Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Women standing tall in a world of words
|
Even today some women characters from drama continue to be role models
|
BOUNCING BACK Lessons of empowerment PHOTO: K. ANANTHAN
Henrik Ibsen's Nora walked out on her husband and children more than a century ago. Six years into the new millennium and the blood pressure still shoots up when the topic under discussion is the woman and her rights.
Does asserting her individuality mean bidding goodbye to all that is considered feminine? Or is it about giving up motherhood and other domestic duties? As far as women are concerned, on this matter, it will always be a hung verdict.
While most women try to tackle these volleys all their life, the conclusions drawn are always personal. Some believe it is important to let go to gain greater glory, while others swear by the balancing act. These questions cropped up once again when the Department of English at the PSGR Krishnammal College for Women, organised an international seminar on the "Empowerment of Women as Reflected in Drama."
Looks like true empowerment happened in the texts written at a time when a woman ruled the land where the sun never set.
Academicians delved deep into the texts of Shakespeare. Those searching for `empowered women' found his plays to be the Bible, for most of his women managed to turn every situation into a win-win one.
If the Shakespeare's women always remained one up, the stoicism of Maurya in J.M.Synge's Riders To The Sea and Juno of Sean O' Casey's Juno and the Paycock also drew attention of many presenters. Over 60 papers touching upon plays from British and European literature, American, Commonwealth and Indian literature were presented during the conference. Empowerment in the Indian context saw a paper on Mahesh Dattani's Tara, the disabled and feisty woman who puts up a brave front against all odds. Though discussing a woman's desires is still uncomfortable business, one of the papers devoted itself to Deepa Mehta's Fire. The conference saw at least five participants from abroad taking part. Sheba Kulothungan from the South Western University, Texas gave the inaugural address. She brought out the purpose of the conference beautifully.
"Literature should inspire life," she said, drawing examples from Graham Greene's Living Room, Brecht's characterisation of Mother Courage, the mama in Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, the mother in Wole Soyinka's Death and the King's Horseman and Shakespeare's Emilia and Portia.
It is in the steadfastness, loyalty, courage, optimism, independence and femininity of all these women that our inspiration lies.
ANIMA BALAKRISHNAN
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
|
