A Paucity Of Discernment: The Parallel Conundrums In The Lives Of Karnad’s Female Characters In Nagamandala And The Fire And The Rain

Abstract

Karnad was an astounding literary figure who had carved out the unfathomable thoughts of women through his profound works. Karnad was an Indian playwright, actor and director. He often uses mythology and history to tackle the contemporary issues. He indubitably explores the psychological conundrums of female psyche by traversing the lives and experiences of a woman. He powerfully attempts to explore the psychological move abouts of a woman who is subjected to follow the traditional path assigned to her by the age-old   phallocentric power.

The present paper attempts to visualize the similarity in the consequences that paralleled among the two female characters in Karnad’s  play  Nagamandala and The Fire and the Rain. Both plays become universal where myth and reality are fused together to explore the socio-cultural criterion. He presents the sad and despondent nature of Vishaka and Rani who fail to make distinction between reality and fantasy. Karnad apparently fabricated female characters in a way that uplifted the women in the society to make their life free from the constraints of supremacy.  The paucity of discernment caused them to apprehend the incognito of their lovers. Karnad explicably divulged the indecipherable psyche of woman to untie the scathing power of male supremacy.