தினச்செய்தி – 9 7 2023
பக்கம் எண் : 4
அருந்தமிழும் அன்றாட வழக்கும் – 169
நாடக வேந்தர் ஷேக்ஸ்பியர் – பேராசிரியர் சுந்தரம் பிள்ளையின் சுந்தரத் தமிழில் !
முனைவர் ஔவை அருள்
தில்லிப் பல்கலைக்கழகத்தில் யான் 28 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு வழங்கிய
முனைவர் பட்ட ஆய்வின் பத்தொன்பதாம் பகுதி வருமாறு:
Not only in form, has drama followed this line of historical development in India as in the West, but in its subject matter and in its nature as well, its path has not been dissimilar.
Here too, as in the West, mysteries and miracles based plays greet us at the very threshold of art.
Dramatic types and the grammar of acting have been discussed as in Shakespeares Hamlet, by Adiyarkku Nallar (CE 12th century)in his scholarly commentary on Silappadikaram, in Tamil.
The section ‘Avinayam’ is a series of instructions on acting. ‘Avinayan’ is ‘gesture-acting’, based on the various Rasas (aesthetic flavour of any visual, literary or musical work that evokes an emotion/feeling).
The gestures have been identified as follows.
The gestural representation of the irate one, of
The doubter, of the indolent one, of the envious
One, of one that has had a happy union, of the
pleased one, of him that slumbers, of the joyous
one, of the possessed one, of the deluded one, of
the assenting one, of the one that bestirs after
sweet slumber, of the dying one, of the one
drenched in rain, of the one whose head and
face are washed by snow, of him affected by the
sun’s rays, of the sorrowing one, of him that
suffers from eye-sore, of him that suffers from
head-ache, of him scorched by fire, of him that
suffers from chill, of him that suffers from
raging fever, of him that has consumed poison.
To add to the body in Tamil dramatic literature, Prof. Sundaram Pillai, amidst duties and cares of his professorial life, first thought of writing a play and that too on the most advanced model yet, presented to the human mind in this branch of literature.
Though a pioneer in the Tamil literary field, he preferred to draw a leaf from Shakespeare.
The main story around which Prof. Sundaram Pillai has woven his Manonmaniyam is not borrowed from history or ancient legend.
He took it ready made from the work of a European writer, Lord Lytton’s and his Lost Tales of Miletus, that provided him the base for his characters and the incidents central to his story.
The similarity between the original and the story of Manonmaniam is indeed striking.
However, the underlying philosophy of Manonmaniyam is an expanded homily on the Shakesperean text.
And, at the base is the understanding that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of, found in Indian philosophy.
While there has been no violation of dramatic propriety in respect of characterization and the requisite unity of action, one may doubt whether poetic language comes naturally to all characters and occasions.
The poet had designed from the beginning that drama should be in verse.
During his early period, the example of Shakespeare was before him.
Thus, the author was inspired to put poetic language in the dialogues of all the characters, without taking into account the culture or their status in the play.
It may be said that the author could have used poetic language in the case of the lead characters with a certain flair for language, while the menials, farmers, soldiers, citizens etc., could have been made to converse in ordinary prose more suited to their everyday life.
Poetic garb, it is true, is by no means a necessary requisite of drama.
Still, following the example of Shakespeare, Prof. Sundaram Pillai has used poetic language for dramatic purposes.
Dialogues in the play also owe a lot to the Shakesperean models.
Given the characters, dramatic action can arise only from their interplay and mutual impact. Language being the medium through which the dramatist seeks to convey his message and exhibit his artistic talent, he has no other recourse, other than the dialogue.
Great masters like Shakespeare leave most of the action or events in the background and pitch only upon those that give ample scope for dramatic action.
This means that for the development of the dialogue, outside events and occurrences should be connected as cause and effect with human thoughts and feelings, and such connections could only be those that could be conveyed by means of dialogue.
Naturally, therefore, dialogue has been of prime importance to the dramatist. Prof. Sundaram Pillai’s dialogues are seen to be skillfully constructed, neither inappropriate nor force fitted anywhere, providing a case for literary influence of the Shakesperean style.
Prof. Sundaram Pillai himself has elsewhere stated that expressions such as “Pricking the pride”,
“Silence implies consent”,
“Without strings to a bow” and “
All is well that ends well” are imported into Tamil without the loss of punch of the original, and that their layout or literary shades have Shakespere.
– முனைவர் ஔவை அருள்
தொடர்புக்கு dr.n.arul@gmail.com
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