The Sanskrit drama : $b in its origin, development, theory and practiceKeith, Arthur Berriedale
History
The Sanskrit drama : $b in its origin, development, theory and practice
Keith, Arthur Berriedale
Sanskrit drama -- History and criticism
vice in the eyes of the sacred law, are extolled.
It is an essential defect of Indian theory in all its aspects that it
tends to divisions which are needless and confusing. Besides the
elements of the garland we find thirty-three dramatic ornaments
(nāṭyālaṁkāra) [697] and thirty-six characteristics or beauties
(lakṣaṇa), [698] which cannot be distinguished as two classes on any
conceivable theory, [699] for both consist largely of modes of
exposition and figures of thought and diction, while they also contain,
as recognized by Dhanaṁjaya, a number of feelings which fall within the
sphere of sentiment and its discussion. Thus we find as ornaments the
benediction, the lamentation, raillery, the use of argument to support
a view (upapatti), the prayer, the expression of resolution, the
reproach, the provocation, the adduction of a common opinion in order
to administer covertly a rebuke, the request, the narrative, reasoning,
and the telling of a story. The beauties again include the combination
of merits of style with poetic figures; the grouping of letters to make
up a name; the use of analogy and example; the citation of admitted
facts to refute incorrect views; the fitting of expression to the
sense; the explanation by reasoning of a fact which is not capable of
sense perception; the description of an object from the point of view
of place, time, or shape; the indication of a characteristic which
serves to distinguish two objects otherwise alike; the allusion to the
truth of the literal meaning of a name; the use of the names of famous
persons in a eulogy of some living being; the expression unconsciously,
under the influence of passion, of the contrary of what one means; the
statement in succession (mālā) of several means to attain a desired
object; the expression of two different views, one of which in reality
strengthens the other; the reproach; the question; the use of
commonplaces; eulogy; the employment of a comparison to convey a sense
which it is not desired directly to express; the indirect expression of
desire; the veiled compliment; and the address of gratitude.
Unfortunately no scientific attempt at orderly arrangement or
examination of the principles on which these matters are based is
attempted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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