-generic transfer of text from stage to screen and Poorakkali is a traditional dance form performed by men. It the text in itself. Sarah Hatchuel (2015) has explored the field was observed for nine days during the festival in of aficionado on YouTube, videogames, social networks and Bhagavathy temple to honour . other online platforms on the appropriation of Kenneth In the purview of the above discussion, the objectives of the Branagh’s or Franco Zeffirelli's Hamlet. Differences in present study are: narration and aesthetic from Shakespeare’s work which is appropriated with ghosting effects have been extensively used • to explore the process of retailoring of Shakespeare’s in the online multimedia and transfiction. Hatchuel also Hamlet and recontextualizing it to fit into the post- remarks that continuous transaction in the appropriation of colonial orient backdrop. Shakespeare’s works in different medium creates the presence • to emphasise the cultural superiority of the Orient over and absence of original Shakespeare and simultaneously the Occident by highlighting the south-west regional erases it in the process of transfer. Pathik Dodiya (2016) . comments on the glocalization of Shakespearean plays all over • to observe the alterity between the original Occidental the world and simultaneously portrays the mawkish Hamlet and the Oriental Karmayogi. phenomenon that vibes in the adaptations of Shakespearean plays in Bollywood movies. The researcher also calls for the TRANS-CULTURING SHAKESPEARE IN INDIAN REGIONS study of Shakespearean works in historiographical “It is a truth increasingly acknowledged that all the world has perspective. become Shakespeare's stage” (Trivedi, p. 13). Elena Luludova (2017) reports that the established work Shakespeare in contemporary post-colonial era has been Hamlet due to the revolution of time and cultural contexts continuously transcultured, indigenized and relocated creates altogether a new story which is reaffirmed by the films according to cultural and social backdrop of the target of Kozintsev and Zeffirelli. The researcher also comments that language to which it is being transcultured. Shakespeare’s works have become not only the resource of interpretation but also perpetual archetypes. Regional relocation of Shakespeare has resulted in adaptation and appropriation of Shakespearean plays into movies with Mark Thornton Burnett (2017) comments that there have the indigenized fusion of regional arts such as Yakshagana, been many debates on what terminologies are best to describe Kathakali, Sangeet-nataka, South-West and North-Eastern the connections between the original Shakespeare and its Martial Arts which have been imbibed in the original filmic reinvention. He asserts that he would uphold the term Shakespeare’s plays. Therefore, as a product of this fusion ‘adaptation’ as the best to denote this interlink between the regional hybrid versions of the plays have been made into two. He further states that adaptations help in extending regional movies. Shakespearean texts to be read or viewed in the expounded manner in different perspectives i.e. from the cultural and One such regional hybrid version of William Shakespeare’s economic point of view. He makes another assertion that the plays Hamlet has been taken for analysis in the current work of adaptation is creative and it gives multiple meanings. research paper. Hamlet has been adapted and appropriated as Plays and films strengthen and edify each other. He concludes Karmayogi in the regional language Malayalam. that Shakespeare's works do not restrict themselves to one home. Dovetailing of ‘Kelipathram’ and ‘Poorakkali’ with Hamlet V.K. Prakash has relocated the play Hamlet in the south-west Srebren Dizdar (2017) elucidates that film-makers take region of Tamilnadu, Kerala. He has infused the traditional art Shakespeare's varied genre play and give a backdrop of forms of ‘Kelipathram’ and ‘Poorakkali’ in it to have a foot in Indianised context and cultural stories. They give the films a the contemporary Orient regions. Ania Loomba (1998) in the post-colonial look by adding indigenous varieties like introduction of her co-authored article with Martin Orkin Kathakali dance, songs, dances and romance into the films. The titled “Post-Colonial Shakespeare” comments that the regional film-makers daringly have departed from the local and post-colonial discussions offer digressional scope for “Other” international conventions of the play to bring a unique Shakespeare which leads to the forming of a firm base of the Indianised flavour and production of the films. Orient narratives on the metanarratives of the West. Kelipathram and Poorakkali have been inculcated by V.K. Prakash to emphasise on the exotic nature of the Orient in

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traditional and standardization of arts when compared to the her, let her paint an inch thick, to this favor she must come. West. Make her laugh at that. —Prithee, , tell me one thing. Kelipathram was a ritual art popular in the northern parts of …No, faith, not a jot. But to follow him thither with modesty the Malabar Coast performed by the Yogi Gurukkals. Similarly, enough, and likelihood to lead it, as thus: Alexander died, Poorakkali is a traditional dance ritual performed by men in Alexander was buried, Alexander returneth into dust; the dust . It is observed for nine days during the Pooram is earth; of earth we make loam; and why of that loam, festival in Bhagavathy temples to honour Kamadeva. whereto he was converted, might they not stop a beer barrel?

THE MYTHS BEHIND KELIPATHRAM AND POORAKKALI Imperious Caesar, dead and turn’d to clay, Kelipathram came to existence due to Lord ’s committing Might stop a hole to keep the wind away: “Brahmahattya” i.e. beheading of ’s head as Brahma O, that that earth, which kept the world in awe, lied to Shiva. Lord Shiva punished himself for doing Should patch a wall to expel the winter flaw! “Brahmahattya” by wandering as a beggar for twelve years on But soft! but soft an awhile: here comes the king. earth. The person observing this ritual should maintain silence (Shakespeare, 2015, 5.1.152-181) and "Aharyabhinaya” i.e. pre-rituals of Kelipathram. According to this myth, begging demolishes pride of the mind; silence brings the note of death in mind as well as makes a human- being humble. The yogi clans following this Kelipathram are called Choyis, or Chothees. The person who observes Kelipathram is called/revered as Gurikkal or Kurikkal. Poorakkali has many versions of the myth. The one prominently believed is where Kamadeva after being reincarnated as Pradyuman visits Dwaraka accompanied by his wife, Rati. In Dwaraka, Lord creates a group of people with his i.e. illusion and entitles them as “Ayar” and “Mayar”. These people stage a dance form to be witnessed by the couple. Both male and female folk who perform this dance were known as "Poorakkali”. After witnessing the dance, Lord Krishna was not satisfied with the performance of the Figure 1. Hamlet in the Graveyard Holding the Skull of women in it. From then on, this art form was practised . exclusively by men. Lord Krishna’s performance of Source: Gilbert, John, 1881. “Rasakreeda” with his 16,008 wives at Brindavan is also Most of Shakespeare's gravediggers are peasants and considered to be the developed form of “Poorakkali”. commoners who enlighten the protagonist with their wit and humour. Similarly, here, Hamlet pondering and The alterity of Shakespeare’s Hamlet procrastinating over the thought of suicide and death is Alterity takes its root form from the Latin word “alteritas". In enlightened by this gravedigger’s counsel. This Graveyard post-colonial terms, alterity is defined as ‘the state of being Scene in Hamlet is re-contextualized in setting, dialogue, and other or different; diversity, otherness’ (Ashcroft et al, 2013. p. culture in the film Karmayogi. The Graveyard Scene 9) i.e. in terms of political, cultural, linguistic or religious other. symbolizes death, darkness, and perishable nature of Human In the current research paper, we shall consider the cultural, beings and their desire to conquer the world. Whereas the linguistic, and structural differences between the Graveyard background is altered with land which is covered metanarrative/grand narrative Hamlet of the West (Occident) with grass and the scene is located in Rudhran land which and the regionally re-contextualized Karmayogi of the East according to the local cultural belief is considered to be the (Orient). The differences are sought to explore how the Orient land of goodness, where the sand is also sweet and, in that subtly claims that they are far more culturally and morally land, bloodshed is prohibited. Contrarily the Yorick’s Jester standardized than the Occident in their indigenous way. The Skull is replaced by the Skull of the fifth head of Lord Brahma. research article will discuss the variations that have taken are replaced by the character called place in the grand narrative to suit the natives of the target Kingaram, who was brought up by Rudhran’s father to regions, culture and ethical settings. Further, it will bring out maintain the land of sacredness. how the Orient is writing back to the empire by breaking the grand narrative. The pessimistic tone and background of the Graveyard Scene in Hamlet are rehabilitated with the optimistic environment Reversal Symbol of Skull and Graveyard Scene in draped with the rich cultural and ethical beliefs of the Orient. Karmayogi This transformation highlights the optimistic vision of the In Shakespearean Hamlet, the Skull of the court Jester Orient characters in the bleak context of the film. Yorick, whom and King Hamlet were fond of, is Rudhran: …This is Rudhran Lord. Land of Goodness. I came used to represent the power of Death which crumbles down here only at once. With my father. To know about the place. To the difference between rich and poor, and the social hierarchy. learn religious rituals. He told me that I can come here only It emphasizes the power of nature as well as the implication of after his death. The sand here is sweet. It got from Varanasi. the Christian doctrine indirectly which talks about the The pot that Lord Shiva begged. The fifth head of Brahma. perishable nature of man, i.e. “for out of it wast thou taken: for There will not be any bloodshed in this sand. …Kingaram. dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” (KJV, Genesis Father named him. Father saw him on the way of the day… 3:19). when Father and Sahyan master came to fight. He makes him HAMLET: Let me see. (takes the skull) accompany. He is staying here. (Prakash, 2012) Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy: he hath borne me on his back a thousand times; and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! my gorge rises at it. Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know not how oft. —Where be your gibes now? Your gambols? Your songs? Your flashes of merriment that were wont to set the table on a roar? Not one now to mock your own grinning? quite chop-fallen? Now get you to my lady’s chamber and tell

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Exit.. (Shakespeare, 2015, 1.5.1-90)

Figure 2. Rudhran with Skull of Brahma Source: Shetty, Vachan. Sajitha, Prakash. Prakash, V.K. 2012.

Figure 4. Hamlet Sees the Ghost. Source: Hamlet Story Timeline. Royal Shakespeare Company.

The scene emphasises the pathetic nature of the soul of the deceased King Hamlet. It also highlights how the Ghost of the dead King Hamlet reinforces Hamlet to take revenge against his uncle, Claudius, who murdered, snatched the Queen and the crown from him forever. Contrarily in the film, Karmayogi, the ghost/apparition is Figure 3. Rudhran, Shakunni and Kingaram in Rudhran replaced by a ‘dream’. The protagonist Rudhran is haunted by Land the dreams of his father. In his dream, Rudhran, Source: Shetty, Vachan. Sajitha, Prakash. Prakash, V.K. 2012. Gurukkul/Master comes in the costume of Kelipathram and explains to Rudhran that while he was sleeping in the temple As we see in the figures 2 and 3 above; the scene in Hamlet - of Lord Shiva at night it was Bhairavan(his brother) who Horatio and gravediggers are swapped with Rudhran, Shakuni, poured poison in his ear and killed him. The setting is dark but and Kingaram; and the Skull of Yorick’s Court Jester is they have their conversation below the strong-rooted trees. substituted with the skull of the fifth head of Lord Brahma that The appearance of the Rudhran Gurukkul as Kelipathram was beheaded by Lord Shiva. emphasises his innocent character and a person who is spiritually and morally upright and not like the deceased King The recasting of Cellarage Scene in Post-modern context Hamlet who is under purgatory after his death because of the The Cellarage Scene in Hamlet enhances and emphasises the sins he had committed before his death. Rudhran Gurukkul revenge theme in the play. In the tragedy, Prince Hamlet is tells Rudhran in the dream: beckoned by the spirit of King Hamlet alone to Cellarage. Hamlet also follows it to Cellarage. The scene is set up at Rudhran Gurukkul: I should also be absolved of my sins… I midnight before the early dawn. This emphasises the darkness don’t know the reason why I had such a death… I was poisoned and phantom state of rotten Denmark. The Ghost speaks first to death. But it was not a snake bite… Bahiravan poured the and remarks that once Hamlet hears it, he should set out for poison in my ears while I was sleeping in the temple of Lord the journey of revenge. The Ghost appears in the fully Shiva. If you ever loved your father… My son… you should kill armoured form of the deceased King Hamlet of Denmark. This Bahiravan – that wicked fellow. Swear in front of me. setting of the scene makes the play more supernatural. This Rudhran: I Promise. (Prakash, 2012) supernatural effect in the play is drawn by Shakespeare from the popular Elizabethan folklore and also from the Catholic doctrine of purgation of the soul after death. Shakespeare has indirectly brought out the diminishing philosophies such as Ghosts, demons, spirits, and catholic doctrine due to the rise of the Renaissance Movement and ideologies in England. The Ghost narrates its unnatural death which was a murder and asks Hamlet to avenge its death. Enter the Ghost and Hamlet. HAMLET: Where wilt thou lead me? Speak, I’ll go no further. GHOST: So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt hear. GHOST: … Brief let me be. Sleeping within my orchard, My custom always of the afternoon, Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole, With juice of cursed hebenon in a vial, Figure 5. Rudhran with Rudhran Gurukkul in Dream … Source: Shetty, Vachan. Sajitha, Prakash. Prakash, V.K. 2012. Thus was I, sleeping, by a brother’s hand Of life, of crown, of queen, at once dispatch’d: In the above scene, we see the two characters - Rudhran Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin, Gurukkul (deceased) and Rudhran speaking under the Banyan Unhousel’d, disappointed, unanel’d, tree. The Banyan tree symbolizes the Indian God, Brahma – the No reckoning made but sent to my account creator because of its longevity; it also represents the With all my imperfections on my head. immortality of the human soul and spiritual aspirations of a O, horrible, O, horrible, most horrible! person. Similarly, Rudhran Gurukkul has become immortal If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not, after his death as he was a spiritual aspirant before and at the Let not the royal bed of Denmark be time of his murder. We also notice that the Ghost of King A couch for luxury and damned incest. Hamlet is replaced by the ‘dream’ of Rudhran due to the logical … reasoning era of Post-Modernism. Adieu, adieu, adieu! Remember me.

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Metamorphosis of the Mousetrap in Karmayogi As in the image shown above, we see the troupe performing The Mousetrap in Hamlet and the movie Karmayogi is ‘Poorakkali’ with a traditional lamp in the center. The performed to corroborate the murder of the deceased King Poorakkali dance is accompanied with the singing of Hamlet/deceased Master Rudhran Gurukal by Poorakkali song: Claudius/Bhairavan. Hamlet re-enacts the tragedy of Duke Gonzago which is similar to King Hamlet’s death by poisoning Players: Poorakkali by his brother Claudius. Hamlet titled this play as ‘The Murder To see this part of the world of Gonzago’ which he also calls ‘The Mousetrap’ because Came from the Vidhya Himalaya region according to Hamlet “…The play’s the thing wherein I’ll catch Came from the Vidhya Himalaya region the conscience of the King.” (Shakespeare, 2015, 2.2.550-51). Came sailing on a beautiful ship… Hamlet’s intention is clarification or reassurance of what the A Mansion made of flowers on the ship! Ghost of the King Hamlet has narrated to him about its death. O, Lord … We keep our palms together in reverence. Lord Krishna! The setting of the play is where the characters Player Queen O, Lord Krishna! (Prakash, 2012) Baptista and Player King Gonzago exchange dialogues of deeply sworn towards each other. Later, we see Lucianus This song narrates the myth where Kamadeva with his wife - nephew of the King. Player Lucianus comments that: visits Dwaraka to get the blessings of Lord Krishna. Through this art form, Rudhran enacts the scene between two players “Thoughts black, hands apt, drugs fit, and time agreeing, who exchange interrogation. Player One asks player Two Confederate season, else no creature seeing; whether he observed the Kelipathram rituals properly, where Thou mixture rank, of midnight weeds collected, he slept and what happened after he slept and who murdered With Hecate’s ban thrice blasted, thrice infected, him. Player Two replies that he observed all the rituals, slept Thy natural magic and dire property, on the platform of Lord Shiva temple but he was not killed by On wholesome life usurp immediately.” snakebite and someone murdered him. But he doesn't reveal (Pours poison into the sleeping king's ears) (Shakespeare, the murderer which increases the suspense of the audience 2015, 3.2.230-235) and the reaction of Bhairavan is noticed by Rudhran, Shakunni, and Panikar. Player One enacts the act of pouring poison into On seeing this scene in the mousetrap play, rises the ear of the sleeping Player Two. Through this act, it is and leaves. Thus, the claim of the Ghost is proved true due to revealed to the audience the way Bhairavan murdered the strange behaviour of King Claudius while witnessing the Rudhran Gurukkul which is brought as a flashback where play. Bhairavan relates himself to Player One. Bhairavan rises and shouts “Stop. Is this Poorakkali? Clear out… Clear out… Come (drags Mankamma inside the house)” (Prakash, 2012).

Figure 6. The Play-Scene in Hamlet. Source: Maclise, Daniel. 1842.

As per the seating arrangement taken by the royal people to watch the staging of the play The Murder of Gonzago, we see that Horatio is facing King Claudius to observe the conscience of the King. Similarly, Prince Hamlet pretends as if he is in the Figure 8. Poorkkali Enactment of the Murder of Rudhran grip of Madness by lying in the center and keeping his head Gurukkul –Transmutated Mousetrap in Karmayogi towards to face King Claudius. When the scene of Source: Shetty, Vachan. Sajitha, Prakash. Prakash, V.K. 2012. Lucianus pouring poison into the ears of the Player King Gonzago is being enacted, King Claudius looks distressed, In the above image, we see the reaction of Bhairavan, who was supports his head with hand and being inflicted by the pang of calmly witnessing the play is stirred to anger, rises and drags consciousness, rises and walks away. Mankamma inside the Chathoth because of his guilt of murdering Rudhran Gurukkul that he remembers as a A similar ‘mousetrap play’ is performed as ‘Poorakkali’ in the flashback during the enactment of Poorkkali. Rudhran and film Karmayogi. It is performed by men in the evening. Shakunni take the right front position to observe the reaction of Bhairavan while the enactment of murder takes place.

Revamping of Title Hamlet into Karmayogi It is said that Shakespeare’s son named Hamnet died at the age of eleven due to which Shakespeare named the play Hamlet. When we look for the meaning of ‘Hamlet’ in Oxford Dictionary, it denotes “a small settlement, generally one smaller than a village, and strictly (in Britain) one without a church” (Stevenson, 2010, p. 793). It could be related that Hamlet as a character is amicable only with his close mate Horatio and he does not pursue or stick to the doctrine of Christianity while avenging the murder against Claudius. Figure 7. Poorakkali Performance in ‘Karmayogi’ Whereas the title of the film Karmayogi means “a yogi Source: Shetty, Vachan. Sajitha, Prakash. Prakash, V.K. 2012. dedicated to his ”. Here we see Rudhran as a Karmayogi who completes the karma that his father Rudhran Gururkkul

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expected from him and returns to the spiritual journey of Kelipathram taught and practiced by his father. In Hamlet, we observe that the protagonist Hamlet shuns the spiritual insight in his problem whereas, in Karmayogi, the protagonist Rudhran meditates his problem and finds out the truth by living the way his father lived and experienced. Also, after implementation of the Karma, he returns to his spiritual journey of being a Kelipathram and renounces power, wealth, privileges and rights to Sahyan. This difference in context represents and emphasizes the ethnicity, cultural moralism and spiritual exoticism of the Orient.

Blood-Stained Hands of Hamlet versus Pure Rudhran

Shakespeare has consciously or unconsciously followed the Figure 9. Hamlet Killing . trend of the Elizabethan theme of revenge. He has painted the Source: FANDOM. mad and melancholic character of Prince Hamlet who is responsible for the deaths of so many innocent victims who were not responsible for the death of the deceased King Hamlet. The people of the Elizabethan Age were rancorous by nature. Though the act of taking revenge is considered to be anti-Christian, there are many instances in history that reassure this characteristic of being rancorous. This rancorous nature of Elizabethan’s is imbibed in the character of Hamlet as we see in the soliloquy: Hamlet: …' Tis now the very witching time of night, When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out Contagion to this world: now could I drink the hot blood, And do such bitter business as the day Would quake to look on. Soft! Now to my mother. O heart, lose not thy nature; let not ever

The soul of Nero enter this firm bosom: Figure 10. Kidathan killed by Bhairavan in Chathoth Let me be cruel, not unnatural: Source: Shetty, Vachan. Sajitha, Prakash. Prakash, V.K. 2012 I will speak daggers to her, but use none; My tongue and soul in this be hypocrites; Thus, the character of Prince Hamlet is stained with the blood How in my words soever she be shent, of the innocent people whereas Rudhran the protagonist of the To give them seals never, my soul, consent! (Shakespeare, film Karmayogi is projected as a calm person even in the most 2015, 3.2.345-356) difficult and tricky situations. He kills only Bhairavan whom The above dialogue of Hamlet, especially in the lines “now his father had asked him to kill. Mankamma commits suicide could I drink the hot blood… I will speak daggers to her, but while Kanthan dies of the poisoned sword thrown by Kooman use none…” (Shakespeare, 2015, 3.2.345-356), highlights and that accidentally falls on him. Moonumani also commits divulges the violent nature of Prince Hamlet which is at its suicide whereas Kidathan is murdered by Bhairavan in peak due to his dilemma and madness. Hamlet similarly Chathoth. Therefore, we see that all the deaths occur in the ponders over the idea of revenge and killing Claudius though film due to Bhairavan rather than Rudhran. Rudhran kills it's not the right thing according to the Christian doctrines. In Bhairavan in such a manner that there is no violence or the soliloquy, he contemplates whether to kill Claudius or not bloodshed. He just hits Bhairavan at “Thrishangupushpam” – during the purgatory moments in his prayer. Hamlet the point where the chests join above the stomach as his dead comments, father had wished. The murder of Kidathan by Bhairavan is filled with violence and bloodshed. Observing these ghastly Hamlet: Now might I do it pat, now he is praying; incidents, the character of Rudhran is filled with tranquility, And now I’ll do’t. And so he goes to heaven; intelligence and gentleness even towards his father’s A villain kills my father; and for that, murderer. Hence Rudhran’s character has been depicted by I, his sole son, do this same villain send the director as immaculate and infallible when compared to To heaven. Hamlet who has his Hamartia as procrastinations. O, this is hire and salary, not revenge. … (Shakespeare, 2015, 3.3.73-96) DISCUSSION: RECONTEXTUALIZATION TO TAILOR THE CULTURAL DIVERGENCE As Prince Hamlet contemplates killing Claudius, the audience In the movie Karmayogi, the director, V.K. Prakash has re- can understand the depth of his hatred for Claudius. This contextualized the setting, language, and culture of the original hatred towards Claudius is to the extent that he doesn’t want Hamlet which is from Occident backdrop to suit the native to kill Claudius while he is praying because if Hamlet kills Orient backdrop. This cultural divergence is handled Claudius, the latter will reach heaven absolved of the sins and exceptionally by him in the film. Per Linell defines crime he committed against his father, him and the state of recontextualization as “the dynamic transfer-and- Denmark. Prince Hamlet ultimately kills Claudius and transformation of something from one discourse/text-in- eventually, he also dies. But the lives of the characters like context (the context being, in reality, a matrix or field of Polonius, , Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and Ophelia also contexts) to another.” (Linell, 1998, p. 144-145). As observed come to an end due to Hamlet's madness and revenge. The from the definition, the original setting in Hamlet-like the characters who were not involved in the assassination of King Denmark Elsinore Fort, the period of Renaissance, and the Hamlet are killed at the hands of Hamlet - the blood of the Western cultural context have been shifted or recontextualized dead characters stain the character of Hamlet as a whole. to Chathoth of the south-western region of Kerala (India), contemporary post-colonial era and the traditional Keralite culture of . According to Per Linell, recontextualization happens at three different levels – intratextual, intertextual, and interdiscursive.

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THE RAMIFICATION OF SHAKESPEARE'S HAMLET AS KARMAYOGI: REFLECTING THE CULTURAL TRACES OF POST- COLONIAL KERALA

Karmayogi lies in the level of Interdiscursive 6. Cartmell, D. (2006). Film as the New Shakespeare and Recontextualization. Interdiscursive Recontextualizations can Film on Shakespeare: Reversing the Shakespeare/Film be defined as the “processes and practices cross professional Trajectory. Literature Compass, 3(5), 1150-1159. boundaries in many ways. Professional-lay interaction often 7. Dizdar, S. Films Inspired by Shakespeare Between involves the clash between professional and lay perspectives. Hollywood and Bollywood. The Future of Humanities, Interprofessional contacts.… This process involves the Education and Creative Industries, 445. recycling of given as well as the reinterpreting of new 8. Dodiya, P. (2016). Towards Excellence. Towards meanings.” (Linell, 1998, p. 148). 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Retrieved from Shakespeare is interdiscursively recontextualized and tailored http://triggs.djvu.org/global- to suit the context of Indian culture, tradition, and locale of language.com/ENFOLDED/YOUNG/index.html Karmayogi. 12. George, V. (2012, March 16). Friday Review Legend of ‘Karmayogi’. The Hindu. Retrieved from CONCLUSION https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp- William Shakespeare wrote plays for all segments of the features/tp-fridayreview/legend-of- Elizabethan populace. While writing his plays, he kept in mind karmayogi/article3000277.ece the Groundlings, Aristocrats, and the Apprentices. Samuel 13. Ghose, I. (1998). Post-Colonial Shakespeares, edited by Bowels suggests that “… it was a uniting element, as the Ania Loomba and Martin Orkin. Interventions-London- audience of most any public theatre would contain , 2(2), 276-276. representatives from all strata of London's populace.” (Bowels, 14. Hamlet Killing Polonius. FANDOM. 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Rupkatha Journal on Thereby emphasing the cultural exoticism of the Orient culture Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, 3(4), 507-513. over the Occident. 24. Orfall, B. (2009). Bollywood Retakes: Literary Adaptation

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