தினசெய்தி – 27 8 2023
பக்கம் எண் : 4
அருந்தமிழும் அன்றாட வழக்கும் – 176
சென்னையில் 1905-இல் சுகுன விலாஸ் சபாவில்
ஷேக்ஸ்பியர் வாரக் கொண்டாட்டம்
முனைவர் ஔவை அருள்
தில்லிப் பல்கலைக்கழகத்தில் யான் 28 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு வழங்கிய
முனைவர் பட்ட ஆய்வின் இருபத்து ஆறாம் பகுதி வருமாறு:
As an actor, he was second to none.
His portrayals of Manohara, Hamlet and Buddha stand evidence to his histrionic talents.
It is said that Pammal Sambanda Mudaliar even excelled Sir Henry Irving in the role of Hamlet.
What can be more complimentary to him than such an ‘assessment’? Even before enacting the Tamil version of Hamlet, Pammal Sambanda Mudaliar went through books on the staging of that play.
The portrayals of the character by Edmund Kean, Kemble, Sir Bheerbohm Tree, Sir Forbes Robertson, Sir Venson, Edwin Booth, Burbage and Sir Henry Irving, had a lasting impression on him and his own portrayal enriched the Tamil Stage.
His deep study of Shakesperean literature and its adaptation made the Tamil versions beautiful and suitable to the Tamil stage and gave utmost satisfaction to the educated audience of the city.
He did not worry about the time he spent and he looked at such adaptations as a challenge.
His translation and adaptation of Hamlet, given its complexity and intricacy, took nearly six long years for its completion
In 1905, a grand Shakespeare week was celebrated by the Suguna Vilas Sabha.
It was a miniature Startford festival with Pammal Sambanda Mudaliar’s Tamil version of “The Merchant of Venice”, “Othello” in English and “All’s Well That Ends Well” in Telugu.
It is noteworthy to observe that Pammal Sambanda Mudaliar played the role of Iago and Sir C P Ramaswamy Iyer that of Portia.
The great freedom fighter Sathyamurthy was one of the amateur actors in the Sabha. Such celebrations became an annual feature upto 1935.
Along with his performances, Pammal Sambanda Mudaliar also delivered lectures introducing Shakespeare and mono acting a few scenes.
In due course, many amateur troupes like the Suguna Vilas Sabha established the hold of Shakespeare on the Tamil Stage.
In his reminiscences of the theatrical experience entitled Nataka Medai Ninaivugal, Pammal Sambanda Mudaliar says that he had an avowed admiration for the costumes and scenes from the English and European stage plays.
He initially felt that English and European dramas were a shade better than Sanskrit plays that he translated into Tamil.
He went to the extent of holding the opinion that the Tamil Theatre would profit by following the theatre in the West.
But, when it came to a question of the actual theatrical production on the Tamil Stage, he had to take into account a few vital inescapable factors.
This is what he had to say about his plays –
“In the past forty years my avowed object has been to write plays which will not offend or embarrass our women, sisters and children in Tamil Nadu, because I have to take into account the cultural values and traditions.
Not even a single woman who has read my plays has complained that there is anything objectionable in them.
This is a real honour and fulfillment for me”.
Noted author Norman Marshall once said –
“I doubt if there is another country where reaction of the audience to The Merchant of Venice could be more Elizebethan than it is in India”.
Besides, he observed that the audience had no sympathy for Shylock.
There was invariably a roar of applause, at the turning point of the trial scene when Shylock advances with a drawn knife forward to Antonio to claim his pound of flesh and Portia holds him with “Tarry a little”.
The original and the Tamil version read as below:
Tarry a little – there is something
This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood
The words expressly are a pound of flesh;
Take then thy bond, take thou thy pound of
Flesh; But, in the cutting, if thou dost shed
One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and
goods Are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate
unto the state of Venice”
(Act IV, Scene i)
கொஞ்சம் பொறும், இன்னும் கொஞ்சம்
இருக்கின்றது இந்த பத்திரமானது உமக்கு
ஒரு துளி ரத்தத்தையும் கொடுக்கவில்லை,
அதில் விவரமாய் எழுதியிருப்பதெல்லாம்,
ஒரு ராத்தல் மாம்சம் தான், ஆகவே,
உமது பத்திரத்தின்படி பெற்றுக்கொள்ளும்,
உமக்குச் சேர வேண்டிய ஒருராத்தல்
மாமிசத்தை எடுத்துக் கொள்ளும். ஆயினும் அதை
அறுத்தெடுப்பதில் ஒரு ஹிந்துவினுடைய
தேகத்தினின்றும் ஒருதுளி ரத்தம் சிந்துவீராயின், உமது
நிலம் பொருள் எல்லாம், வாணி புரத்துச் சட்டத்தின்
பிரகாரம் ராஜாங்கத்திற்கு ஜப்தியாகி விடும்.
(அங்கம் IV)
The representation of Shylock as a Jain usurer and suggesting a conflict between Saivism and Jainism seems to be a little far –fetched, but locals could identify with it.
So is the suggestion that ‘Kazhu’ be supplied free of cost by the state to impale the penniless Shamlal.
Por – What mercy can you render his Antonio?
Gra – A halter gratis, nothing else for God’s sake
Act IV, Scene(I)
சு – ஐயா அநந்த நாதரே, இவனுக்கு
ஏதாவது நீர் தயை பாராட்டக் கூடுமா?
கி – ஒரு கிழமரம் ஒன்று, விலையில்லாமல்,
வேறொன்றும் கொடுக்க முடியாது.
அதுவும் தர்மத்துக்காக !
In the final casket scene where Bassanio chooses the right casket, Portia the wealthy heiress accepting him as her husband speaks with grace and modesty.
The tone of her speech is different, from the tone in the earlier casket scenes. Her speech is an expression of her wifely devotion.
Portia, is thus, seen as an embodiment of the principles of conduct which are held sacred by the Indian woman.
பிராணநாதா, இதோ நிற்கின்றேன் நான்
இப்பொழுது என்னை உள்ளபடி காண்கின்றீர்
என்னைப் பற்றி மாத்திரம் நான் கருதுவேனான்.
இப்பொழுது இருப்பதைப் பார்க்கிலும் மேம்பட்டிருக்க
வேண்டுமென்று கோருவது பேராசையாகும்.
ஆயினும் உமக்காக இதைவிட இருபது மடங்கு
மேலான ஸ்திதியில் இருக்கக் கோருவேன். . . . .
இவையெல்லாவற்றையும்விட மேலான பாக்கியமு
மொன்றுண்டு, அதாவது வணக்க முடைய என்
பேதையறிவை, நல்வழியில் பயிற்றுவிக்கும்படி
எனது நாதனாகவும், அரசனாகவும் உம்மிடம்
ஒப்புவிக்கின்றேன். நான் உம்முடையவளாயினேன்
இட்சணமுதல், என்னுடையவெல்லாம்
உம்முடையதாக மாற்றப்பட்டன.
– முனைவர் ஔவை அருள்
தொடர்புக்கு dr.n.arul@gmail.com
Add a Comment