Final Solution by Mahesh Dattani

Hello, I am Himanshi Parmar, student of MK Bhavnagar University. This blog i have written in a response to Thinking Activity, Which is Part of my academic Work. Which we get after each unit. In this blog, i am going to discuss about a well known play 'Final Solution' by Mahesh Dattani, along with that About the author and several important questions related to the text. Read the questions here in the professor's Blog.(CLICK)

Final Solution - Mahesh Dattani

Click to read Original text

Final solution is the three act's play written by an Indian writer Mahesh Dattani. The play was written and performed in 1993. It was first performed at Guru Nayak Bhavan Bangalore, on 10 July 1993. There are seven important characters in the play excepting Corus. Also the play has Five corus characters they initially change into Hindu and Muslim by changing masks.

The play was subsequently performed at Tara Theatre, Mumbai, on 11 December 1993. The play was also translated into hindi by Shahid Anwar and directed by Arvind Gaur for Asmita Theatre in 1998. Click here to read Summary of the play.

This are the main characters of the play.

Watch the play here.

About Author (Mahesh Dattani)

Mahesh Dattani is an Indian Writer, director, playwright, and actor. He was born on 7 August 1958 (age 64 years) in Bengaluru. He is the one playwright in English language to be awarded the sahitya Akademi Award. He also received Sahitya Kala Parishad selected Final Solutions (1993), Tara (2000) and 30 Days in September (2007) as best productions of the year, directed by Arvind Gaur. He began his Career as a copywriter in an advertising firm.In 1986 he wrote his first full length play 'Where There's a Will' and began his career as a full time theatre professional. He is also a film director, directed movies like Mango Souffle and Morning Raaga.

He wrote many famous plays on Social crisis, political problems and human Rights. His famous plays are,

1)Where There's a Will (1988)

2)Dance Like a Man (1989)

3)Bravely Fought the Queen (1991)

4)Final Solutions (1993)

5)Do The Needful On a Muggy Night in Mumbai (1998)

6)Seven Circles Round The Fire (Radio play for BBC) (Seven Steps around the Fire) (1998)

7)30 Days in September (2001)

8)The Girl Who Touched the Stars (2007)

9)Brief Candle (2009)

10)Where Did I Leave My Purdah (2012)

11)The Big Fat City (2012)

Click to read more about him.

Question - Answers

1)What is the significance of the subtitle "Final Solutions"?

Final solution is one of the best play of Mahesh Dattani. The title is confusing because there is one more book we have with same title, that is "The Final Solution" by Michael Chabon, A Story of Detection is a 2004 novella.

The paly is about Situation after India get Independence. There was a riots, Hindu - Muslim Conflicts, Casteism, Shifting, partition etc. People are worried as well as tired of all the things, people get killed and tortured by others. All this things Dattani try to portray by his play Final solution. We have two characters Bobby and Javed, who are tortured and attempted to got murder by corus having Hindu masks. Also we find that Muslim girls hostel get bombed by Hindus, this incident we came to know by Smita whose friend Taneem is in the hostel when incident happened.

People are finding for solution for all mess but at last they get nothing. So here the title 'final solution' we interprete that, The final solution is no solution at all. This Solution less dystopic world is the only choice for human being to live.

2)The movie comes up with many different symbols and colors. Write about any two symbols which caught your attention. What does it signify?

In the movie Final Solution, we find many symbols used well by Mahesh Dattani. For example Religious things (Idol of Lord Krishna and Muslim Cap), Diary of Daksha, Masks etc. Let me discuss it shortly.

1- Religious Things (Idol of Lord Krishna and Muslim Cap) 

When Javed and Bobby Shelter in the house of Ramnik, Ramnik's Daughter Smita claimed to know them both and then there is one scene in which Smita robbed Javed's Cap which generally symbol of Muslim community and wear it on her head, also there is one another scene we find at last in play where Bobby took idol of Lord Krishna in his hand that is generally symbol of Hinduism. In both this scenes we find Muslim boy took idol of Hindu God and Hindu girl wear cap of Muslim boy. They exchanging their identities symbolically and try to vanish differences between Hindu And Muslim community.

2 - Diary of Daksha :-

Diary of Daksha is symbol of History, it is keeping record of after independence time. But somewhere lacked to show reality, because she herself not aware about the truth. She thought that Zarin's family treat her ill but in reality Daksha's in-laws put fire on the shop of Zarin's father's shop because they want to establish their business there. So this thing is also showing limits of person's knowledge.

3 - Masks :-

We have two kinds of masks Hindu masks and Muslim masks. Masks representing community. By changing masks corus becoming Hidus or Muslims.

3) Is Ramnik a liberal thinker? If yes then why? If not then why?

No, Ramnik is not a liberal thinker. By giving job to Javed and saving Bobby and Javed from traitors he try to make them believe that he is very liberal thinker. In the return of firing Muslim's shop, he just ready to give job to muslim boy Javed. So he is liberal but not as much he think. He try to vanish his faults which his family did in past but Javed made him realize that he is not Liberal at all.

4) Does education make any difference? Comment with the reference to the women characters.

Yes, education make difference. We have four women characters in the play. Daksha, Hardika, Aruna and Smita. Daksha and Hardika are the same but Young and old version of same person. We find Daksha and Smita are educated. Daksha is writing diary so we come to know that she is educated also smita is in college so she is also educated. And that's why they both don't believe in community differences. This we came to believe because both of them has Muslim friend, Daksha has Zarin and Smita has Tasneem. When other women Aruna, Mother of Smita and wife of Ramnik was still rigidly sinked into religious and had lots of superstitions that showing lack of education in her. Education give us vision to see beyond rigidity, and help to break religious barriers. It will help in full development of person.

I hope my blog will be helpful to you. Thanks for visit.

References :-

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahesh_Dattani

https://youtu.be/5sTU4sSyJFE

Poem :- Identity. (Creative Writing)

Hello, I am Himanshi Parmar, student of MK Bhavnagar University. This blog i have written as a response to Thinking Activity, Which is a Part of my academic Work. Which we get after each unit. In this blog, i am going to present my own poem, written on a subject of Queer identity. Also i have written interpretation on it.

Title :- Identity 

You see? Who am i?

Not male, not female either,

But a human being, just a human.

With no gender identity.

Though carrying equal ownership of the earth.

You all so-called male and female,

Can not neglect our ownership.

As well as our existence.

We are here, since you were.

You peek into the "Mahabharata",

Are you able to find "Shikhandi"?

You see what was "Ardhanarishvara"!

Who was "Brihannala"!

Our only ancestors.

We've been around since you were,

We breathe, we eat, we drink, we take care of our mother earth,

And the most auspicious thing is that we are living.

Just like you, but with no grudges,

No arrogance, no ego, no violence.

Bless all of you, your newborns.

Did we ask for anything in return?

Except for respect and acceptance!

Not from the law, but from society.

Now, forget it.

Ever since we understood reality,

We have stopped expecting social acceptance.

Society is nothing but a hub.

A big hub of bondage and yoke.

We are the children of the earth,

Accept you all,

So - called male and female,

As our beloved siblings.

We accept you all.

- Himanshi parmar. (MAAN)

Interpretation  

First line i have taken from 'An Introduction' by Kamala Das. This poem is my own creative writing. The poem is based on crisis of Third Gender. The photo of rainbow is also representing third gender identity.

The poem is narrated by Third gender. In first stanza the person asking that You know who am i? By asking this question the person neglecting idea of man - Women identity, And considering itself as a human.and claim to have equal ownership of earth.

In second stanza, The person recalling history. Telling that our community is existing, since the so called man and women are existing. And gave examples of Shikhandi, Brihannala and Ardhanarishvara, they are the examplea of third gender.

In third stanza the person mentioning all the habits that human being require to survive like eat, drink, breath, live. By comparing this habits, the person trying to erase difference between men - Women and third gender.

In next stanza, the person talks about how their community blessing all new Borns, that is the ritual or belief that if third gender person bless newborns then it is good. Also the stanza talks that in return it's community asking for nothing in return and living without any grudge, ego, arrogance and violence. Just what they want is respect, not from law but from society.

In last stanza, the person stop expecting everything and considered a society as a hub of yoke and bondage. Satirizing men and women by accepting them as their dear siblings. Even if women and men not accept them as human. They accept them as their siblings.

At last, In the era when we are far forward in education and technology, and became cultured human beings, still we are not accepting minority or Third gender. Still their are fighting for their identity and rights even if they got acceptance from law. Watch this news clip here,

Also this video is talking about suffering of third gender community. And their problems in society as a minority.

Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie

Hello, I am Himanshi Parmar, student of MK Bhavnagar University. This blog i have written as a response to Thinking Activity, Which is a Part of my academic Work. Which we get after each unit. In this blog, i am going to discuss about Salman Rushdie's Novel Midnight's Children. And several questions related to the novel like Symbols, narrative technique, Character, theme, texture etc.

About Novel : Midnight's Children

Midnight's children was written in 1981, by British - Indian writer Salman Rushdie. It is a novel, includes theme like India's transition from British colonial rule to independence and partition. It is magic realism anf historical fiction. Timeline in Midnight's children is 1918 to 1977.

The novel, Midnight's children written in three books.

Book one :- 1915 - 1947

Book two :- 1947 - 1965

Book three :- 1965 - 1978

Saleem is protagonist and narrator of the novel. Saleem telling story (Novel) to Padma. She came as a Listener in the novel. The story is not focussing on life of anyone but it covers generations.almost four generation are covered.The novel also received various awards, for example  Midnight's Children sold over one million copies in the UK alone and won the Booker Prize and James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 1981.  It was also awarded the "Booker of Bookers" Prize and the best all-time prize winners in 1993 and 2008 to celebrate the Booker Prize 25th and 40th anniversary. Click to read further about novel.

 Film Midnight's children :-

Watch the movie here,

About Salman Rushdie :-

Full name of Salman Rushdie is Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie. He is an Indian-born British-American novelist. He was born on 19 June 1947 (age 75 years), He was completed his Bachelor's degree at  King's College, Cambridge.mainly his works are based on Indian concept and deals with the connection between Eastern and Western civilization. Rushdie mainly known for use of magic realism and historical fiction in his work.

He wrote many great works.Rushdie's second novel, Midnight's Children (1981), won the Booker Prize in 1981. After his fourth novel, The Satanic Verses (1988), Rushdie became the subject of several assassination attempts and death threats, including a fatwa calling for his death issued by Ruhollah Khomeini, the supreme leader of Iran. In 2022, he attacked by one young boy, just because of Fatwa that was issued before so many years. He got stabbed while giving lecture in Newyork city on 12 August 2022. This is the news about that incident.

Now let me discuss several questions related to Movie based on the novel of Rushdie. The script of the movie was also written by Salman Rushdie himself.

Question - Answers

1) Narrative technique (changes made in film adaptation - for eg. absence of Padma, the Nati, the listener, the commenter - What is your interpretation?)

Salman Rushdie is always known for his unique narrative style. In Midnight's Children also we find this uniqueness. When we analyze narrative technique, we realize that it is always better to see "How" instead of "What", it means How story is told is more important than what is told in the story. Interesting story telling style always help to capture attention of audience or readers. It doesn't mean that what to be told is not important, it is important, but it will only effect well if it told properly.

Salman Rushdie might very well aware of this, that's why he use very unique style in his Novels, he use Western Postmodern Device and Indian Oral Narratological Methods. He is also known for using Hybridity in his novels. That's what make his narration different than others.

In narrative technique we find various examples or Metaphors that are often use to differentiate texts.

Metaphors of narrative techniques :-

1) To The light House (Virginia Woolf) and Ulsyss (James Joyce)  :-

This two texts are considers as a best examples of Stream of Consciousness. The technique that is describing inner thought process or flow of thoughts in the mind of writer. If we see the dictionary meaning of Stream of Consciousness, Oxford Dictionary says that, "A literary style in which a character's thoughts, feelings, and reactions are depicted in a continuous flow uninterrupted by objective description or conventional dialogue. James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and Marcel Proust are among its notable early exponents."

2) Russian Dolls :-

It is a well known metaphor for narration. This all dolls are seems very similar. Also it is like a dolls within dolls or we can say row of dolls. Russian dolls are portraying the text that has story within story, And interlinked stories. Also it is referring stories that has same and confusing concepts.

3) Chinese Box :-

Chinese Box is metaphor for Frame narrative technique. This kind of narrative is not changing the narrative but for changing the perspective.normally this narrative technique is known as a 'A Box Chinese structure'. In literature, a Chinese box structure refers to a frame narrative, where a novel or drama is told in the form of a narrative inside a narrative (and so on), giving views from different perspectives. There are lots of examples available in literature of this form of writing, for example Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Read here that how Mary Shelley used Chinese Box structure in Frankenstein.(click to read)

4) Indian Oral Narratological Methods : Panchatantra and Kathasaritasagar.

The Panchatantra is an ancient Indian collection of interrelated animal fables in Sanskrit verse and prose, arranged within a frame story. The surviving work is dated to about 200 BCE, but the fables are likely much more ancient.Panchatantra was written by Vishnu Sharma. He use animal character to tell story and to give lesson by story telling. He use animals like The Lion, The Tortoise, The Mongoose, owls, The Dove, Monkey, The Mouse, The Deer etc.

The Kathāsaritsāgara is a famous 11th-century collection of Indian legends, fairy tales and folk tales as retold in Sanskrit by the Shaivite Somadeva. The story was originally written in Sanskrit.Kathāsaritsāgara contains multiple layers of story within a story and is said to have been adopted from Guṇāḍhya's Bṛhatkathā ("the Great Narrative"), which was written in a poorly-understood language known as Paiśāchī.

In both this works we find similar narrative technique, which is story within story kind of narration.

5) Baital Pachisi :-

Vetal pachisi or Baital pachisi is also known as Vikram - Betaal. Originally it was written in Sanskrit and later translated in various languages.Vetala Panchavimshati is a collection of tales and legends within a frame story, from India.

In Vetal pachisi vetal and king Vikram is main character. Vetal is telling twenty - five stories to Vikram and says that at the end of each story vetal will ask question and king Vikram has to give answer, if he know answer then it is okay, but if he will not give answer even if he know the answer than vetal will fly away. So here in this story also we find story within story, And lots of characters are also there.

6) Sihasan Battisi :-

Sihasan Battisi is also similar like Baital Pachisi. In this, thirty two dolls telling story, and creat narration of story within a story.

7) Arabian Nights : Alif Laila :-

Originally the story was written in Arabic language. It's a folk tale and Frame story. One Thousand and One Nights is a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age. It is often known in English as the Arabian Nights, from the first English-language edition, which rendered the title as The Arabian Nights' Entertainment. Main characters of this story is Scheherazade, Sinbad, Shahryār, Jafar, Shah Zaman, Dunyazad, Morgiana, King Yunan etc.

In this book we find similar narration like Rushdie's Midnight's children. In Arabic night Scheherazade is telling story to Shahryār. Just like Saleem telling story to Padma.

8) Midnight's children :-

In Midnight's children we find Hybridity in narration. Complexity in plot structure. Lots of characters are there, and name and parentage of everyone is Also in doubt. For example at the end of the novel we came to know that Saleem is not saleem, but he is shiv, where shiv is saleem. So it is very confusing narration and portrayal of all characters. 

In Midnight's children, Rushdie use Pickle Jars to tell story. Each Jar is one separate chapter of the novel. We also find lines in the novel that,

Thirty jars stand upon a shelf, waiting to be unleashed upon the amnesiac nation. And beside them, one jar stands empty.

We have thirty chapters in the Novel.but last Jar is empty means the novel is yet not completed, interpretation is now author leave on to readers. Here is the list of chapters.

2) Characters (how many included, how many left out - Why? What is your interpretation?)

We have lots of characters in the novel and in the movie as well. Which make story complex.most of the characters are example of Hybridity. The protagonist and narrator Saleem is himself a hybrid child. Also the characters have risky identities, for example Saleem is not Saleem but he is shiv, and shiv is Saleem that revealed at the end of the novel. All the characters are very well structured in the movie. Here is the list of characters and their performers.

Satya Bhabha as Saleem Sinai

Shriya Saran as Parvati-the-witch

Siddharth Narayan as Shiva

Darsheel Safary as Saleem Sinai (as a child)

Anupam Kher as Ghani

Shabana Azmi as Naseem

Neha Mahajan as Young Naseem

Seema Biswas as Mary

Charles Dance as William Methwold

Samrat Chakrabarti as Wee Willie Winkie

Rajat Kapoor as Aadam Aziz

Soha Ali Khan as Jamila

Rahul Bose as Zulfikar

Anita Majumdar as Emerald

Shahana Goswami as Amina

Chandan Roy Sanyal as Joseph D'Costa

Ronit Roy as Ahmed Sinai

Kulbhushan Kharbanda as Picture Singh

Shikha Talsania as Alia

Zaib Shaikh as Nadir Khan

Sarita Choudhury as Indira Gandhi

Vinay Pathak as Hardy

Kapila Jeyawardena as Governor

Ranvir Shorey as Laurel

Suresh Menon as Field Marshal

G.R Perera as Astrologer

Rajesh Khera

Salman Rushdie, narrator. The film was Directed by

Deepa Mehta and 

Screenplay by

Salman Rushdie.

Click here to read character list of novel.

Movie almost cover most of the characters from novel. But still some characters are missing in the movie, where present in the novel. Here is the list of it.

1- Sonny Ibrahim

2 - Padma

3 - Nalikar Women

4 - Commander Sabarmati

5 - Lila Sabarmati

6- Ramram Sheth

7- Homy Carrack

8 -Alice Pereira

The others are Minor characters but Padma is one of the main character in the novel. She is the listener, nati in the novel, And yet missing in the movie, even if the script was written by the author himself. Here in the movie, Parvati the witch gained much importance.

3) Themes and Symbols (if film adaptation able to capture themes and symbols?)

There are many symbols and Themes are used in the movie. Here, let me discuss all line by line.

Symbols

1) The Perforated Sheet 

The perforated sheet is taken as a symbolic way. First we find use of perforated sheet when Aadam Aziz saw his future wife. He is unable to see her whole but always see her in piece. That is symbolizing that their love never has that bond that hold them together, And don't have even enough understanding. The second time we see use of perforated sheet when Jamila is singing a song of victory of Pakistan, before war happened between India and Pakistan. That is also symbolizing that how people of Pakistan are not aware about reality that their nation have no chance of victory.

2) The Silver Spittoon 

The Silver Spittoon is belong to Amina, given her in dowry by Rani of Cooch Naheen. The spittoon also later become reason of Saleem's loss of memory. Amina always carry spittoon with her in movie, after the burning of house, and death of all family members excepting Saleem, Saleem used to carry spittoon everywhere with him as it is the only remark of his past life. So here spittoon come as a symbol of history, along with it is also symbolizing Vanishing era.

3) Knees and Nose

Saleem sinai has a large, bulbous nose, symbolizing power, by which he is capable to connect all Midnight's children together for conference.Midnight's childrens are those,who are born on a night of Independence. Nose is also symbol of his identity or blood relations with Amina as everyone believing that Saleem inherited his nose from his Grandfather Adam Aziz. But at the end we find that Saleem don't have any Blood connection with Amina, so here Rushdie satirizing on implied identities.

Knees are also symbolizing power, but Here it is physical power that shiv has. Shiv is physically more powerful than Saleem. So by the reference of Knees and nose, it can symbolize conflict between mental and physical power.

Themes 

1) History 

Salman Rushdie uses strong connection of history in Midnight's children. As specially Saleem has a great connection with history, as he was born on night of India's Independence. Here Rushdie gave special powers to all the characters who were born on a night of Independence of India. Also Spittoon came as a symbol of history which is showing change is time, in generations and in living habits of people.

2) Nationality 

The movie portrayed divisions of Hindustan in two parts India and Pakistan. Also the scene where India get Independence. The time wasn't easy to survive for anyone, Hindus or Muslims. Lots of migration was happened by Both the communities. People are finding safe place for them and lots of crisis happened because of nationality.

3) Identity 

Identity is one of the major theme. Mary, the nurse, exchanged Saleem and Shiv. At the end audience came to know that Saleem is Shiv and Shiv is Saleem. So identity crisis are also there. Also Hybridity is main focus in the novel. Most of the important characters had hybrid identities.

4) The texture of the novel (What is the texture of the novel? Well, it is the interconnectedness of narrative technique with the theme. Is it well captured?)

The story time and again going back in flashback. Saleem is narrator, he is telling a story to Padma. And when he remembere something in between the story, he used to add it as a flashback. In the movie adaptation, padma is absent, but flashback technique is used well.In the movie we find use of timelines. It begins with 1915 and end in 1978. In between we find time stamps like 1915 – 1947, 1947 – 1965, 1965 – 1978. Also name of place were given.

5)What is your aesthetic experience after watching the screening?

The movie was directed by Deepa Mehta and screen writing happened by the author himself,by Salman Rushdie. The film was beautifully made and it is worth watching. But if we compare it with novel we find that somewhere movie is lacking. Movies have time limits for three hours so it is not possible to display everything in movie which had in novel. So it is good to make web series on Midnight's children rather than movie. One important character is missing in the movie, Padma, The nati and listener is not portrayed in the movie, so that change is quite surprising. Except that movie is going with the same flow of novel. Everything was displayed beautiful. As specially the character of picture Singh and Jamila. And the scene where Saleem lost his memory attracted me a lot.

I hope this information will be helpful to you. Thanks for visit.

 

The Curse or Karna by T. P. Kailasam.

Hello, I am Himanshi Parmar, student of MK Bhavnagar University. This blog i have written as a response to Thinking Activity, Which is a Part of my academic Work. Which we get after each unit. In this blog, i am going to discuss about The Curse or Karna by T. P. Kailasam. In this blog i have covered this points.

1)About "The Curse or Karna".

2) About T. P. Kailasam

3) Question - Answers

1) The Curse or Karna

The curse or Karna is well known play by T. P. Kailasam. The play is divided into five acts. The play is based on the life of Karna from Mahabharata. It was published on 10th September 1946 and later republished on 29th July 1969.The setting of the play is of Raama's ashram. The play is talking about how karna was marginalized because of his subaltern identity, also talks about suffering of Karna throughout his life and at the end painful death by his own brother.

Play includes themes like 1 - Karma and reward, 2- Caste and complexity, 3- Myths, 4- The Curse, 5- Destiny, 6- Caste and Curse, 7- Education etc. In this play Kailasam try to give justice to the character of karana which were not given in Mahabharata. The entire play was well structured by Kailasam.

2) About T. P. Kailasam :-

Full name T. P. Kailasam is Tyagraj Paramasiva Iyer Kailasam. He was Born in 1884 and died in 1946. He was a geologist, playwright and prominent writer of Kannada literature. He is great contributor in Kannada theatrical comedy. For that he also got title of Prahasana Prapitamaha means "the father of humorous plays". He also called "Kannadakke Obbane Kailasam" meaning "One and Only Kailasam for Kannada". Mainly Kailasam known for writing fiction, comedy and humor.

Kailasam's life was dedicated to local theater and his contributions revolutionized it. His humor left an impression on Kannadigas. Kailasam was initially criticized for modern use of the Kannada language in his plays, but his work became very popular and is considered among the best in Kannada theater, known for wit and satirical commentary on society. Click to read more about him.

3) Question - Answer 

1- Interpret the 'End' of all acts and scenes.

The play was written in five acts. In the five act it is describing the life story of Karna, mythical character taken from Mahabharata.

Act :- 1

The first act begins with Karna's last day at ashram where learned all the war skills and 'Vidhyas' from Raama. The setting is of Raama's ashram. The day is last day of his completion of his education. But unfortunately cursed by his own 'Guru' Raama. Because as a Kshatriya he took education from Raama, when Raama only decided to give his 'Vidhyas' to Bramhins. When Raama came to know that his dear disciple is not Bramhin but Kshatriya by Warmness Karma's  blood. Then He cursed that,

IF EVER YOU SHOULD HENCEFORTH 

SORELY NEED THE USE OF ARMS 

YOU’VE LEARNT OF ME.......THE BAREST 

TALK, THE MEREST THOUGHT OF THY 

SUPPOSED SOOTHA BIRTH CROSSING THY 

MIND...WILL SWELL THY HEART TO 

SENSE OF SHAME, WILL DULL THINE 

EYES AND MIND, NUMB AND PARALYSE 

THY LIMBS BEYOND THEIR PO’WR_ TO 

HELE. THER. MAKEN THES SLIGHTEST, 

SMALLEST USE OF KNOWLEDGE THAT 

YOU’VE LEARNT OF ME! AVAUNT! 

AVAUNT!, ERE I INFLICT A FURTHER 

CURSE ON THEE!

After the curse given to Karna, Karna ask for forgiveness to his Guru. Raama also realize his anger and mistake and forgive him and wish him good future. Karna left the Ashram. Raama seeing him going away and mumbling to himself,

POOR KARNA! POOR, POOR KARNA!

Act :- 2

Throughout the whole act Karna distinguished by Pandvas and Drona. Arjuna was about to loose his position as a best Archer in the world because Karna is Better than him. But as a suth he disgusted by all Kshatriya and at to end act two with the reminding his suth identity by Bheema he again loose his focus from goal and Collapses into Gaandhaara’s arms. Gaandhaara muttering tearfully,

POOR ANGA! POOR POOR HONEST ANGA!

Act :- 3

The play open quadrangle in the palace of the King of Paanchiala. Where swayamvar for Darupadi is held. Kings from various counties are there to fulfill the condition given by king (Father of Draupadi) to marry Darupadi. Karna is also there with his dear friend Suyodhana. When no one able to fulfill the condition, karna grab the chance and show his willingness but Draupadi denied and give reason for denial that she don't want to marry Suth. After listening this harsh words again and fainted in the lap of king, the king murmured,

The King POOR ANGA! OUR POOR GREAT ANGA !

Act - 4 

The scene is of the throne room in the Kuru Palace. Where Pandvas and kauravas are playing game of gamble. Pandvas loosed their everything. And at last their wife Draupadi. Then Kailasam shows humiliation of Draupadi front of all respected elders including Bhishma. Where no one raise voice for Draupadi, only Karna able to raise his voice in favour of her. But again Suyodhana remind him of his sutha identity. And curse again work. He isn't able to save Draupadi. Bheem blame him for his silence and he tell Bheem about his curse by Raama. The same like all other act, this act also and with the same dilogue, but by Bheema this time, it is,

"POOR ANGA! POOR GREAT ANGA!”

Act :- 5

The place is the Field Marshal Anga’s Tent in the battlefield of Kurukshetra.where Kuntee, virgin mother of Karna, appear to beg life of her sons to Karna. Karna again accept her request and died at the end by Arjuna. The act end with dilogue by Aswattha and Maadra,

“OUR ANGA!” “OUR GREAT ANGA!”

 "OUR POOR POOR ANGA”!

2- Karna - The voice of Subaltern.

According to Oxford Dictionary, Term subaltern mean officer in the British army below the rank of captain, especially a second lieutenant.The term Subaltern was used by an Italian Marxist political leader Antino Gramsci in his famous book “Prison Note” has used. the term Subaltern meaning inferior rank. Usually the term was used in the military purposes. But here, in the play Kailasam use the term to show suppressed identity or lower class identity. Here, In the play Karna is portrait as a subaltern.

In reality he is son of Kuntee, mother of other five Pandvas. Who gave birth to Karna and left him in the river. Kuntee is consider as a Virgin mother of Karna. Sun is the father. But because she was unmarried, she left Karna. Later Radha, Suth women find Karna in the river and became his foster. Karna, throughout his life wasn't aware about the reality of his birth.

All the way he capable just like Kshatriya, but because of his subaltern identity he suffer in his entire life. In all the act we find one dialogue, "POOR ANGA, POOR POOR ANGA". That is showing his compulsion as subaltern. from education to marriage and at last his death is also showing society's injustice to subaltern. in act one when he himself is unaware of his kshatriyta identity his 'GURU' cursed him that he will forget his all 'VIDHYAS' at a time when someone remind him that he is a subaltern. in second act also we find Drauna and Pandvas are remind him that he is a suth son when he almost close to win game with Arjuna, Arjuna is close to loose his position as a best archer. Gaytri Chakravarti Sivak put question in her essay that can subaltern speak? if we analyse Karna, we find that he never get chance to raise his voice because he is subaltern. so we can answer the question of Gayatri Spevak that subaltern can not speak.

In act three also we find that Karna is able to pierce eye of fish but Draupadi did not allow him to do that because he is subaltern or son of sutha. she denied and said that she don't want to mary sutha. again Karna fainted down and not able to raise his voice as a subaltern. he throughout the play try to explain his own greatness and abilities. his expertness over all khatriya, but always everyone made him realize that the subaltern can not allow to raise voice. At last he came to know that he is kshatritya instead of sutha. yet no one accept him and he died for the sake of adjure of kuntee, his mother. again the dilogue spoken by Aswattha and Maadra,

"OUR ANGA!"

"OUR GREAT ANGA! OUR POOR POOR ANGA!"

3 - Is moral conflict and Hamartia there in Karna's Character?

According to Oxford dictionary, Hamartia is a fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a tragic hero or heroine. The term hamartia derives from the Greek ἁμαρτία, from ἁμαρτάνειν hamartánein, which means "to miss the mark" or "to err". It is most often associated with Greek tragedy, although it is also used in Christian theology.Hamartia is first described in the subject of literary criticism by Aristotle in his Poetics. (Click to read more)

Karna is tragic hero. We find Moral Conflict and Hamartia in the Character of Karna. Karna's lie caused his suffering. He was studying in the 'Ashram' of Raama, who took swear that he will only teach Bramhins. Karna was aware of it and yet not reveal that he is Sutha's son, and not Bramhin. Later when his 'Guru' came to know that he is Kshatriya because of his warmness of his Blood, he Cursed him that whenever someone remind him about his real identity, or Sutha identity, he will forget his all powers and skills. And this lust for education, Caused curse and his suffering during lifetime. 

During his life time, he never able to use his power when it required the most. Like he is able to Defease Arjuna in Archery, and Arjun was almost to loose his postion as a best archer in the world but at the last moment Karna failed because of remainder of his Sutha identity. Same happened during 'swayamvar' of Draupadi where Karna is almost to Pierce eye of Fish but Draupadi denied that she don't want to marry Suth son and as soon as listening her word again he loose his power to hold himself and fainted. At last he died just for the sake of Adjure, that he gave to his mother Kuntee.that's what made him Tragic hero.

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