Shri Aurobindo as a Poet in Indian English Literature

Intoduction

Shri Aurobindo is popularly known as a patriotic, revolutionary, a social thinker, a philosopher and a mystic. He is also an interpreter of truth, a leading intellectual of his time and a great man of letters. Literature, Yoga and Politics were the tree main occupations of his life. Infact literature was his first passion, almost his first love. He wrote voluminously and has left behind him a rich harvest of poems, literary and philosophical essay and poetic dramas. They are an impressive and lasting contribution to world literature. His poetical output includes, ‘Savitri’, ‘Urvasie’, ‘Love and Death’, ‘Baji Prabhu’, ‘Last Poems’, ‘More Poems’, ‘Ilion’ and so on.

His Place in Indian Writing in English

His poetry bears the imprint of master’s hand. His mighty imagination, his command over language, his handling of traditional English metrical form and his mastery to use the rhythm of English poetry make him an outstanding poet. There is in his poetry a strain of philosophical contemplation. It gives it a distinctive place in the whole range of Indo Anglian poetry.

Lyricism in poetry

Shri Aurobindo’s poetic genius finds in its must characteristics expression in his dramatic and narrative poetry, but lyrical gift also is of a higher order. His art mainly acts though melodic and tonic arrangement of the elements of sound and sense. According to Prof. Iyenger “As a lyric poet, Shri Aurobindo’s range is of the widest and covers a period of sixty years…….. There is no question regarding the variety, richness and cumulative impressiveness of the achievement.”  Some of greatest lyrics are “since I have seen your face”, ‘immortal’, ‘Radha’s Appeal’, ‘The Rishi”, ‘Ahana’, ‘Rose of god’ etc.

His Narrative Poetry

Shri Aurobindo’s poetic genius is lyrical but it is primarily dramatic, narrative and epic. His narrative poetry is an important segment of his poetic outputs. He wrote log poems in blank verse, an ideal medium of narrative poetry. ‘Urvasie’, ‘Love and Death’ and ‘Baji Prabhu’, are his three poetical narratives. They show his mastery in handling the long poems. The first two are blank verse romances on the theme of love. The last deals with an inspiring theme. It is a metrical tale of Maratha chivalry and heroism.

Treatment of Love

Like most other Indian poets, love is major theme in Shri Aurobindo’s poetry. Love runs as an important motif in the entire body of his poetry with the remarkable regularity. Bothe his early poetry and his later narratives varies his approach to love from earthy, sensuous, romantic tone to divine vision. In his treatment of the love theme in his earlier poetry. He is romantic idealist live in Sarojini Naidu and Tagore. His later poetry is bold in his visionary and divine concept of love. ‘Savitri’ is narrative of the triumph of love and time, Destiny and Death. Savitri is a symbol of immortal love and its power. She is an embelishment of all love. Love is key motif in ‘Urvasie, ‘Love and Death’, and ‘Chitrangada’. Really his love engages his creative imagination creatively.

His Poetic Style

His variety of poetic style is an interesting aspect of his poetry. He developed different poetic styles. In Words of V K Gokak – “Shri Aurobindo developed many kinds of styles….”  There are his narrative dramatic, romantic, symbolic and modernistic styles on the other hand; the poet was a brilliant and sensitive prosodist. Of all the Indo-Anglian poets, he alone could attain proficiency in the use of blank verse. His use of figurative language in ‘Savitri’ helps him to point out things which are uncommon.

Conclusion

Indeed, Sri Aurobindo’s poetical achievement is of higher order. He made a mighty reputation and still remains unrivalled in his immense poetic outputs and others. His poetry bears the imprint of a master’s hand. He was a great innovator also.

Shri Aurobindo As a Poet

Character Sketch of MR. Hyde in 'DR. Jekyll and Mr. Hide',

          Hyde, as his name indicates, represents the fleshy (sexual) aspect of man which the Victorians felt the need to "hide" — as Utterson once punned on his name: "Well, if he is Mr. Hyde, I will be Mr. Seek."

           Hyde actually comes to represent the embodiment of pure evil merely for the sake of evil. When he is first extracted and in our first encounter with him, he is seen running over a young girl, simply trampling on her. He does not do this out of spite — or intentionally; it is simply an amoral act. He does make reparations. But even in this first encounter, he raises a fear, an antagonism, and a deep loathing in other people. The reaction of others to him is one of horror, partly because while looking at him, others feel a deep desire to strike out at him and kill him. In other words, his mere physical appearance brings out the very worst evil in other people.

        Since Hyde represents the purely evil in man (or in Dr. Jekyll), he is, therefore, symbolically represented as being much smaller than Dr. Jekyll — Jekyll's clothes are far too large for him — and Hyde is also many years younger than Jekyll, symbolically suggesting that the evil side of Jekyll did not develop until years after he was born.

         Hyde also creates terror; the servants are extremely frightened of him. When they think he is around the house, the servants cringe in horror, and some go into hysterics.

         As the novel progresses, Hyde's evil becomes more and more pronounced. He bludgeons Sir Danvers Carew to death for absolutely no reason other than the fact that Sir Danvers appeared to be a good and kindly man — and pure evil detests pure goodness.

        Since Hyde represents the evil or perverse side of Jekyll, and since Jekyll does, vicariously, enjoy the degradations which Hyde commits, Hyde gradually begins to take the ascendancy over the good Dr. Jekyll.

        A conflict between them erupts, as though the older Dr. Jekyll is a father to the errant and prodigal son. He wants to punish this son, but at the same time, he recognizes that Hyde is an intimate part of himself. Ultimately, when Jekyll commits suicide in order to get rid of Hyde (suicide is an evil act in the eyes of the church), this allows Hyde to become the dominant evil figure, and the dying Jekyll becomes Hyde in the final death throes.

Bharata's View on Natya

Origin of Natya:

         Origin of drama is closely connected to Hindu Religious trinity – Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara (Shankar). According to Bharata’s, Brahma was the originator of drama, Maheshwara was the originator of dance. It is also believed that Brahma in originating Natya Veda has borrowed various aspects from different Vedas and their sub ordinary branches (Upanishad). It is said that he had borrowed – 

• Art of effective speech from the Rig-Veda
• Acting from Yajur-veda
• Music from Samveda
• Rasa’s from Atharvaveda

origin of natya

         Thus the treatise on dramatics is called Panchamveda, - a Natyaveda. It is known as the fifth Veda because it is given the same status as that of other four Vedas.

      Some students (the sons of Bharata) asked question to Bharata regarding the art of drama they are:

(1) In to how many part, is this Natyaveda divided?

(2) How many parts of drama are made?

(3) What are the different parts of drama to be presented?

        He discuss his views in ‘Natyashastra’ keep this questions in his mind

Parts of drama:

In Bharata’s view there are four parts dealing with the following topics of drama: 

1. Art of effective speech

2. Art of Acting

3. Art of Music

4. Art of Music

parts of drama

Plot or story of Drama:

         Bharata analysed the story or the plot of drama. According to him there are five elements which are necessary features of good plot. They are-

1. The Germ (bija)

2. The drop (bindu)

3. The episode (anka)

4. The incident (prasanga)

5. The denouement (ant- the end)

feature of good story

Characters of Drama:

      Bharata says that there are three types of character.

1. Uttama (superior)

2. Madhyama (intermediate)

3. Adhama (inferior)

types of character

Aims of Drama:

             Drama aims at presenting Rasa; and three arts are the mean of its effective presentation. It is apprehended directly through eyes and ear. If we look at the traditional account of the origin of the Natyashastra from the modern point of view, we find that it contains relevant answer of some questions to arise in modern mind, as they regarding the questions of aesthetic senses. Bharata declares that they are only two: eyes and ears. He excludes touch, taste and smell, because they are different from person to person.

              The question is ‘what is the aim of dramatic art?’ Bharata replies that the aim of dramatic art is to give instruction not directly, but indirectly, - through the presentation of what is pleasing to eyes and ears. It makes the audience to experience the goodness of virtues and others. It is through the identification of with the focus of dramatic situation. According to Bharata the aspect of sensuous pleasure is must in the experience of the dramatic presentation. Thus he gives the right plays to both: 1. Hedonistic and 2.  Pedagogic. The theories of art in his aesthetics.

          In the opinion Bharata drama is simply a play or plaything. It is meant for diverting the mind from what worries or troubles it. The most essential subjective conditions for the aesthetic experience are that mind of the spectator or pain. He recognizes the importance of woman on the stage for the correct expression of emotion. There are certain feelings which are particular for the fair sex only. So, the accurate and life like presentation of woman is necessary on stage.

         The broad division of subject matter is based Bharata’s view on Rasa and its meant presentation. The later it called Abhinaya (acting). It is divided in to four parts. 

1. Angika – the movement of the parts of the body

2. Vachika – presentation of dialogue; appropriate movement of speech                organs

3. Satvika – the action of mind; it is involved in the various emotion states

4. Aharya – all means of presentation; make up, clothing, atmosphere etc.

TYPES OF ACTING

           The most interesting and original part of Bharata’s Dramatic theory is the concept of Rasa. It is the aim of performance to evoke in the mind of the audience. Rasa is produced from the union of vibhava, anubhava and vyabhichari. According to Bharata, there are nine Rasas which are dominating in the drama. In short Bharata has given the perfect theory of Natya (drama) which serves the purpose of its performance.

Jayant Mahapatra as an Indian Poet in English Literature

Introduction

       Jayant Mahapatra is one of the rising stars on the firmament this spices of Indian Poetry. He has begun late but his work is of such intrinsic worth that he has already come to be regarded as the fourth great poet writing in Indian English today. The poetry of these new poets voices the joy and sorrows of the Indian people. The contemporary Indian reality also universalized and generalized. Like many other Indian poets writing in English Jayant Mahapatra is bilingual. Before taking to writing in English, he had been writing in Oriya, his mother tongue. His Oriya poetry also ranks very high. His poetic collections are: ‘Close To Sky’,  ‘Ten by Ten’, ‘Swayowara and other poems’ and ‘A Rain of Rtes’, his tour de force.

Indianness

        Mahapatra’s sensibility is really Indian. His indianness is seen at its best in his poems about Orissa. There the local and the regional are raised to the level of the universal. ‘Orissa Landscapes’, ‘Evening in Orissa Village’, ‘The Orissa Poems’, ‘Dawn at Puri’, etc are Oriya first, and thus Indian too. In such poems he is an Oriya poet first but he is Indian also because here the local becomes symbolic of India as a whole. In the ‘The Indian way’, the woman is idealized in a typically Indian way. 

Passimistic Themes

        Poverty, hunger and Starvation have been chronic in India. They are the most Significant facet if life of the Indian masses. They also constitute a major theme in Mahapatra’s poetry. The theme is studied from various angles and points of view. ‘Hunger’, ‘The Whore House in Calcutta Street’ and ‘Man of his Night’ is such poems. They are also three different studies of male sexuality and exploitation of women. The poet’s poetry has tragic and pessimistic tone because of woman is the victim of male. Lust and suffering of Indian masses.

Other Themes

        Another major theme of Mahapatra’s poetry is human relationship. His love poetry is praised. The encounter between man and woman is grippingly presented. His treatment of sex and love is quite different from that of Ezekiel, Kamala Das or Shiv Kumar. Love marriage and sex loom large in poetry of Jayant Mahapatra. His interest in politics is revealed by an early poem on Gandhi. Other poets of Indian English poetry have tried to avoid such subjects, but Jayant Mahapatra deals with complete success.

Diction

       His diction is remarkable for his economy and brevity. He uses the fewest possible words to express his meanings. Another important aspect of his diction is his use of imagery. It is startling in his freshness and originality.

Form of His Poetry

Most of his poems have a closed from the structure of the verse is tight. There is a close logical connection between the opening image and the closing one. Such structure is well found in the poem ‘Bazaar, 3 P. M. in Orissa’.

Symbolism

       The poetry of Jayant Mahapatra is also symbolic. The crows in his poetry are the symbol of evil, guilt and destruction. Water symbolizes clarity and wisdom. Rain is symbol of purification. Very often the poet uses an image in the manner of T. S. Eliot and metaphysical.

Conclusion

     Really, Jayant Mahapatra is a poet of promise. He has essentially Indian Sensibility. His mastery of English, his mythopoetic imagination, his economy of phrasing and startling images are all the signs and symbol of a great poet. They are blind to take him to heights not yet attained by any other Indian English Poets. 

Types of Dhavni

        Anandavardhana  in Dhvanyalokam takes up three main types of implicit sense:-

•        Vastu dhvani

•        Alakaara dhvani

•        Rasa dhvani

           In Vastu dhvani some rare fact or idea is implied. In Alankaara dhvani some alankaara or figure of speech is suggested. In Rasa dhvani rasa is evoked. Both Vastu dhvani and Alankaara dhvani can be expressed by direct meaning or vacyaartha, by suggestion or vyangyaartha. But the third variety of implicit sense of rasa dhvani can never be expressed in the direct  meaning of words.

      The Rasa Dhvani, the most important type of Dhvani, consists in suggesting Bhava, the feelings or sentiments. In Rasa Dhvani, emotion is conveyed through Vyanjaka, suggestion. Rasa is the subject of Vyanjaka, as differentiated from Abhidha and Lakshana. . In other words: it is not the direct literal and obvious meaning that is explicit in poetry, but it is the suggested, indirect and emotive meaning that matters. The primary meaning can be understood by all. But the suggested meaning is understood only by those who are gifted with some imagination and a sort of intuition. The mere knowledge of word is not enough to understand and enjoy the poetic import or the essence of the kavya. It needs intuition or Pratibha. 

Types of Dhvani

      Anandavardhana regarded Rasa Dhvani as the principal one.  Abhinavagupta accepted that; and expanded on the concept by adding an explanation to it. He added the Pratiiyamana or implied sense which is two-fold : 

 one is Loukika or the one that we use  in ordinary life;  and 

 the other is Kavya vyapara gocara  or one  which is used only in poetry.

The Loukika Dhvani in poetry is again two-fold:  the one that suggests Vastu or some matter (Vastu Dhvani); and, the other which suggests a figure of speech (Alamkara Dhvani) .

      In Abhinavagupta’s classification, the Vastu Dhavani and Alamkara Dhavani are merely parts of poetry; but, are superior to direct designation. The real essence of poetry is , of course, the Rasa Dhavani.

        Abhinavagupta differed from Anandavardhana over the issues of the emotion of the poet. Anandavardhana viewed the melting of experience in the poet and out flowing of this empathy as inspired poetic form solidified in words. Abhinavagupta, however, explained it as the generalized state of creative medium, where the poet is an impersonal observer expressing human experience in poetry, as an intermediary.

            Ananadavardhana’s  classification is generally accepted and has come to stay. But, what has changed is the types of discussions around it. The later discussions are more pointed and specific.

Theory of Dhvani by Anandvardhana.

anandvardhana

        ‘Dhvyanyaloka’ of Anandvardhana is with Bharata’s ‘Natyashastra’ the most central theory of literature in Indian tradition. Dhvyanyaloka itself is a huge compendium of poetry and poetic style. It refers to numerous views; scholars and poetic texts.  The theory proposed by Anandvardhana is the name of Dhvani, which means the suggestive quality of poetic language. His most important contribution is in the term of turning the focus of critical discussion from the outward linguistic style and poetic embelishment to the more complex issue of linguistic structure in poetry. According to Anandvardhana, it is this structure which is the total effect of the suggestive quality of language. It distinguishes poetry from the ordinary usage of language.

         The Sanskrit Grammarian used this term to refer to the sound. They spoke two kinds of sounds; Prakrit Dhvani and Vaikrit Dhvani. The actual sound of the word spoken belonged to the vaikrit Dhvani. It includes all the articulation depending on the speaker. Prakrita Dhvani refers to the pattern of norms. Later Anandvardhana distinguished between literal meaning and ordinary meaning of the words. Word has a suggestive power which is called Dhvani.

          According to Anandvardhana, Dhvani is a kind of suggestion; an echo one hears in good poetry, meaning is not explicit but hidden. It echoes after a statement has been made. Thus Dhvani is suggested in poetry. The explicit meaning is commonly understood because it is a direct statement, while in Dhvani it is hidden and implicit. It is said that the art lies in concealment. Anandvardhana was an advocate of Rasa but, he concluded that Rasa should be expressed through Dhvani. Thus he considers suggestion, the indirectly evoked meaning as characteristic preparedly of literary disclosure. Such features separate the literary disclosure from rational discourses.

           Dhvani becomes principle that explains – the structure and the function of other major elements of literature. They are Rasa, Alankara, Riti, and Gundosha. In ‘Dhvyanyaloka’, Anandvardhana has presented a structural analysis of indirect literary meaning. He has classified the different kinds of suggestion. He has also defined the function and the nature of suggestion. He used to term Dhvani to designate the universal suggestion. In ‘Dhvyanyaloka’ he says that – “Kavyasy aatma dhavani” (Dhvani is the soul of poetry) Dhvani has two parts Grammar and vyanjana. According to Anandvardhana Dhvani denotes – (1) the sound structure of words (2) the semantic aspect of Shabda (3) Process of Suggestion. Thus Dhvani theory is the theory of meaning and symbolism

           Anandvardhana proposes the three levels of  meaning: (1) Abhidha (2) Laxana and (3) Vyanjana. The tree levels of meaning are very important in poetry, as they can evoke Rasa. There are Sthayibhavas which can be produced in spectator, a single feeling and pleasure one. It is generated by the inferaction of sthayibhavas which are the mental states of human being human. Anandvardhana says that says that Dhvani has the power of affecting sthayibhavas and producing Rasa in heart of readers and spectacles. That is why Dhvani and Rasa are connected closely.

         Anandvardhana was perhaps the greatest of all theories of textual symbolism. Dhvani is the theory of meaning of symbolism. This principle leads to the poetry of suggestion. Anandvardhana proposes the three levels of meaning: (1) Abhidha (2) Laxana and (3) Vyanjana. Besides the literal meaning of the poetry there is another non contextual meaning is dependent on the evoking and context of suggestion (vyanjana) may be communicated through the words, sentences, disclosures, even sounds. The quality of creative writing increases in proportion to the Dhvani involved.

       

We shell conclude with the view of Mammata in ‘Kavyaprakasha’  “The poetry in which the suggested meaning dominates the expressed, is the poetry of the best kind, called Dhvani by the learned.” Thus, the focus on meaning and the types of meaning in poetry must be considered as the major contributing of Anandvardhana in Indian literary theory. Dhvani therefore has both evaluated and strengthened the rasa and poetry.

The origin of Natyashastra

                  The Nāṭyaśāstra is the world's oldest treatise on performing arts. It is more than 2,500 years old. This encyclopedic work on art by Bharata muni is divided into 36 chapters and contains more than 6,000 verses. The first chapter of the Nāṭyaśāstra gives a semi-historical and mostly fictional account of the creation of the work. This is how Bharata narrates it thus:

                   At the end of the kṛtayuga and at the on-set of the Tretāyuga, people on earth got addicted to base sentiments (ग्राम्य-धर्म) such as excessive desire, greed, jealousy, and anger and found their state of happiness mixed with sorrow. So the devas, with Indra leading them, approached Brahma (the deity of creation) and requested for audio-visual entertainment (क्रीडनीयकमिच्छामो दृश्यं श्रव्यं च यद्भवेत्). They also requested that this be made accessible to all people from all places. This indeed is the need of all people of all times – respite from the world which is filled with conflicting emotions.

The following five verses speak about the creation of Nāṭyaśāstra by Brahma:

धर्म्यमर्थ्यं यशस्यं च सोपदेश्यं ससङ्ग्रहम् ।

भविष्यतश्च लोकस्य सर्वकर्मानुदर्शकम् ॥

"It will contain good counsel for people in their pursuits of dharma, material needs, and fame. It will guide the world in the future too in all their endeavors."

सर्वशास्त्रार्थसंपन्नं सर्वशिल्पप्रवर्तकम् ।

नाट्याख्यं पञ्चमवेदं सेतिहासं करोम्यहम् ॥

"It will contain the essence of all the śāstra-s and will be the foundation for all arts. I shall create Nāṭyaveda, the fifth Veda along with the itihāsas."

एवं सङ्कल्प्य भगवान् सर्ववेदाननुस्मरन् ।

नाट्यवेदं ततश्चक्रे चतुर्वेदाङ्गसम्भवम् ॥

Having taken a decision thus, the deity recalled all the Vedas and created the Nāṭyaveda, which is born out of the four Vedas

जग्राह पाठ्यमृग्वेदात्सामभ्यो गीतमेव च।

यजुर्वेदादभिनयान् रसानाथर्वणादपि ॥

He took the lyrics (पाठ्य) from the Ṛgveda, the music (गीत) from the Sāmaveda, the language of gestures (अभिनय) from the Yajurveda and the aesthetic experience (रस) from Atharvaveda

वेदोपवेदैः सम्बद्धो नाट्यवेदो महात्मना ।

एवं भगवता सृष्टो ब्रह्मणा सर्ववेदिना ॥

Nāṭyaveda, which is closely linked to the Vedas and the Upavedas was thus created by the all-knowing Brahma, the omniscient

          This episode establishes a context for the creation of the Nāṭyaśāstra and shouldn’t be taken literally. However, it shows that the creation of such a great treatise was an outcome of combining different theoretical and artistic mediums. The Nāṭyaśāstra is just a new form given to different disciplines that already existed – old wine in a new bottle. As is the case with most Indian śāstra-s, Bharata’s Nāṭyaśāstra is a descriptive work on the art forms which existed during his times. The art-forms were neither ‘created’ by Bharata nor does he prescribe a set of rules which need to be followed for all times and places. He even suggests in that the art forms must dynamically adapt to the tastes of people of different places and at different times. This is evident in the several deśi art forms which have evolved with regional variations based on the mārga set by Bharata.

        The structural aspects of form such as lyrics, music and the language of gestures which are required to communicate the content to evoke an aesthetic experience (rasa) are all dealt with in detail in the Nāṭyaśāstra, i.e., it caters to both form and content. Moreover, it guarantees the fulfillment of the four-fold aspects of human-pursuit, i.e., the puruṣārtha–s धर्म, अर्थ, and काम, and also gives us a glimpse of the experience of Bliss (मोक्ष).

          Brahma then asks Indra to instruct the devas to bring the Nāṭyaśāstra into practice. He adds that the Nāṭyaveda must only be passed on to those who are skillful, learned, mature, and willing to work hard. These indeed are the qualities which are to be expected of people who would like to study and practice the Nāṭyaśāstra even to this day. Indra finds the devas incapable of comprehending, assimilating, and practicing the art and feels that the sages who are well-versed in the Vedas are the ones who would be capable to do so. Brahma then instructs Bharata in the Nāṭyaveda and gives the responsibility to him and his hundred sons to propagate and practice the same. Bharata teaches his sons and assigns different roles to them.

         Bharata created the three dramatic styles (वृत्ति) – the verbal (भारती), the subtle (सात्त्वती) and the energetic (आरभटी) and informed Brahma of his work. Brahma then suggested that he pick up the graceful style (कैशिकी-वृत्ति) from the dance of Śiva, which is made up of aṅgahāra-s and filled with bhāva and rasa. As this style could not be effectively practiced by humans alone, Brahma created apsaras, the celestial damsels from his mind, who were skillful in embellishing drama and he told them to assist Bharata. He assigned Svāti and his disciples to play on musical instruments and gandharvas such as Nārada to sing songs. Thus was the art of nātya created out of the existing art forms. The antiquity of the art forms can also be perceived as it is said that major deities such as Shiva and the devas were well-versed in them. The major deities and the Vedas are thought to have existed from times immemorial according to sanātana-dharma.

         Brahma suggested to Bharata that the Indra-dhvajotsava, the festival in the honor of Indra’s killing of demons, would be a suitable occasion to put together a performance employing the principles of the Nāṭyaśāstra. Bharata begins the performance with the नान्दि, an auspicious benediction and devises to portray the popular episode of the samudra-mathana where the daityas (demons) were subdued by the devas (deities). The devas, pleased with the performance give rewards to Bharata. Indra gives him his auspicious banner and Brahma, a kuṭilaka (a curved stick to be used by the vidūṣaka, the clown). Varuṇa, the deity of water and cosmic order gives him a golden pitcher, suitable to drink water with. Sūrya, the sun deity gives him an umbrella, which gives shade from the sun. Vāyu, the deity of wind, gives him a fan. Śiva, as his very name suggests, rewards him with success. Viṣṇu rewards him with a lion-seat. Sarasvatī grants him competence for visual arts.

         The daityas (mainly the vighnas), who were also audience to the staging of the play by Bharata, took it too realistically and forgetting that it is was merely an artistic portrayal of a historic event, they disrupted the play. Angered by this, Indra hurled his flag-staff at the daityas and smashed their assault. Since then, the flag-staff is called the ‘jarjara,’ deriving from the Sanskrit word for ‘smashed’, ‘जर्जरीकृतं.’ The mythical staff is even to this day used in its modified form by actors and is worshiped before a traditional stage-play, with the belief that it wards off evil (vighna).

       Through this episode, Bharata subtly cautions connoisseurs about their responsibility of having a detached attitude while witnessing a play or any work of art in general. Emotional over-involvement and extrapolation of the incidents to everyday life will cause harm to both the art and the connoisseurs. More philosophically, when the bhavas do not get elevated to the level of rasa in a connoisseur’s mind due to his lack of maturity, art cannot be enjoyed.

Character sketch of Raina Petkoff in 'Arms and the man',

          Raina is a protegonist. She one of Shaw's most delightful heroines from his early plays. In the plai ‘Arms and the Man’ Shaw presents her as a being a romantically idealistic person in love with the noble ideal of war and love; yet, she is typical middle class in its philistinism and ridiculous in aptitude. In fact she has extra ordinary charm but her attitude towards life is abnormal. In the bigininig and the middle she is presented as to only sing a song of romantic nation and regarding life and things.

Her Romantic Idealism:

      In beginning we find that Raina lives in realms of romantic idealism. She is fear from the grim world of reality. She adores Sergius as an ideal hero. She loves Sergius as he is one of the Knights of the Ancient days of chivalry. She expresses her love to Sergius by addressing him – “My Lord!.. My King!..” when she get the news of Sergius’ attack on the enemy, she is overwhelmed (Abhibhut - in Gujarati). Her concept of war, love and marriage is deeply romantic.

Like Medieval Madonna:

        Besides being Excessively romantic and idealistic, she is poetic too. As she likes to live in the world of dreamy idealism, she thinks that her own beauty is a part of nature……

     Character of Raina in ‘Arms and the Man’ is presented as a medieval Madonna, whose only aim is only to worship and adore a hero romantically. When she is with the Sergius, she find him as ‘a hero and worship him’ She feels deep love for Sergius as she says-

     “And you have never been absent from my thoughts for a moment. (Very solemnly.) Sergius: I think we two have found the higher love. When I think of you, I feel that I could never do a base deed, or think an ignoble thought.

………

“I trust you. I love you. You will never disappoint me,…..”

      In the beginning of the play. She contempt to Bluntschli. She mokes him and calls him ‘a chocolate cream soldier’. But gradually he realize his true worth. At the end of the play She is happy with her ‘a chocolate cream soldier!’ and accepts him as a husband.

Having a typical Womanly Quality:

        Raina has all qualities and weakness of woman. She is a snob and proud to be a Petkoff; and so she has feeling of superiority. She is very much worried to appear civilized and fashionable and posing. She is spoiled child. She is jealous when her mother praise Sergius; and in Looka’s affair her jealousy clearly seen. She has all, the venoms of viper and ferocity of tigress. She is showy and pompous, artificial and hypocrite  also; yet dignified at end.

Alert minded Person:

       Raina, after being romantic and poetic, she is alert minded person. She is able to adjust herself in the change circumstances. Her alertness is responsible to get herself became a realist from a romantic. At the end of the play, we find Raina as a shrewd and wise. She is able to recognize the hollowness of her romantic attitude toward love and war. She is able to recognize  Sergius and reject him. She is also able to realize true worth of Bluntschli and accepts him. She is brave and courageous. She is not afraid of when a pistol aimed at her. She is very tender hearted and pitiful to the persons who are suffering.

Conclusion:

       In short we can say that, Raina is perhaps a combination of all the above qualities. She is romantic, for example, when she remembers an opera (Verdi's Ernani) in which a member of the aristocracy shelters an enemy; thus, she shelters Bluntschli, since it is "chivalrous" to protect him. She does possess exalted ideals, but she is also pleased to step down from her pedestal and enjoy life directly; finally, in spite of her aristocratic background, she marries a person with "the soul of a hotel keeper."

Charecter sketch of Bluntschli in Shaws 'Arms and the man'.

Real Hero of the play:

       Captain Bluntschli is  the most interesting and impressive character in ‘Arms and the Man’. He  enters the first and  dominates the play throughout to a happy ending with marriage to Raina. He is not only a hero of the play but a mouthpiece of the writer. He is a simple and balanced man who can view and think without prejudice.

         Captain Bluntschli is  the chivalrous and a perfect Gentleman. He has soft corner for Raina, yet he makes an attempt to make compromise between Raina and Sergius. He does not like to take advantage of immature girl, but when he realize that Raina is grown up he comes forward.

Only a realist in the Play:

         Captain Bluntschli is a thirty-four-year-old and of medium height. Though he has no distinguishing features, he is attractive. His quick and clear eyes are indicative of his sharp intelligence. He is good ang gentlemanly manners. He is the only realist who sees through the absurd romanticism of war. Captain Bluntschli is a professional soldier, trained in waging a war in a highly efficient, businesslike manner. These methods allow Sergius to refer to his ability to wage a war as being low-class commercialism, devoid of any honor and nobility. Bluntschli would agree with this appraisal since he sees nothing romantic about the violent and senseless slaughter of human beings, even though it is his profession.

         He never mistakes unreal for real, the shadow for substance, the false for true. He lives in present, He takes the news of his father’s death coolly, he  agrees to merry Raina, he never quarrels with anybody. His love for Raina is different from that of Sergius. Sergius has romantic feeling while Bluntschli has realistic sense of love.

Wise clever and Intelligent:

         When Bluntschli first hears of Sergius' cavalry charge and refuses to view Sergius' actions in any way except as a foolhardy display of false heroics, he reveals his complete practicality and subjects himself to Raina's charge that he is "incapable of appreciating honor and courage." Yet, his questioning of Sergius' actions causes Raina to question Sergius' qualities.

      His appearant lightness covers hie shrewdness. He is wise clever and intelligent. He is full of wisdom and practical sense. He is sincere and modest. He takes fancy for Raina and keeps it up to the end of the play.

Practical Person :

         Being a professional soldier, he adopts a practical and wise view (his name is a combination of Blunt, plus the ending, which in Swiss means "sweet" or "endearing" or "lovable"). Given the choice of being killed or saving his life by climbing up a balcony and into a lady's bedroom, he chooses unheroically not to be killed. Practically, he knows that a dead professional soldier is of no value to anyone; thus, he saves his life by the most expedient method available — he hides in a lady's bedchamber. Likewise, given the choice of killing someone or of not going hungry, he chooses to eat rather than to kill; thus, he carries chocolates rather than cartridges, a highly unromantic but very practical thing to do.

        Thus we can say that he is practical and never annoyed person.  Everybody impressed by his practical out look. He is shrewed judge of man, charcter, situation and things. He is the first person to see through the Raina. He is adventures and romantic. He joins army for his love for romance and adventure, yet his realistic and practical beahviour is such that he hardly seems adventures and romantic.

Well balanced between emotion and reason:

        Bluntschli is unemotional and does not get excited easily. He meets all crisis calmly and philosophically. He is well balanced between emotion and reason, sentiment and thoughts, impulse and determination, intellect abd insight. He is witty and humours, but in reality he is serious. He is a true soldier in battle field. He is An honest and commercial traveler in trade market of human life.

Full of Humor Sense:

          He has wonderful sense of Humor, he laughs at the romanticism of Raina.  We find his sense of humor when he was talkin with Raina. Here are some of them –

“Bless you, dear lady. You can always tell an old soldier by the inside of his holsters and cartridge boxes. The young ones carry pistols and cartridges; the old ones, grub. Thank you.”

…….

“Ugh! Don't do things so suddenly, gracious lady. Don't revenge yourself because I frightened you just now.”

……

“You haven't been under fire for three days as I have. I can stand two days without shewing it much; but no man can stand three days: I'm as nervous as a mouse. (He sits down on the ottoman, and takes his head in his hands.) Would you like to see me cry?”

Conclusion:

       In short we can say that Blintschli is typical Shavian  hero (hero of G B Shaw).  He is Prectical man who has no illution about life and things. He is not affected by the romantic glory of war. He alos believes that love is folly and marriage is biological necessary.

Charecter sketch of Sergius Saranoff in Shaws 'Arms and the man'.

Brave soldier:

       Sergius is brave soldier. In his charge, he wins attack at the battle of Slivnitza. He has romantic view about war. He joined army not to earn livelihood, but to win glory and heroism. He has intelligence and common sense. He is like real rebel. He resigns his post in army, when he realizes injustice with him. 

Intemperate and imbalanced person:

      Sergius is Intemperate and imbalanced person by nature. He is very impatient. His dream was to get military honors, but when he failed to get it he resigns. He is excessive in all aspect of life. He has distorted notions of dignity and prosperity. He thinks that greatness does not lie in apologizing. His vanity is the result of his self conceitedness. He talks higher love; and the same time, he flirts with Looka.

Psychologically Complex Character:

       Sergius is Psychologically Complex Character. His ideas and actions are not reconcilable. He is living anomaly and contradictions in qualities. His power of introspection realizes that he is bundle of contradiction. He is not able to find his real self.

Hollowness of his higher romantic love:

        As we find that Sergius has higher romantic love for Raina, and he worship her as goddess. Addresses her with – “My Queen!”, “My lady! My Saint!”, but behind the back of Raina, he flirts with Looka. He shows that his love to Raina is platonic and sexless, but such love is like the horns of rabbit. He seeks comfort in Looka’s physical love. His romantic love is given away to the realistic love. His love for Looka is based upon passion. He believes that a man tried of a higher love; it must have woman’s heart, as well as her body to fulfill biological needs. This is conquest of passion and reality over romanticism.

Biggest fool in the Play:

       In the whole play Sergius behaves like a fool. Because Shaw believes that every soldiers are stupid. After he returns from the war, his illusion of romanticism about war was broken, as he says to Catherine – “Soldering is the coward's art of attacking mercilessly when you are strong and keeping out of harm's way when you are weak. That is the whole secret of successful fighting.”

His illusion of love still he has, because of his ideas are fanciful and romantic, but he could not digest the higher love of Raina and he finds pleasure in Looka.

Conclusion:

       In Short we can say that, Sergius is an interesting character, and a good subject for analytical study. Shaw has said that his attempt was to create comic Hemlet. Actually Shaw wanted to prick the bubble of Romance of war and marriage. Sergius is molded on Byron’s heroes.

Plato's Charges against Poetry

           Plato was a great critic and a philosopher. He believed in ‘Art for life’s shake’. Plato has given remarkable contribution to the field of literary criticism. According to Plato the ideas are true and real. His views on Poets and Poetry were expressed in ‘The republic’. Plato was basically a philosopher and a moralist. He was worried about the good of individual and the state.  According to Plato – “a poet is an ideal singer of an empty day.” Plato believed that the poet’s activities were harmful to the individual as well as to the society. Plato exposes his views on the poets and poetry because they create only illusions.

Plato puts some charges against poets and poetry. They are as under.

1. Poetry is an imitation of an imitation.

       Plato’s fundamental objection against poetry is that it is an imitation of an imitation. Poetry is twice removed from the reality. To explain it he gives very famous example of carpenter’s chair. In ‘The Republic’ Plato says that “ideas are the ultimate reality”. Carpenter first gets an idea to make a chair, then he shapes a chair (it is imitation of idea), then a painter draws that chair (it is imitation of imitation). So poetry is merely an imitation. And when a poet imitates something then he is not aware from real thing. So poetry becomes trivial and worthless thing. It is only the illusion of the idea.  It does not the real truth. Thus poetry is not good for the individual.

2. Poetry deals with the inferior part of the human nature.

      The charge against poetry is that it deals with the basic aspects of human nature. According to the Plato- 'epics and poetry with cunning and lusty heroes and violent Gods should not be taught.' poetry is more about the inferior part of human nature. The poet is imitative and his poetry is not true or real. It does not create good effect on the soul because it is about some baser passions of human nature.

3. There is no poetic justice on Poetry.

Plato was having high moral values. So obviously he demands righteousness in literature and art According to the Plato – ‘a poet deals with the virtue and vice similarly, because of such dealing there is no poetic justice.’  Plato observed in the Greek literature that many evil persons being happy and good persons unhappy. And he say that -“In literature many evil livers are happy and many righteous men are unhappy ; and wrong doing is often profitable while hones dealing is beneficial to one’s neighbor, but damaging to one’s self.”

              As a firm moralist Plato can’t digest such injustice in literature. According to him poetry feeds, waters and nourishes the lower and unhealthy emotions and passions. To maintain morality in mind one should be stable and rational. And it is true that sentimentality and rationality never walks together.   Thus Plato found injustice in poetry and literature. So he raised a charge against poetry is being without Poetic Justice.

4. Poetry is not safe guide for the human being

The fourth charge against poetry is very serious. According to Plato Poetry is not safe guide for the human being. He believes that poetry appeals emotions rather than a reason. Poetry makes the reason prisoner. Poetry feeds and waters the passions instead of drying them up. Thus poetry is not welcomed in an ideal state. 

    Plato was dreaming for strong and ideal state. For it all citizens should have developed mind and intellect. But poetry makes people emotional and it is harmful for good administration.

5. Poet does not write poetry  in conscious  mind

According to the Plato the poet is between a prophet and a mad man. The poet is not an ordinary human being because he is inspired by the muse. This shows that the poet is like a prophet. A poet writes only when he is inspired. This position is between the prophet and a mad man. Such a person is more harmful and its Activities also.

6. Poetry creats very harmful effect on children’s mind.

Plato wrote in ‘The Republic’ that poetry don’t give any contribution in planting morality in children. Instead of it, it puts evil in children. Poetry does very harmful effect on children’s mind.

  When children read poetry, it is misinterpreted by them the hero or the villain can make any effect upon them. So Plato says that Homer’s epic were part of studies. Hero’s of epic were lusty, cunning and cruel. Even gods were portrayed very badly. Gods were shown fighting among themselves. When we teach a children god’s such stories. They find bad effect in their mind.

            Plato says that we should not tell even a word about war to children. They are having strong impression of their teachers. So in the education if teachers say them about war and violence then they get wrong impression in their mind.

       In Short we can say that Plato was an ideal Person and having high moral values. He wanted to create an Ideal state and thus he favored only ideal Activities only. He was not always against poet and poetry, bet he was against imaginative poet and poetry.