To evaluate My Assignment
Analyze The characters of Ekalavya and Arjuna in the play “The Purpose’’
Name: RINKAL JANI
Roll No: 30
Paper: 4-A
Paper Name: Indian Writing in English Pre - Independence
Topic: Analyze the characters of Ekalavya and Arjuna in the play “The Purpose’’
M.A. English Semester - 1
Batch: 2016 - 2018
Submitted to: -
Parth sir,
Department of English
Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University
The characters of Ekalavya and Arjuna
Play: “The Purpose”
Playwright: T.P. Kailasam
Introduction: -
This play “The Purpose’’ is written by well-known playwright T. P. Kailasam. His full name is Thyagaraja Paramasiva Kailasam. He was born in 1884 and died in 1946. T. P. Kailasam who wrote both in English and Kannada. He was prominent playwright of Kannada literature and contribute a lot to Kannada Theater. comedy earned him the title Prahasana Prapitamaha, "the father of humorous plays" and later he was also called as "Kannadakke Obbane Kailasam" means "One and Only Kailasam for Kannada. This play “The Purpose’’ is written by well-known playwright T. P. Kailasam. His full name is Thyagaraja Paramasiva Kailasam. He was born in 1884 and died in 1946. T. P. Kailasam who wrote both in English and Kannada. He was prominent playwright of Kannada literature and contribute a lot to Kannada Theater. comedy earned him the title Prahasana Prapitamaha, "the father of humorous plays" and later he was also called as "Kannadakke Obbane Kailasam" means "One and Only Kailasam for Kannada".
T. P. Kailasam is considered as the father of modern Kannada drama. However, his dramatic art blossom fully in English drama. He has ardent love for dramatic genre as an actor as well as a writer. His famous works are...
The Brahmin’s curse
The fulfilment
The Burden
Keechaka
Karna
The purpose
All his theme and character are mythological yet their treatment and delineation are strictly according to his vision, mission and imagination.
About The Play “The Purpose”:-
“The Purpose” is originally written by Kailasam. But the concept of the play is adopted from the myth of great Indian Epic “The Mahabharata” written by Maharishi Veda Vyas.Here in this play has tried to break this myth of real Mahabharata. He gives twist of the original story of Mahabharata “The Purpose” and tries to De-construct the theory of myth in The Purpose. Here, ‘The Purpose’ is a mythical play it deals with past and ancient Indians culture, and connected with socio-political situation in the time of ancient Mahabharata. ‘Mythical story is always a fable of people’ it’s like a tell that spreading our culture and its value.
“By a myth ... I mean primarily a certain type of
story in which some of the chief characters are
gods or other beings larger in power than humanity.”
~ Northrop Frye
Kailasams plays have a Uniform technical excellence and for this, C.R. Reddy has said that,
“Greater than any writer I have known is Kailasam in dramatic technique.”
Here, in his play, Kailasam tried to illuminated something which is in original myth was neglected through the character of Eklavya and Kailasam is also give of another important twist to Arjuna’s character and tried to highlighted his another side apart from his good or greatness in original myth.
About two main Characters of this play : Ekalavya And Arjuna :-
So Let’s see that how this both the characters play his role in this play And through them Kailasam has to do on the society or its custoums.
Arjuna:
When we talked about Arjuna’s character first image comes in our mind is that Arjuna is a very powerful man and as humble as God. But here in this play playwright Kailasam has broken the myth of real Mahabharata. And here in this play he portrayed Arjuna as very ambitious man and very low class person in emotions wise. Arjuna was third brother from the five pandavas in real Mahabharata epic. Arjuna’s mother was Kunti and his father was Pandu. He is son of Indra dev in epic. He is a prince of Hastinapura and he has four brothers Yudhishthir, Bheem, Nakul and Sahdev. In Mahabharata Arjuna was known for his steadfastness and single mindedness in pursuing his goals.
In T.P kailasam’s play Arjuna was a little boy who goes to Guru Drona’s Ashram for learning archery with pandavas and cousin brother’s by Bhishma. In the Mahabharata Arjuna was fast learner archery and he is favorite student of guru Dronacharya, and in T.P Kailasam’s play he was a slow learner but favorite student of Guru Dronacharya. Guru Dronacharya gives promise to him that he became best archer in the world.
The play ‘The Purpose’ is starts with Arjuna practicing with bow, his target swag by a tree-branch. Arjuna himself emphasize on his aim of life.
Arjuna:
Yes, Taataajee! Why, I shall HAVE to remember it, as it is my personal ambition to be the most famous archer of all time! These lines suggested that the aim of Arjuna he want to become greatest archer in the world. Also these line signifies that the self-cantered nature of Arjuna and he might “own longing”. Arjuna was so confident about his archery that he didn’t know that Eklavya also wanted to become the best archer of the world. Drona make him understand that why he makes poor Progress. He wants to make aware Arjuna about his “KARMA’S” towards his family and his kingdom. Drona tells him in frustration by saying this…
“YOU POOR SELF-OBSESSED CHILD; YOU WILL THEN REALIZES THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS GOD!”
At that time, overwhelmed by Drona’s outburst, Arjuna shudders in fear.
Arjuna: (Plaintively) Forgive me Gurujee, but I really cannot make out how all the lessons you so kindly teach me... slip out of my mind...
Drona: YOU CANNOT... Paratha! But I CAN! The true trouble with you is that your AIM is wrong, altogether wrong!
Arjuna: "My aim wrong"? But I always aim at my target, Gurujee, straight at it!
Drona: Oh! I am not talking of your aim at your target! I mean the AIM... the MAIN AIM... the MAIN PURPOSE with which you are learning... THAT is what is at fault!
Arjuna: "My main aim in learning Archery"?... Well...!
Drona: Your AIM, Paratha, is just this: TO ATTAIN FAME AS AN ARCHER! No more! Every moment you spend at work, your mind is FULLER of thoughts of the DAY WHEN YOU'LL BE ACCLAIM'D AS THE VERY GREATEST ARCHER OF ALL TIMES, than of thoughts of the work itself! Be honest now, and confess that I am right!
Arjuna: (Dropping his eyes) Yes, Gurujee, you are right.
From this conversation of Guru Dronacharya and Arjuna, we have clear idea about Arjuna’s real purpose for become a best archer in the world. He wants to become best archer of the world at any cost its shows his obsess nature toward his ambition. After this conversation story begins with the second prominent character of this play Ekalavya. He was belonging to Nishadha community and also want to learn archery from Guru Dronacharya.
When two main characters Arjuna and Ekalavya they confront each other, it was the situation or conflict with them that who will become the best archer in the world. There is no doubt that ultimately they both become best in archery and for that Ekalavya has to do sacrifice and give his thumb as a “Gurudakshina” to his guru dronacharya. And that is the reason who made him great and sympathetic character in this play. Let’s have look on this second major character of this play…
Ekalavya:
Ekalavya is the protagonist of this play “The purpose”. He is a Nishadha boy, and also a marginalized character in the play or in original myth also. His ambition to be the best archer in the world. Ekalavya wants to learn archery for two purpose first for himself, for save Nature and second for his Mother’s dream.
In the original myth Ekalavyas character is ignorant and not considerable but here Kailasam give justice to this minor character and made him major or great by writing his dramatic technique. Ekalavya is not powerful character in the ved vyas the purpose but here he is enough capable and he had great esteem. He always speaks whatever he thinks to be true. He really likes the technique of archery of Guru Dronacharya, but he also apprehends Arjuna as his acquaintance. This shows his humble nature.
“...this MUST BE THE GREAT DRONACHARYA! Who else could in a few moments and with a few words turn a voice into a good archery that boy, Paratha, looks a skillful archer already! Why, I am better myself for listening to him and following his words!”
We can find the devotion and love for Guru Dronacharya in above lines which spoken by Ekalavya. He doesn’t even miss the one word of his favorite Guru Dronacharya. At that time, he was not even noticed by anyone during that movement, he speaks himself. He wanted to learn archery from Guru Dronacharya but he refuses to him and said that I am teaches only to the princes hear we find ‘Indian cast and creed system where a talented person is not equally seen’. Though he has impersonal purpose to learn archery and also has quality but he can’t because of his belonging. Tragedy arises when guru Drona refuses him to teach though he takes Daxina, seeing his guru’s dilemma Ekalavya willingly gives his ‘RIGHT HANDS THUMB’ as Guru Daxina to guru dronacharya. He has to pay fees is it so because of his ambition to learn archery. He becomes ‘SCAPEGOAT’ of dominated of caste hierarchy. Though he has a quality he becomes helpless character in throughout the ply.
After examine the character of Ekalavya we can conclude that being a common man and cause of marginalization in ancient society Ekalavya has to suffers a lot. Ekalavya faces all the problems and do lots of struggles he comes out with flying colors and emerge as the tragic hero of the ply “The Purpose”
Resemblance and Antithesis between Arjuna and Ekalavya
When we talk about these two major character, first of all we have to discussed that, that there are some similarities and some differentiate things between these two character, so let’s have a briefly look on that.
“A person of no Pride always remember that no one can be perfect”
There is one similar thing in between Arjuna and Ekalavya is that that “their ambition of to become great archer in the world”. Though their aim is similar but their Purpose of learn archery is different. Arjuna’s purpose is to get fame by become greatest archer. (and may be he defeat kauravas and wanted to back empire of Hastinapura) on the other side Ekalavyas purpose was very noble and selflessness, his purpose is that because of his mother want and also to protect nature and animals. Ekalavya is very fast learner in compare to Arjuna though he is a self-Lerner. Arjuna is greedy but Ekalavya is helpless. Contextual different between Arjuna and Ekalavya is that, Ekalavya is SUBALTERN hero of the T.P Kailasams “The Purpose”, in actual text he is Marginalize character. Arjuna character in “The purpose” is portrayed as a rude and self-proud person while in original text he is very humble and great. We can see his rude behave while he is calling Ekalavya a LAW BORN NISHAADHA by saying this…
“…An Arya is an Arya! And a Nishadha is only a low born Nishadha...!”
Conclusion:
To sum up, we can say that Kailasam tried to give justice to Ekalavyas character which is in original Mahabharata marginalized by ved Vyas, he also tried to give twist to his play and breaks the myth of Mahabharata in his all mythical play.it is an art of writing for that he has said that,
“The greatness of art is in Proportion to the greatness, of the characters of the characters that the artist creates.”
Citation:
http://pritibagohil1416.blogspot.in
http://tpkailasam.blogspot.in
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