Presentation on Art of Characterization.pdf
- 1. Art of characterization By Vijay Tendulkar
- 2. Early period/Era • In the post independence era, The pattern of Indian English Drama Underwent a drastic change. • Theatrical activities were organised and it accumulated a new force with the lively contribution of the dramatists like trio of Badal Sircar, Vijay Tendulkar, and Girish Karnad. • Tendulkar showed the modern society with its real worth, perdicament, challenges, difficulties and complexities in true colour. • His characters are drawn on the canvas of originality without attemping to moralize.
- 3. • Plays are written in Naturalistic vein, rejecting idealized portrayal of society. • He discussed every aspect of life, foibles,Follics,and human weakness as he is social activist who want to bring change. • Context of Vijay’s plays are post colonial, feminism, Hierarchy, Exploiter vs Exloited, oppressed vs oppressor, Hegomony, Male dominant society, yellow Journalism, contemporary lower middle class society, Existentialism, Indian culture and Traditions.
- 4. Vijay Dhondopant Tendulkar ( 6th January 1928- 19 May 2008 ) • Vijay Tendulkar was born in Gaud Saraswat Brahmins family in Gurgaon. • His father was a head clerk in Orient Longman Publishers. • Tendulkar wrote his first story at age of six • At age 11, he wrote, directed, and acted in his first play • At age 14, he participated in the 1942 Indian Freedom Movement. • Most of Tendulkar’s early writings were of a personal nature and not intended for publication.
- 5. • He participated in the Activities of Nabajiban Sanghatana, A splinter Communist group. • Tendulkar began his career writing for newspapers. • Tendulkar written a play Amcyavar Kon prem karnar(who is going to love me?) And wrote a play Grhastha (The Householder) in his early 20s. But not received much recognition hence he vowed never to write again. • Breaking the vow in 1956, He wrote Srimant, it jolted the conservative audience of the times with its radical storyline. • Tendulkar writings rapidly changed the storyline of modern marathi theatre in 1950s & 60s with experimental presentations by theatre groups like Rangayan. • Tendulkar’s play Gidhade (The vultures) in 1961 explored violence in its various forms, domestic, sexual, communal, and political.
- 6. • Based on 1950 short story, Die Panne (“ Traps”) By Friedrich Durrenmatt, Tendulkar wrote play, Shantata! Court calu Ahe (“silence! The court is in session”) was presented on the stage for first time in 1967. • Tendulkar’s many plays derived Inspiration from real life incidents or social upheavals, which provide clear light on harsh realities. • Tendulkar highly influential dramatist and theatre personality in Maharashtra fir over five decades. • Vijay Tendulkar died in Pune on 19 May 2008, Battling the rare Autoimmune disease of Myasthenia Gravis.
- 7. Themes of Tendulkar’s writtings • Power and violence. • Realism / Human relationships • Injustice and cruelty • Freedom / Statusof educated women • Equality and So Call Love • Feminism/ social issues of unmarried women • Revolt/ politics and history • Individual vs Society • Victim / Victimizer • Man vs Women / Nature of man • Modern man vs Orthodox Society
- 8. Famous works and Awards • Best known plays.... • Shantata! Court chalu Aahe (1967) • Ghashiram Kotwal (1972) • Sakharam Binder (1972) • Awards • Padma Bhushan (1984) • Sangeet Natuk Akademi fellowship (1998) • National Film Award for best screenplay Manthan(1977)
- 9. Art of Characterization • Tendulkar advised the playwrights to possess at least two qualities –“The Skill Of Characterization” and “The Sense Of Structure”. • He says that the value of dramatic dialogue is a complementary to characterization. Also the structure is felt and not seen. • Tendulkar thought a playwright needs to be also somewhat of an actor. He must act out the roles in his play and shouldn’t speak artlessly from behind or behalf of his character. • A play basically requires living characters who speak their own language and in their separate personal style.
- 10. • Tendulkar said their are some elements which are essential in playwright that is Dialogue, Silence, and vision. • The Dialogue or speech must have pattern, if the speech pattern is alike then it will sound flat and unimpressive, while choosing the right speech pattern, rythm and Composition of words makes play more lively. • Silence in the theatre can be as expressive as dialogue or the words it enhance the power of the emoted word considerably if the playwright knows how to use it. • Theatre is a Visual possibility while writing a play means to forgo a vital device in the theatre. In theatre production of a play it have live characters moving and emoting in front of the footlights and one do get an impact of a storng closeup in a theatre performance with the help of an imaginative placing of characters on the stage controlled lightings and the words.
- 11. • Characterization in a play is not the same as in a work of fiction • The characters in a play present themselves on the stage • They are seen in person they themselves talk to eachother and to the audience. • This talk is to be emoted not read in mind. And must Sound spontaneous, Natural and True to each of the characters. • Characterization in a play is to a large extent through the dialogue • Therefore playwright must have a mouldable and not a rigid style of writing. • It must change its style with every character.
- 12. • The Structural aspect of a play is the total form or the framework of the play. • There are no set rules of structuring a play as in Architecture. • The most elementary requirement of any structure namely a base an outer form which rests on it. • The base should be able to hold outer form with its inner content. • The Structure must not crumble, collapse or crack. It must be firm enough. • In performing art the structure is not seen but felt. Its base is the undercurrent of the performance, in case of subject it is the undercurrent or the Sootra or the Theme or the Essence or the binding elements of the play. Which make it one piece and unique and unlike all other palys.
- 13. Thankyou :~