Karnad has gone significantly back to Indian tradition and culture to write his plays. He has recreated the rich and dynamic picture of Indian society, culture and its people. He often takes a theme, a historical event of Indian history and presents it in a modernized way. Majority of his play employ the narratives of myth, history and folklore to evoke an ancient or pre-modern world that resonates in contemporary context because of his uncanny ability to remake the past in the image of present. He has also adopted the oral tale of the people and presents in dramatized way. He feels that they are very much relevant today, and hence, seeks to adopt myths and folk forms in his plays. Thus he creates a synthesis between the ancient and the modern to serve his purpose of using the past to illuminate the present. Most of the playwrights in India have either written in such a traditional manner that it lost relevance to their urban existence or they have written in such an urbanized manner that it lost its relevance to the traditional part of their personality. In this regard Karnad comments “we keep acerbating between the traditional and the modern, perhaps we could not hit upon a form which could balance both.” He attempts to balance both in his plays. He does not takes myths in their entirely, but he takes them only in parts that are useful to him and the rest he supplements with his imagination. Basically he has given a new interpretation to the historical, oral and mythical tales.
From the options, select the one which is true according to the passage:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Karnad as a playwright often uses events from Indian history and presents them in a modernized manner that is suitable for the viewers and theatre goers of our times.
The passage says he often takes a theme, a historical event of Indian history and presents it in a modernized way, and that he creates a synthesis between the ancient and the modern, using the past to illuminate the present. This makes old events meaningful to today's audience.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: Karnad tries to justify India's ignorance and superstitions as just and correct. — Does not hold true. Not mentioned: the passage never speaks of defending superstition; he reinterprets old tales for the present.
Option 3: Karnad promotes gender biased culture. — Does not hold true. Not mentioned: gender bias, that is, unfair treatment of people because they are men or women, is not mentioned.
Option 4: Karnad depicts India as a backward looking gloomy country. — Does not hold true. Contradicted: he presents a rich and dynamic picture of Indian society, the opposite of gloomy and backward.