Sharuk Rahaman | The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad (original) (raw)
Drafts by Sharuk Rahaman
Active Voice: Subject+ V 1 …………… (The sun rises in the east.) *s/es is to be added to main verb i... more Active Voice: Subject+ V 1 …………… (The sun rises in the east.) *s/es is to be added to main verb if the sub is third person singular number (he/ she/ it/ this/ that/ singular noun, e. g., a boy or the tree or man) Passive Voice: Sub+ am/is/are+ V 3 ……… (The work is done.)
here is a brief account of the major writings of the English Romantic Period (1798-1837) prepared... more here is a brief account of the major writings of the English Romantic Period (1798-1837) prepared by taking help from available books on history of English literature. It will be helpful for beginners of English literature to remember major works of the period at a glance.
Papers by Sharuk Rahaman
Literary Voice-A Peer Reviewed Journal of English Studies, 2024
The history of Indian nationalism and nation formation, as argued by Ranajit Guha, has been domin... more The history of Indian nationalism and nation formation, as argued by Ranajit Guha, has been dominated by colonialist and bourgeois-nationalist historiography. While the former credits foreign elites like British rulers and administrators for the achievement of the nation's freedom, the latter eulogizes indigenous elite personalities and institutions. Subaltern Studies
emerged as a response to focus on the gaps in elitist historical discourses, to draw attention to the numerous uprisings by millions of people independent of elite leadership. Utpal Dutt's play, The Great Rebellion dramatizes the Indian rebellion of 1857 and throws light on the
subalterns, who are exploited by the foreign (British rulers, officials) as well as the native oppressors (princes, merchants, moneylenders). The playwright presents the active participation of subjugated people—weavers, peasants, sepoys, women (including 'fallen' women), and ordinary citizens—in the anti-colonial freedom struggle. The present paper
seeks to study the play in the light of the ideas posited by Subaltern Studies.
LangLit-An International Peer-Reviewed Open Access Journal, 2024
There’s No End (Shesh Nei) by Badal Sircar, India’s prominent playwright, presents the existentia... more There’s No End (Shesh Nei) by Badal Sircar, India’s prominent playwright,
presents the existential crisis of an individual. Based on the idea of the
collective responsibility of human beings for the increasing injustice and
troubles in the world, the play particularly criticizes the middle-class
people for their complacency and callousness to the sufferings of fellow
human beings. The play shows how an individual is controlled by sets of
laws and personal choice is compromised, thus an uneven struggle
between an antagonistic social milieu and a rebel. While the protagonist is
accused of committing various ‘crimes’ by his relatives and friends for not
fulfilling their respective expectations, the playwright touches upon the
broader issue of social responsibility. It is conveyed through a trial scene
that every person is the accused in different aspects of life and they become their own judges too, while there is no end to such trials.
Postmodern India: Literoture, Film, and Drama, 2023
Badal Sircar (1925-2011)—along with Girish Karnad, Vijay Tendulkar, and Mohan Rakesh—is considere... more Badal Sircar (1925-2011)—along with Girish Karnad, Vijay Tendulkar, and Mohan Rakesh—is considered one of the most prominent figures in modern Indian theatre. Among the alternative theatre forms, Sircar is a well-known name who advocated innovative theatrical practice known as the ‘Third Theatre.’ Having contributed to commercial proscenium theatre with some excellent comedies (Boro Pisima, Shanibar, Ballabhpur-er Rupkatha, Kabikahini) and absurd dramas (Evam Indrajit, Baki Itihas, Pagla Ghoda, Shesh Nei) during his early career, he later embraced non-proscenium, non-commercial theatre. Influenced by various Indian folk theatre forms, Richard Schechner’s Environmental Theatre, Jerzy Grotowski’s Poor Theatre, Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed, and theatre-in-the-round productions in London and Paris, Sircar’s Third Theatre is a ‘theatre of synthesis’ that works as a rural-urban link. Also known as ‘Poor Theatre’ and ‘Free Theatre’, it seeks to make theatre flexible, portable, and inexpensive. Sircar’s theatre tries to minimize the actors-audience distance and to free theatre from the constraints of money. Third Theatre has two forms—Anganmancha (intimate indoor theatre) and Muktamancha (open-air theatre at streets, parks, bus stops, railway stations, villages etc.). The plays (Spartacus, Procession, Bhoma, Stale News, Indian History Made Easy, etc.) deal with various socio-economic-political themes that are equally relevant today. Sircar believes in the communicative power of theatre and employs it as a tool for social change. He seeks to communicate facts and truths about exploitation, regarding what is happening in remote villages through his theatre. He feels that his first mission is to make people aware and he does that through theatre. The present paper studies the matrix of his theatre and how it stimulates social change.
Creative Flight: An International Half-Yearly Open Access Peer-Reviewed E-Journal in English, 2023
“Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet” wrote Rudyard Kipling once. ... more “Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall
meet” wrote Rudyard Kipling once. Ironically, T. S. Eliot’s
magnum opus The Waste Land, one of the canonical texts of the
Western modernism, ends with a direct reference to an Eastern
scripture—the Upanishad. The poem abounds in references to
Indian philosophy, spirituality, religion, and history. The titles of
two sections in the poem—"The Fire Sermon” and “What the
Thunder Said”—bear direct allusions to Indian religions, namely
Hinduism and Buddhism. Eliot places together two great masters
of asceticism—Lord Buddha and Saint Augustine—from the East
and the West. The ultimate solution to the social ills, spiritual
banality, religious bankruptcy, degradation of emotions, and
predicament of human virtues in the modern Western world is
found in the Indian principles of Datta (Charity), Dayadhvam
(Compassion), and Damyata (Restraint). Taking into consideration
Eliot’s formative years in oriental studies at Harvard, the present
paper analyzes the influence of the Indian spiritual and
philosophical traditions in The Waste Land.
BASUNDHARA-Research Oriented Book on Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences & Management, 2022
Trauma causes serious damages to people's lives- both physical and mental. Traumatic experiences ... more Trauma causes serious damages to people's lives- both physical and
mental. Traumatic experiences keep haunting the victims repeatedly
through hallucination, nightmare and similar disorders. The horror of
war and nuclear weapons is a recurrent motif in the plays of Badal
Sircar. The Thirtieth Century, a courtroom drama dealing with the
Hiroshima attack and its aftermaths during World War II, presents
traumatic experiences of war and atomic explosions faced by various
people- from children to adults. The present paper closely analyses the
text in the light of ideas posited by Sigmund Freud, Cathy Caruth and
others. The study, while referring to his other plays, shows how the
play reflects Sircar's obsession' with the horror of atomic explosions.
The Creative Launcher-An International, Open Access, Peer-Reviewed Journal in English, 2023
Comedy, unlike tragedy, is often overlooked as a lower form of art and less important. But comedy... more Comedy, unlike tragedy, is often overlooked as a lower form of art and less important. But comedy plays crucial role in entertaining as well as making people aware of real-life issues. Badal Sircar (1925-2011) is a widely recognized playwright of post-independence Indian theatre. While there is much scholastic focus and discussion on his absurd dramas and Third Theatre plays, his comedies have been mostly overlooked and have rarely drawn critical attention. By filling this gap in existing literature, the present research establishes the significance and value of Sircar’s comedies. It analyses situational pure comedies as well as black comedies from both the proscenium and the non-proscenium phases, namely Solution X, Boro Pisima, Shanibar, Ram Shyam Jadu, Ballabhpurer Rupkatha, Kabikahini, Bichitranushthan, Jadi Ar Ekbar, Abu Hossain, Hattamalar Oparey, Bagalacharit-manas, and Khat Mat Kring. While giving relief to the daily routines of the audience, Sircar presents serious matters in non-serious ways that simultaneously compel them to think about the surrounding worlds and grave issues (capitalist exploitation, corrupt politicians and hypocritical nature of political parties, dowry deaths, nuclear holocaust, unemployment, middle class aspirations and frustration in life, Brahmans-Dalits conflict, social changes, etc.). The study asserts that comedy cannot be merely dismissed as a non-serious art having no social purpose, but it can prove itself to be a powerful tool in raising socio-political awareness.
Active Voice: Subject+ V 1 …………… (The sun rises in the east.) *s/es is to be added to main verb i... more Active Voice: Subject+ V 1 …………… (The sun rises in the east.) *s/es is to be added to main verb if the sub is third person singular number (he/ she/ it/ this/ that/ singular noun, e. g., a boy or the tree or man) Passive Voice: Sub+ am/is/are+ V 3 ……… (The work is done.)
here is a brief account of the major writings of the English Romantic Period (1798-1837) prepared... more here is a brief account of the major writings of the English Romantic Period (1798-1837) prepared by taking help from available books on history of English literature. It will be helpful for beginners of English literature to remember major works of the period at a glance.
Literary Voice-A Peer Reviewed Journal of English Studies, 2024
The history of Indian nationalism and nation formation, as argued by Ranajit Guha, has been domin... more The history of Indian nationalism and nation formation, as argued by Ranajit Guha, has been dominated by colonialist and bourgeois-nationalist historiography. While the former credits foreign elites like British rulers and administrators for the achievement of the nation's freedom, the latter eulogizes indigenous elite personalities and institutions. Subaltern Studies
emerged as a response to focus on the gaps in elitist historical discourses, to draw attention to the numerous uprisings by millions of people independent of elite leadership. Utpal Dutt's play, The Great Rebellion dramatizes the Indian rebellion of 1857 and throws light on the
subalterns, who are exploited by the foreign (British rulers, officials) as well as the native oppressors (princes, merchants, moneylenders). The playwright presents the active participation of subjugated people—weavers, peasants, sepoys, women (including 'fallen' women), and ordinary citizens—in the anti-colonial freedom struggle. The present paper
seeks to study the play in the light of the ideas posited by Subaltern Studies.
LangLit-An International Peer-Reviewed Open Access Journal, 2024
There’s No End (Shesh Nei) by Badal Sircar, India’s prominent playwright, presents the existentia... more There’s No End (Shesh Nei) by Badal Sircar, India’s prominent playwright,
presents the existential crisis of an individual. Based on the idea of the
collective responsibility of human beings for the increasing injustice and
troubles in the world, the play particularly criticizes the middle-class
people for their complacency and callousness to the sufferings of fellow
human beings. The play shows how an individual is controlled by sets of
laws and personal choice is compromised, thus an uneven struggle
between an antagonistic social milieu and a rebel. While the protagonist is
accused of committing various ‘crimes’ by his relatives and friends for not
fulfilling their respective expectations, the playwright touches upon the
broader issue of social responsibility. It is conveyed through a trial scene
that every person is the accused in different aspects of life and they become their own judges too, while there is no end to such trials.
Postmodern India: Literoture, Film, and Drama, 2023
Badal Sircar (1925-2011)—along with Girish Karnad, Vijay Tendulkar, and Mohan Rakesh—is considere... more Badal Sircar (1925-2011)—along with Girish Karnad, Vijay Tendulkar, and Mohan Rakesh—is considered one of the most prominent figures in modern Indian theatre. Among the alternative theatre forms, Sircar is a well-known name who advocated innovative theatrical practice known as the ‘Third Theatre.’ Having contributed to commercial proscenium theatre with some excellent comedies (Boro Pisima, Shanibar, Ballabhpur-er Rupkatha, Kabikahini) and absurd dramas (Evam Indrajit, Baki Itihas, Pagla Ghoda, Shesh Nei) during his early career, he later embraced non-proscenium, non-commercial theatre. Influenced by various Indian folk theatre forms, Richard Schechner’s Environmental Theatre, Jerzy Grotowski’s Poor Theatre, Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed, and theatre-in-the-round productions in London and Paris, Sircar’s Third Theatre is a ‘theatre of synthesis’ that works as a rural-urban link. Also known as ‘Poor Theatre’ and ‘Free Theatre’, it seeks to make theatre flexible, portable, and inexpensive. Sircar’s theatre tries to minimize the actors-audience distance and to free theatre from the constraints of money. Third Theatre has two forms—Anganmancha (intimate indoor theatre) and Muktamancha (open-air theatre at streets, parks, bus stops, railway stations, villages etc.). The plays (Spartacus, Procession, Bhoma, Stale News, Indian History Made Easy, etc.) deal with various socio-economic-political themes that are equally relevant today. Sircar believes in the communicative power of theatre and employs it as a tool for social change. He seeks to communicate facts and truths about exploitation, regarding what is happening in remote villages through his theatre. He feels that his first mission is to make people aware and he does that through theatre. The present paper studies the matrix of his theatre and how it stimulates social change.
Creative Flight: An International Half-Yearly Open Access Peer-Reviewed E-Journal in English, 2023
“Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet” wrote Rudyard Kipling once. ... more “Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall
meet” wrote Rudyard Kipling once. Ironically, T. S. Eliot’s
magnum opus The Waste Land, one of the canonical texts of the
Western modernism, ends with a direct reference to an Eastern
scripture—the Upanishad. The poem abounds in references to
Indian philosophy, spirituality, religion, and history. The titles of
two sections in the poem—"The Fire Sermon” and “What the
Thunder Said”—bear direct allusions to Indian religions, namely
Hinduism and Buddhism. Eliot places together two great masters
of asceticism—Lord Buddha and Saint Augustine—from the East
and the West. The ultimate solution to the social ills, spiritual
banality, religious bankruptcy, degradation of emotions, and
predicament of human virtues in the modern Western world is
found in the Indian principles of Datta (Charity), Dayadhvam
(Compassion), and Damyata (Restraint). Taking into consideration
Eliot’s formative years in oriental studies at Harvard, the present
paper analyzes the influence of the Indian spiritual and
philosophical traditions in The Waste Land.
BASUNDHARA-Research Oriented Book on Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences & Management, 2022
Trauma causes serious damages to people's lives- both physical and mental. Traumatic experiences ... more Trauma causes serious damages to people's lives- both physical and
mental. Traumatic experiences keep haunting the victims repeatedly
through hallucination, nightmare and similar disorders. The horror of
war and nuclear weapons is a recurrent motif in the plays of Badal
Sircar. The Thirtieth Century, a courtroom drama dealing with the
Hiroshima attack and its aftermaths during World War II, presents
traumatic experiences of war and atomic explosions faced by various
people- from children to adults. The present paper closely analyses the
text in the light of ideas posited by Sigmund Freud, Cathy Caruth and
others. The study, while referring to his other plays, shows how the
play reflects Sircar's obsession' with the horror of atomic explosions.
The Creative Launcher-An International, Open Access, Peer-Reviewed Journal in English, 2023
Comedy, unlike tragedy, is often overlooked as a lower form of art and less important. But comedy... more Comedy, unlike tragedy, is often overlooked as a lower form of art and less important. But comedy plays crucial role in entertaining as well as making people aware of real-life issues. Badal Sircar (1925-2011) is a widely recognized playwright of post-independence Indian theatre. While there is much scholastic focus and discussion on his absurd dramas and Third Theatre plays, his comedies have been mostly overlooked and have rarely drawn critical attention. By filling this gap in existing literature, the present research establishes the significance and value of Sircar’s comedies. It analyses situational pure comedies as well as black comedies from both the proscenium and the non-proscenium phases, namely Solution X, Boro Pisima, Shanibar, Ram Shyam Jadu, Ballabhpurer Rupkatha, Kabikahini, Bichitranushthan, Jadi Ar Ekbar, Abu Hossain, Hattamalar Oparey, Bagalacharit-manas, and Khat Mat Kring. While giving relief to the daily routines of the audience, Sircar presents serious matters in non-serious ways that simultaneously compel them to think about the surrounding worlds and grave issues (capitalist exploitation, corrupt politicians and hypocritical nature of political parties, dowry deaths, nuclear holocaust, unemployment, middle class aspirations and frustration in life, Brahmans-Dalits conflict, social changes, etc.). The study asserts that comedy cannot be merely dismissed as a non-serious art having no social purpose, but it can prove itself to be a powerful tool in raising socio-political awareness.