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
The later theory as seen in Viçvanātha [742] adds descriptions of
eighteen minor forms of drama, Uparūpakas, which represent refinements
on the original scheme. Needless to say, though omitted in the
Nāṭyaçāstra, quotations are found ascribing to Bharata the doctrine,
though he mentions in them but fifteen with several variations of name;
[743] the Agni Purāṇa [744] mentions eighteen with some variants of
name, while a verse cited by Dhanika [745] names seven forms of mimetic
dramas, which it classes in conjunction with the Bhāṇa. The age of
these divisions is, therefore, uncertain; the Daçarūpa condescends to
mention only the Nāṭikā, but obviously knows of the existence of
others, confining its scope to the main forms, as its title indicates.
The Nāṭyaçāstra [746] mentions, in a passage suspected of
interpolation, but without special cause, a type of dramas Nāṭī, which
later is styled Nāṭikā, or lesser heroic comedy. The subject-matter in
this view may be either legendary or invented; the later opinion
requires it to be invented as in the Prakaraṇa, which is the model for
the Nāṭikā in this regard. The hero is to be that of the Nāṭaka, a gay
king, and the intrigue consists of his efforts to attain marriage with
the heroine, who is an ingénue of royal family, whom he is destined to
marry, but who by some accident or design has been introduced into the
harem in an inferior capacity. The lovers have to strive against the
jealousy of the queen, a lady of mature character and devotion to the
king, who at last is induced to sanction the nuptials. The life of the
court gives opportunity for introducing music, song, and the dance as
elements in the entertainment. The graceful manner is appropriate, and
the erotic sentiment is prescribed; by an excess of zeal, when the
drama as usual has four acts, they are in theory to contain each one of
the four members of the graceful style. A lesser number of acts is
allowed by Dhanaṁjaya. There is certainly not much difference between
such a Nāṭaka as the Mālavikāgnimitra and the normal Nāṭikā, save the
length, as expressed in the number of the acts, but it would be unwise
to assert that the distinction is based on this alone. It is a fact
that both in the Priyadarçikā and the Ratnāvalī the poet has freely
enough invented his episodes, and this is a fact justifying the
discrimination.
The little bourgeois comedy, the Prakaraṇikā, [747] is precisely of the
same character as the Nāṭikā, save that its hero and heroine are of the
merchant class. It is clear that it is due merely to a false desire for
symmetry, as it is merely a Prakaraṇa when judged by the three
determinants of plot, character, and sentiment, and Dhanika rightly
rejects it as a species, though Viçvanātha admits it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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