Śakuntalā has oftentimes been adapted and translated in order to conform with the demands of the people. Prevailing genres and cultural aspects were added to the play each time, allowing for the insertion of contemporary dynamics or themes. Contrasting individuals, both affluent and poor, would modify plot points, as well as characters themselves, providing historians with unique manifestations of the same play. The Braj version (1716) of the play Śakuntalā preserved the longevity of the text, while also providing a modern twist to Kalidasa’s version (300-400 CE). Nawāz Kaveṡvara retold the drama in the vernacular, as a mixture between the Mahabharata version and the Kalidasa version, and in a manner that incorporated the prevailing style of the local poetry. Individuals such as Kaveṡvara would prevent Śakuntalā from fading away into the distant past, by once again making it a part of the present.
In 1716, a nobleman, after returning from a successful campaign, asked a well-known poet of the period named Nawāz Kaveṡvara to translate Śakuntalā into “Braj-ki-boli.” This was the language of the common people, allowing everyone to read this classic play for themselves. Originally only the wealthy, such as the members of the Mughal Court, were able to enjoy such old writings like Śakuntalā (Thapar 90). It was now that the play could truly grow in popularity as it could not be picked up and read by most people. The character, Śakuntalā, daughter of Vishvamitra and Menka, would be engraved into the minds of the people. This would allow a variety of individuals with different points of view to analyze the Śakuntalā. Some would side with her independent nature, while others would see her simply as a woman that was standing...
... middle of paper ...
... (Thapar 190-1). Sakuntala was destined to have a happy ending with the King no matter the hardships they faced. The atmosphere around the play was representative of what was to happen in the play.
All in all, the Braj version of the play Śakuntalā preserved the longevity of the text, while also providing a modern twist to Kalidasa’s version. This new version took concepts from the past and present to create something that all of society could enjoy. Nawāz Kaveṡvara retold the drama in the vernacular, as a mixture between the Mahabharata version and the Kalidasa version, and in a manner that incorporated the prevailing style of the local poetry. Śakuntalā’s ability to change with the times would ensure that it would always have a place in current society.
Works Cited
Thapar, Romila. Śakuntalā: Texts, Readings, Histories. London: Anthem Press, 2002. Print.
When Mary Zimmerman adapts a play from an ancient text her directing process and the way she engages with text are woven together, both dependent on the other. She writes these adaptations from nondramatic text, writing each evening while working through the pre-production rehearsals and improvisations during the day with the cast. The rehearsal process influences the text, and the text enriches the rehearsal process, so that one cannot exist without the other. Every rehearsal is structured the same but each production is unique because as Zimmerman states in “The Archaeology of Performance”, she is always “open to the possibilities”. The piece is open to everything happening in the world and to the people involved, so the possibilities are honest and endless.
The works of William Shakespeare have been one of the diligent hotspots for adaptation and appropriation. We see dramatic adaptation of Shakespearean playtexts began as early as Restoration period. Different fields like poetry, novels, advertisements, and movies have connected themselves with Shakespeare as well. The adaptation of Shakespeare makes him fit for new social settings and distinctive political philosophies.
“The Nina Variations” were performed by Nipissing's Theatre Arts course this week. The play is based on the final scene of Anton Chekov's “The Seagull” written by Steven Dietz. After being asked to write a new adaptation of “The Seagull,” Dietz could not stop thinking about the final scene between the two, and he has said “I could not focus on the rest of the play at all. I was mesmerized by the magnitude of this single fateful encounter” (Burns). He never wrote the adaption of “The Seagull” and instead created forty-three different variations of the way the final scene could end between the two. The scene is between Treplov, a playwright who is desperately in love with Nina, who is desperately in love with another man (who happens to be Treplov's mother's lover). The play portrays the forty-three variations of the final scene between the two, and the outcomes range from a happy ending, with both characters admitting they are in love with each other, to a hopeless ending where Treplov breaks Nina's heart, or Nina breaks Treplov's heart.
Saikaku, Ihara. Life of a Sensuous Woman. The Longman Anthology of World Literature. (Vol. D) Ed. Damrosch. New York: Pearson, 2004. 604-621. [Excerpt.]
The classic play Romeo and Juliet by the famous playwright William Shakespeare is one of the most beautiful love stories of all time and has captured and inspired readers everywhere. Regardless of the fact that it was written in the 1500’s, it is still being performed and extolled today. There is a multitude of reasons for such continuance of the play. First of all, its everlasting themes of love and hate enable people to deeply relate to the story. Secondly, its memorable characters deeply imprint on the minds of readers. And lastly, above all, is its magnificent language which many writers today regard in awe. These three elements make the acclaimed play, Romeo and Juliet, one of the most timeless stories of our lives.
Japan is known for its unique gardening style, their diverse plants, their food, and their beautifully woven tapestries. Yet, most do not know about the history of their drama. Japanese Noh theatre is one of the most precise and prestigious art forms. It has been this way since the fourteenth century when Zeami first created Noh theatre. Zeami’s most famous plays, such as Kinuta, are still performed today. Japanese drama has not changed much since the fourteenth century because it has made a lasting effect on the culture. Noh theatre had a major influence on fourteenth century Japan and has affected modern day drama.
The people of Ilujinle village called Lakunle the hero of the play and who was the village school master a fool as he wanted to change the village people “TO COME OUT OF THEIR IGNORANT AND SUPERSTITIOUS WAY OF LIFE”. He also spoke many words from his little dictionary which was unknown to the village people he wanted to protect the “VILLAGE FROM THE LION BAROKA WHO EXPLOITED THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE VILLAGE AS HE RESTRICTED IN LAYING RAILWAY LINES WHICH WOULD AFFECT HIS BUSINESS THROUGH CART”. Though Lakunle wanted to do everything for the “UPLIFTMENT OF THE VILLAGE” and its people, he was “NOT WISE ENOUGH” to handle it.
Kabuki Theater is quite different when compared to other types of theater. Its distinctive yet traditional traits are what make it so different. It is also a very traditional form of theater. Kabuki Theater in the 14th century was largely influenced by the events happening in Japan, is shown thrown the play Migawari Zazen.
It is already mentioned that this study will focus on Rokeya’s three English pieces— Sultana’s Dream, “God gives, Man robs” and “Educational Ideals for the Modern Indian Girl”. Detailed analysis and logical arguments with references to the texts are given below to explore the above sub-title:
The Picture Book of the Taiko, the latest play to be performed and adopted from Banruku theatre, existed to be a thirteen act production. Although the only lingering scene that is still performed is the “Amgasaki scene”, it is the only scene performed of the thirteen because it is the most well-known and important part that describes the meaning of the play. This scene consists of Takechi Mitshuide, the protagonist who reluctantly lances his mother Satsuki, who was bathing, misidentifying her as the feudal Lord Oda Harunaga.
With Kabuki as the main form of theatrical entertainment for commoners, there was an outburst of creativity. During this period the styl...
Insistence on fidelity to the original source, has prevented the developing other approaches to the adaptation phenomenon. The mainstream line of thought tends to ignore adaptation as a way of encounter approaching the arts, and it looks over that, through adaptation, we can nurture a rich culture. However, where translating fiction to drama takes an intricate form, this way of thinking fails to provide a serious explanation. Awareness of this genuine view, perhaps, is more useful that a body of literature that argue dramas have played down the romans.
However, the objective of this essay is to focus on a particular era. Therefore, I am going to focus on the contemporary period (Adhunuk Kal) of Hindi poetry. The reason to explicitly choose contemporary era of hindi poetry is to bring forth the different
Leenerts, Cynthia. "'How Can We Be Like We Used to Be?': The Collective Sita and the Collective Draupadi in Raja Rao's Kanthapuraand Jyotirmoyee Devi's The River Churning." South Asian Review 24.2 (2003): 84-105. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Vol. 255. Detroit: Gale, 2008. Literature Resource Center. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
The drama of Wole Soyinka is the creative mixing of Yoruba rituals, dramatic techniques, music and dance with the foreign language, English. The rites, rituals, gestures, music and dance are some of the nonverbal techniques Soyinka employs in order to achieve his dramatic effect. The language is full of wit and graphic insult. Language is not the only thing Soyinka relies on for effective theatre but also on so many techniques. This is an attempt to discuss these techniques in some important plays of Wole Soyinka.