Desires and Ecstasies of Women in The Plays Of Girish Karnad (original) (raw)

A woman has become the centre of discussion in the post-colonial literature and social strata of India as well as Western Countries. The lives of women have been manipulated by the patriarchy in all ages and cultures, undoubtedly in different ways by prescribing values, norms, gender roles and ethics to keep the male dominance at the top. Silvia Walby in 'Theorising Patriarch', observes, it is " a system of social structures and practices in which men dominate, oppress and exploit women. Today, Girish Karnad is considered as one of the most significant Indian dramatists. He as a dramatist of post-modern era fascinates us with the marvellous world of his plays, critically evaluated the mind and behaviour of his female protagonists in a collective perspective, impact of the patriarchy, Volume II Issue I, April 2014 ISSN 2321-7065 345 women's endeavour to fulfil their desires final crises and their extinction from their world. We encounter with him a playwright as a thinker, artist, actor, poet, and a producer who as a true culture-smith intends to awaken the contemporary Indian intelligentsia from cultural amnesia. Girish Karnad has emerged as a living legend in the contemporary Indian English drama. His output, which ranges from Yayati to Wedding Album, marks the evolution of Indian theatre since four decades. Karnad transmutes and transforms his source material to such an extent, being an actor and theatre man himself, that the modern, contemporary, individual talent incorporates the tradition into a trans-creation that is rich and strange. Karnad admirably succeeded in his attempt to show the Indian playwrights as well as the world Theatre Community at large how our past and present can coalesce to give present-day existence meaning and to theatre activity a direction. The present paper discusses various philosophical and theoretical aspects of a woman who struggles audaciously against patriarchy, male dominance and gender discourse. Karnad, being a glorious son of land, inherits a rich legacy of the tradition and culture, and this is how the artistic creation in his plays finds an expression and a respectable place in the society.