I've previously read and loved Tennessee Williams' work, so when I saw this interesting title, I knew I had to pick it up. But this being a library isI've previously read and loved Tennessee Williams' work, so when I saw this interesting title, I knew I had to pick it up. But this being a library issue, I couldn't finish it. I could only read the first 7 out of the 13 plays, but I loved most of them, and think it deserves 3.8�
This is a book of small plays, mostly one act ones, divided into various scenes. Most of the plays are characteristically poetic, however quite varied in subject and have been united only on the basis of being one act plays, perhaps, because I found no other connecting thread. All these plays are woven around only a handful of characters, sometimes, only 2-3 of them, and sometimes include more in secondary roles and hence are very character driven.
1. 27 Wagons full of cotton- it is the first and title play of the collection and has some of the strength of A Streetcar named Desire. It tells the story of a cotton gin owner who commits arson on a factory to get more consignment and how his wife has to pay for that crime. I loved the writing and execution, I just didn't like the fact that the play ends without the husband coming to know of his wife's battery.
2. The Purification- it is a very lyrical and musical play centred on a family ravaged by incestuous passions, leading to the murder of the daughter of the family by her husband who cannot stand her brother's and hers passion for each other. The play constitutes a community trial of the husband and while the verdict is given, it appears that he evades it. The ending is quite unclear, actually.
3. The Lady of Larkspur Lotion- it reminded me of O. Henry's short stories with its conception and execution, with the high handed, emotional and dreamy use of language by the character of the aspiring author. It talks about dreamy characters who escape the realities of their lives by addiction and continue to dwell in poverty.
4. The Last of My Solid Gold Watches- it is a sad tale about a man's glorious career and life coming to an end and his inability to cope with that. But it also critiques the old generation's criticism of the new.
5. Portrait of a Madonna- it is centred on a senile, old spinster who fancies herself to have been� raped by a former lover. It again throws light on the difficulties of old age and is a good creation.
7. Lord Byron's Love Letter- it is about two women, a grandmother and her granddaughter, living in an old family residence that houses a love letter written by Lord Byron to the grandmother that they display to public on request, for a charge. It is hilarious in some parts, with the older woman's behaviour and a little disheartening as the couple to come to see the letter leave without paying. But the end reveals the letter to be just by her grandfather.
I'm just waiting to get my hands on it again so that I can devour the rest of the plays. Recommend it to everyone interested in drama....more
This was a play I read for my Australian literature class and it was great!
It narrates the story of an Aboriginal Australian family that live in settThis was a play I read for my Australian literature class and it was great!
It narrates the story of an Aboriginal Australian family that live in settlements under the protection of AO Neville and is a story inspired from reality strung with fiction. It talks about the hardships in life the aborigines faced under colonial rule, their oppressive realities and the subhuman treatment meted out to them.
Davis has used the native aboriginal language of Nyoongah in the drama which is confounding for any non native reader and works beautifully as a political aspect of the play. Thankfully, for readers, there's a glossary of Nyoongah terms included at the back.
However, the play is meant to be performed rather than being read since it uses the elements of the theatrical space and language in ingenious ways and would have more jarring effects in front of an audience.
All in all, if you're interested in reading something away from the mainstream or are interested in exploring native Australian lives, this would be a good pick....more
I usually am not mesmerised by Indian dramas but this one turned out to be really good.
The story invloves a plot within a plot that merge on a plane I usually am not mesmerised by Indian dramas but this one turned out to be really good.
The story invloves a plot within a plot that merge on a plane and has elements of existentialism, absurdity, dream and so much more, a perfect amalgamation of elements to create a post modern work, also involving traditional methods from Sanskrit drama like the 'Sutradhar' or narrator who creates a medium of dialogue between the audience and the actors.
The primary story is about a man with a horse's head seeking completion in life in the form of a human. The secondary story involves a love triangle between two men who are best friends and a woman who desires both men for their specific qualities.
The secondary story is adapted from Indian mythology and serves as a perfect accompaniment with the Horse's tale. The language as well as the plot are bound perfectly and the plot is really dense and engaging.
I really loved this one and recommend it to readers of Indian drama since its a classic....more
Since I had loved Medea by Euripides, I instantly decided on reading Helen when I saw it in the list of options for my assignment. But this wasn't as Since I had loved Medea by Euripides, I instantly decided on reading Helen when I saw it in the list of options for my assignment. But this wasn't as alluring or powerful as Medea had been. But Euripides being the first Greek dramatist I read, I admit I'm still biased to him.
The story follows the Greek Queen Helen who faces a personal tragedy as she becomes the reason behind the Spartan War because of Paris' lust for her. While throughout history, Medea was blamed for the war and Paris' lust, Euripides is known to be sympathetic to his female characters and thus gives a version of the story that shows Helen as a poor character played out by destiny and Gods' whims and shows Gods to be biased and moody and using humans as characters in their play. Zeus and Aphrodite bear the brunt, yay!
But the whole plot was dealt with very lukewarm dialogues and action and with what I've read of Euripides, I expected better, though this was not bad. Still recommend this if you are into Greek drama. ...more
I am really glad I took up the Australian literature course because otherwise I would have remained alien to a brilliant side of literature that is unI am really glad I took up the Australian literature course because otherwise I would have remained alien to a brilliant side of literature that is unlike any other.
After reading so many brilliant plays, I think I love dramas too, which I was previously doubtful about. I have only read Inside the Island but there is no goodreads entry for it separately.
Australian literature requires you to have a little background about what the history of the land is, and I admit there are so many versions that had been repressed for so long, but its easier for readers now because most of it has been uncovered thanks to post colonial and post modern ideas. So, Australian literature is essentially rooted in the violence against the indigenous population there before the colonial settlement, and white Australian works are filled with the absence of those aboriginal spirits that were wiped off the land and indigenous works describe their pain and horrors at the forceful removal of their race off the land. So essentially, land becomes an important concept in almost all Australian literature, where it either haunts the white consciousness or fights for the original race.
Now that we have done a crash course in Australian literature, we can get back to the review.
This play deals with Australian themes of landscape, and being written by a white Australian playwright, deals with the absence of the aborigines that were removed from the land while the protagonist's father built his property of wheat fields, mill and a mansion. It discusses other issues like belonging with the colonial England as well.
The story revolves around the Dawson family, wealthy landowners who attend a cricket match and picnic with a soldier troop camping nearby and due to poisoning, the soldiers go mad and wreak havoc on the landscape. In the end, many of the soldiers die along with the protagonist's family, except her and makes the reader question human guilt and attitudes.
It is a very thought provoking read, even if you are not analysing it critically, because I feel that the protagonist Lillian, a thoroughly villainous and biased character is somebody we should read this for....more
I had begun reading Greek drama from Euripides and this was my first Aeschylean work and yes, both of the authors were so different in style, though II had begun reading Greek drama from Euripides and this was my first Aeschylean work and yes, both of the authors were so different in style, though I think, for us, the translator is also important to keep in mind.
I already knew the premise of Prometheus' story thanks to Mytho Magician Rick Riordan, but reading this play was still a different experience since it wasn't really about the action, but the ideas and I liked it.
Still would recommend Euripides' Medea to anyone wanting to read Greek drama, but this was a good one too. ...more
The beginning of the play started out as interesting, but by the end, I was left baffled and my first engagement with it wasn't that fulfilling.
The plThe beginning of the play started out as interesting, but by the end, I was left baffled and my first engagement with it wasn't that fulfilling.
The play is set in the village of Ilunjinle, of the Yoruba tribes of Africa, on the brink of modernisation and juxtaposes modernity and traditions through the pivotal male characters of a young, Westernised school teacher and the old village headman, both vying for the hand of the village belle, the 'Jewel' Sidi.
Due to the context, the play again is political, in its themes as well as the form, which I realised way after reading it. XD But essentially, it is a tussle between the two men, to question the necessity of the western concept of progress and modernity and the value of traditional ways of life. In the end, it was actually shocking for me to see the protagonist choose to marry the old, polygamous, village headman after what he did to her instead of the schoolmaster, who I admit, was a little comical. After much thought, I have realised the reason, but I still cannot say I was happy with it.
Soyinka is the first Nobel prize winner from Africa, and that makes him a huge deal, so I'm still interested in reading other works by him, but I'd advise you that if you are going to pick this author up, do not start with this work. ...more
Despite being a literature student, I have not read enough Shakespeare to love him, and whatever I've read has not made me feel that strongly about hiDespite being a literature student, I have not read enough Shakespeare to love him, and whatever I've read has not made me feel that strongly about him, and yes, they were his tragedies. So when I went onto this comedy, I had no expectations, and maybe that was a good thing, because I loved it.
I had this in my syllabus for a politics of literature course, and we studied it from the post colonial view, but alienating my reading from the class discussion too, I feel like I have enjoyed it more than I had thought I would.
Come to think of it, I don't think I loved any of the characters except Ariel, the spirit enslaved by Prospero, the scheming protagonist and a general arse. But I loved the language, the humour, the action and the end....more
This was my first existentialist-absurdist read and I was very excited about it, but by the end of the work, I realised that I am a person who requireThis was my first existentialist-absurdist read and I was very excited about it, but by the end of the work, I realised that I am a person who requires reason, meaning, something solid to grasp, while Caligula himself, as a character, as well as the king to his subjects, and the text, all evade that grasp for meaning and I don't think I can work with that.
The text, however, is quite good, the way Caligula deals with the absurd, questions everything around him and evades capture, his use of reason and double binds, all these things fascinated me. But his obsession with the moon, and achieving the impossible wasn't something I could understand. And I realised that that is where this stops working for me.
Also, since the text evades analysis or a fixture of meaning, my friends suggested that texts such as these should not be taught and prescribed for literature students to analyse as it defeats the whole purpose of the existence of the text itself, and I quite agree.
However, I'd like if people gave this a try and saw how comfortable they are with this genre or not. ...more
Since this entry is about all the three plays and I have only read the titular play, Brief Candle, which I didn't like much, I'm going to reserve furtSince this entry is about all the three plays and I have only read the titular play, Brief Candle, which I didn't like much, I'm going to reserve further comments until I read the other two, of which I know Thirty Days in September is going to be beautiful....more
I had huge expectations with the text, given the name which plunges you into the story. But I have my complaints. The story was good enough, but I havI had huge expectations with the text, given the name which plunges you into the story. But I have my complaints. The story was good enough, but I have a little problem with the plot or the aspect absent in it. Otherwise, the plot progression is quite good, the characters too are quite realistic and it is overall a good read. The language is simple, however, some of the sentences are syntactically wrong and feel like they are literal translations of Hindi or some other Indian language. This error in language with Indian dramas really bothers me.
The story is about a family consisting of a brother, sister, their father and a dead sister who was burnt at her in-laws place. The story opens with the court verdict showing her death as an accident, which the brother, Anil, believes. However, the younger sister, Malini refuses to take her sister's death as an accident and is determined to investigate it further. She is also associated with Roy, who is a militant suspected of having played a role in derailing a train and is under inspection on the grounds of fomenting more terrorist activities. Malini is in relationship with Sanjay, who is Anil's college mate, a rich businessman she hopes to marry. Then the plot progresses as Malini uncovers secrets about the in-laws, while Anil too, suspecting things to be wrong, and with clues from various sources, investigates their sister's death.
However, there are a few things about the characters that I've failed to understand. The father, aged 70 and forgetful, keeps talking about Sujata, his first wife who he sent back after 10 years of marriage for she could not conceive, his second wife, the children's mother and Laxmi, his eldest daughter who is dead. Although his musings about Sujata are somewhat guilt ridden, and his thoughts about Laxmi either confused or self justifying, with a touch of guilt, but I found his dialogues about his second wife to be somewhat lecherously stupid. I also felt like the character of Malini has been unnecessarily antagonised. Right from her association with Roy, which I understood to be a part of her disillusioned, rebellious streak, to her encounter with Sanjay wherein she first refuses him sexual pleasure and disheartened at his refusal to marry her, agrees to sleep with him, later feeling guilty about it. That part of her character is something I didn't understand.
Now, my main problem with the text is that it claims Laxmi's death to be a suicide, a suicide driven by bullying and maltreatment and no attempt to rescue her, but a suicide nonetheless, while I wanted the incident to be a first hand murder by the mother-in-law and husband. Maybe that's just my hunger for bollywood drama, but I was disappointed with that part of the plot.
I'm not giving reading recommendations for it because it's hardly available in the market, and I think I'm not interested in Indian English drama anymore. It is just too crude, with the language and the plot somehow seems to limit itself. ...more
It was a good enough read. I have realised I don't like dramas much because of the dry language. The form just doesn't appeal me, and since I've neverIt was a good enough read. I have realised I don't like dramas much because of the dry language. The form just doesn't appeal me, and since I've never seen one professionally enacted on stage, maybe the aversion is more. Whatever the reason, had to read this for class, so did.
The plot is good one, and I loved the non-linearity of time. The plot revolves around two conjoined twins Tara and Chandan who were separated a few months after birth in a very complicated and revolutionary surgery. However, there is a secret that the parents have maintained from the children, and the guilt of that drives the actions of the characters of the play. The actions of both Tara and Chandan emerge from such emotional places at times that I sat there awed. And I have a feeling that Chandan was sort of an antagonistic character here, but I like him more than I do Tara who was a little too insensitive and mean at times.
Overall, the writing was okay, except for one sentence that was literal translation of a Hindi dialogue and sounded so crass when read in English. There was a certain amount of wit and humour that I loved. The characters were also drawn brilliantly and the character histories were ample as well....more
I went in without much expectations, though I had a mild idea of how it was a play about women's emancipation and other social issues and the origin oI went in without much expectations, though I had a mild idea of how it was a play about women's emancipation and other social issues and the origin of problem play et cetera. But the start was slow and lulled me with its romantic descriptions and happenings, and I did get a little impatient and thought Nora, the protagonist, to be a fool, but then as it unfolded, I began to like it more and more, and by the end of it, I was completely enthralled.
I loved the characters. Christine and Doctor Rank win hands down and even Krogstaad was good enough. Helmer was what he should have been, an imposing, though loving, but very authoritative husband. However, I loved how Nora's character turned a complete 180 degrees.
I generally am not a big fan of plays for the dialogues are very short, curt and unsatisfactory. However, I did not feel all that dissatisfied by its language, though I read a very modern version of it and would go to the old version of it sometime later, it reads so lyrically.
All in all, it's a slim book and so a must read for everyone. ...more
I want to give it perhaps a 2.8 or 2.9 stars. There is just something I don't like about plays, and that is dialogue. I'm more of a narration person tI want to give it perhaps a 2.8 or 2.9 stars. There is just something I don't like about plays, and that is dialogue. I'm more of a narration person than a dialogue person, and I didn't know this bias existed in me until today because I've read quite a few plays and liked many of them.
The story was good, the characters okay-ish, but the language was very crude and put me off very often and very easily. The character of Miss Leela Benare disappointed me a little too much. She was free-spirited and independent the whole time except when the charges were put against her. And the dream sequence in which she revolted too didn't seemed satisfactory to me, it digressed into something irritatingly stupid about nature and everything which seemed way too off point to me. After trying too hard to sculpt Benare as a new age woman, I feel, Tendulkar finally fell prey to the gender role of women being submissive, even with the character of Mrs Kashikar but more so with Benare. The men preying on Benare though were perfect characterisations and true to their nature. I was however cringed out by the views of the self proclaimed social worker Mr Kashikar that were so retrogressive but I appreciate the construction of the character.
As I mentioned above, the writing isn't the best, but the twists and turns the story takes were quite engaging and I liked it. there isn't much else to be discussed about the drama other than these and I recommend it for a light reading but I still don't understand the blind appreciation of the text for I feel Kamala was a better written play by Tendulkar, but I'm surely gonna read more of his works....more
I just finished the book and thought it'd be best to write down my thoughts on it. This isn't going to be much of a review, I'm sorry!
So, I have this I just finished the book and thought it'd be best to write down my thoughts on it. This isn't going to be much of a review, I'm sorry!
So, I have this habit of reading goodreads reviews of other readers of books that I finish reading and in this book's reviews, I saw people call it as 'light comedy'. Well, truth be told, it is NOT a light comedy! The book is filled with heavy dialogues that are mostly fillers and have no real purpose of being there, except to demonstrate the wit or false wit, in a few cases, of the characters. The drama is a restoration comedy and so puts forth a stark naked picture of the immoral, licentious and conceited upper-class people of the 17th century, with every man and woman either being utterly stupid, or engaging in multiple relationships.
The play, though now considered to be the epitome of Restoration Comedy, wasn't received well upon it's dramatisation back then, owing to the complex plot structure of the story that has excessively bulky dialogues and almost no action. Besides, characters are introduced with such force, and yet, many a scenes are not well provided with details, like the scene where Lady Wishfort, upon coming to realise the treachery of Sir Rowland, still pretends that nothing has happened on his face, but in the next scene, without any deliberation, begins shouting at her maid Foible, blaming her for the treachery.
Being a comedy, of course it made me laugh a few laughs, and appreciate a good too many witty dialogues, but overall, reading this was a tedious job and I did it only for class. I do not recommend it for anyone other than Literature students, because A. it is quite lengthy and boring in the most parts B. it isn't the kind of story that must be told and read, life can go on well without this. But other than that, if anyone wants to get a taste of the 17th century upper-class British society, then this is the work you should pick up....more
This was my first read of 2016 and another drama I've read out of class. I liked this one better, bit I cannot quite put my finger on the reason. The This was my first read of 2016 and another drama I've read out of class. I liked this one better, bit I cannot quite put my finger on the reason. The story is a simple yet complex one. The play is a memory play and is narrated by our young narrator Tom Wingfield who lives with his shy, crippled older sister and mother. The play mainly revolves around the characters' dreams, aspirations worlds that's created for themselves. Tom works in a shoe warehouse to support his family but wants to be a poet while his mother wants him to advance in his job and look for a nice gentleman top marry her daughter off with. While Tom spends the whole time grumbling and complaining about life and going to the movies to seek for adventures he doesn't get in his own life, his mother only scolds him about his behaviour. His sister Laura is a beautiful but shy girl who hides behind her collection of glass animals who are as fragile as her. Her shyness and anxiety develops from her slight cripple that she thinks to be of a greater importance and hindrance. Laura's shy nature makes her mother more concerned about her and in the hopes of getting gentlemen callers for her daughter, she gets delusional. But the gentleman caller finally arrives in the form of Jim, Laura's childhood crush and he makes Laura believe in herself and is the only person who understands her, but as ruined luck would have it, he's already engaged and so cannot romance with her. The ever present memory of their father who abandoned his family is what compels Tom to believe that he too is destined to leave his family behind and this goes on to do just that. In the end, Tom does feel guilty for Laura, but he doesn't clear things up. The story was a really nice, raw and touching one and should be read for the true portrayal of humans around us or in our lives. The writing was very simple and yet beautifully captivating and I recommend this to all readers....more
It was the first ever drama that I read out of class. Tennessee Williams is a prescribed playwright for literature students, granted.
The story is aboIt was the first ever drama that I read out of class. Tennessee Williams is a prescribed playwright for literature students, granted.
The story is about a woman in her 30s with high born ideals and prejudices about race, class and immigrants, who after losing her ancestral property comes to visit her younger sister and her husband in New Orleans. But our protagonist, Blanche DuBois starts off as a woman who only wants the best for her sister and so keeps information away from her, and in time, her pretense grows, with everyone around her, and ultimately she falls into madness. She is a character that the reader is forced to sympathise with and pity on, but she's not a goody-goody person but hides under a veneer of sophistication and false ideals. She makes a few mistakes in her time and ultimately pays for them. The antagonist, her brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski, comes off as a rude person who is straightforward and believes in gender roles and demands respect for being the breadwinner. He also takes women for their sexual value, especially his wife. And when Blanche comes in their life, every dynamic changes and he shows his brutal, animalistic side in the worst possible way and is concluded as the antagonist.
This wasn't the most well written play ever, but it opened my eyes on many levels. It made it clear that human beings have always been, are and always will be masters of deception and that is what makes the world go round. No character in the story was right or wrong, everyone was just like how people in reality are. And that was the best and worst part, because it did not romanticise or fantasise the characters but showed them stark naked and real, and it was eye opening. Also, no matter what happens, in a story, I always come off with at least one character that I, if not love, at least like. But this one certainly was an exception since despite the characters being truly human, none managed to be on my good books.
The play is a good read and I recommend it for being a true portrayal of human psyche....more
This was a drama I had to read for class and class discussion is still left, so I can't go on about critical aspects of it. But I'd say the story was This was a drama I had to read for class and class discussion is still left, so I can't go on about critical aspects of it. But I'd say the story was engaging enough. The first act did get complicated with the introduction of a number of characters, plus I felt it wasn't properly written to set the pace. The second and third acts were much better. The ending was known to me, that Joe will shoot himself, but the reason why wasn't known. The story is medium paced and doesn't work sometimes, the characters sometimes feel like they aren't working hard enough to put themselves out there. I found Kate a very fake personality, with double standards. The characters I like are somehow not the main ones. I like Ann, she seems true to her purpose and a very good human being, and so does Dr Jim Bayliss. I even like Larry, even though he's dead, that is the most significant part of the play, in fact. The dynamics of the play change because of Larry's death and the mystery behind it. And I'm glad as to how the playwright managed it, because that was the only twist to the story I hadn't predicted and that made it a much more interesting read. The story is a social realistic drama and is representational of the post-war times, but the heavier themes of guilt, family relationships and hypocrisy of people can still be connected to contemporary times. It isn't a must read, but a good one if you're picking it up for some reason, especially academic ones....more
I had to read this for class and all I can say about this is that it is a very crooked story but beautifully presented with all the elements that wereI had to read this for class and all I can say about this is that it is a very crooked story but beautifully presented with all the elements that were the essence of the Greek theatre and the tragedy in essential. The characters, even though emotionally heightened, are relatable to a certain level and their actions too,though never fully justifiable, are believable enough.
Even though Euripides did not achieve fame in his lifetime, now his works are more popular.
I recommend this one to everyone, though the language is very old school and sometimes difficult to understand, but very fascinating. And it is a must read for literature students, so yeah....more
Okay, so I had to read this for class. And our class discussion on this is left. And so, even though I loved the story, I have a This is not a review.
Okay, so I had to read this for class. And our class discussion on this is left. And so, even though I loved the story, I have a few doubts and queries about this. So I'm not in my best position to talk about this right now. But I absolutely loved the realistic portrayal of Indian society and temperament. The books that succeed to bring this appeal the most to me. Plus, I don't know what was up with Ratna, so no more talks about this till I have a discussion in class....more
Loading...
