The title of the book piqued my curiosity – Shakespeare meets the Indian Epics. What do they have in common and will the twain ever meet?Â
Well, this book Shakespeare Meets the Indian Epics: Comparative Themes and Interpretations published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Newcastle, UK shows how there is a lot more than is thought is common between people writing and creating characters almost 6,000 miles apart and in different centuries. Shakespeare and the two epics the Maha Bharatham and the Ramayanam occupy different planets. They are written in different languages and the milieu in which the stories were created is also entirely different. It may therefore appear to the reader that comparing them would not be possible as no meaningful conclusion could be drawn. But both Elizabethan drama and the Epics thrived and flourish and will continue to do so. The characters portrayed in them are complex and universal – grappling with ethical choices, questions of justice and self-realization.
The book attempts to look at the fascinating common threads in the Indian Epics and Shakespeare. Using the framework of syncretism, the authors have closely studied, analysed and interpreted two different schools of performing arts – the characters from Shakespearean plays and the mythological characters drawn from the Indian Epics. It examines the day-to-day themes appearing in the two epics, The Ramayanam and The Maha Bharatham and some of Shakespeare’s plays and looks at specific themes and character ‘pairs’ from the two genres. The characters portray the aspects of universal human nature with relevance to all ages and times. For instance, the intricacies of filial devotion between Dakshan and Sathi and Lear and Cordelia, the manipulations and paranoia in Shakuni and Iago, the mental strength of Damayanthi and Portia and the indecisiveness of Nalan and Hamlet. The book reveals that whatever backgrounds people may have, they ultimately tend to tackle life in very similar ways and this claim is substantiated with many pertinent examples drawn from diverse disciplines such as management, psychology, performing arts and military rules of engagement.
This is the third book in a trilogy series related to the Indian Epics, Kathakali and Shakespeare. The other two books in the trilogy are – Vignettes Relating to Kathakali and Shakespeare: the Thirasheela versus the Curtain which looks at the common threads running through the characters in Shakespeare and the Kathakali stories and Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, the Mozart of Kathakali about a specific great actor, a Kathakali maestro also published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. This book along with the other books in the trilogy are positioned as academic books and will be of interest to practitioners of the theatre, students of performing arts and aficionados of the Indian Epics and Shakespeare. You may view the description, author profile and an extract from the book at Cambridgescholars.com
The authors are passionate about the genres of literature, theatre and performing arts. The principal author Dr. Mohan Gopinath is an ardent devotee of Kathakali (dance drama) and a lover of Shakespearean plays and the idea of a trilogy series originated from his desire to tie the two threads of these genres into a series of books. The book has been meticulously reviewed by the editor, Prof. Edwin Castelino. The importance of this book to the student of drama and literature is one of the prime reasons why it can be used in the world of academics as an essential textbook for students of the theatre in the West and the East. This book proves beyond doubt that the world of the theatre and stage has no boundaries.
Hardback
Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Newcastle, UK
ISBN: 1-5275-1541-9
ISBN13: 978-1-5275-1541-3
Release Date: 19th June 2023
Pages: 386
Price: £77.99
Dr. Rajashree Pandiyan, the reviewer is an Educational professional with 14 years of experience in higher education. Her passion for Literature and Linguistics prompted her to do her doctoral study on a semiotic analysis of Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights. After a long and dedicated tenure of academic life, she has taken a sabbatical and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Education Management at King’s College, London, UK.
About the Authors:
Dr. Mohan Gopinath holds a Master’s degree in English Literature from St. Stephen’s College at Delhi University (India), where he later became a member of the faculty. After a two-year stint in the college, he joined the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation and worked as a senior-level banker for almost 21 years in India, the UK, and Hong Kong. He obtained a doctoral degree from Osmania University, India. His areas of interest are leadership, management of change, conflict resolution, banking, and protection of the environment. He has written and published papers and case studies across a range of subjects, including banking, organizational behaviour, human resources, finance, the environment and the performing arts. His publications include Business Drama: How Shakespearean Insights Help Leaders Manage Volatile Contexts and Vignettes Relating to Kathakali and Shakespeare: The Thirasheela versus the Curtain and Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, the Mozart of Kathakali.
Dr. Sabina Zacharias has been teaching English Language and Literature, Cultural Studies and Business Communication to multicultural/multilingual groups at different levels in India and abroad for the last 20 years. Her doctoral degree from the EFLU (The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad) is on reading the legends of Kerala from a caste and gender perspective. She has presented and published several research papers in the areas of English Literature and Cultural Studies. Currently, she is engaged in online teaching and academic content writing. Her other interests include volunteering for community service and working on Education projects for social change.
