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Literature: Silence! The Court is in Session

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Silence! The Court is in Session
Shiv K.Kumar Freud's Stage of
Master and Slave: Aristotle The Trial between the humanists and the anti­humanists in Vijay Tendulkar's play development
'Silence! The court is in Session'. Gao Xingjian
Gadar
Voyage To Modernity Indian Drama
Vijay  Tendulkar  (1928­2008)  emerged  as  a  rebel  against  the  established  values  of  a
Women in Manu Smriti Indian Women
fundamently  orthodox  society  with  the  production  of  Shantata!  court  chalu  Ahe  (Silence!
Jumpa Lahiri
The court is in session) in 1967, he became the centre of controversy.
Popular Posts Meghdootam
This  drama  presents  a  metaphorical  trial  between  the  humanists  and  the  anti­humanists. Myth of Sisyphus
Silence! The 'Silence! The court is in Session'  is  in  reality  a  mock  trial  of  simple  and  straightforward Newspaper
Court is in
school  teacher  Miss  Leela  Benare.  She  is  cross­examined  in  the  court  with  full  mockery. Oedipus
Session
She  is  charged  with  infanticide  and  having  illicit  relations  with  a  married  person  Professor Othello
Damle  and  in  this  way  her  private  life  is  exposed.  All  the  other  characters  like  witnesses
Pinter
Mr. Gopal Ponkshe. Mr. Karnik Rokde, Samant, counsel for the Defence and counsel for the
Poetics
Elizabethan crown  Mr.  Sukhatme  and  judge,  Mr.  Kashikar  and  his  wife  Mrs.  Kashikar  all  behave  in  a
Age Post Feminism
way of mockery. 
Rushdie
Miss Leela Benare is summoned merely as a witness while Miss Benare remains the prime Sartre
accused  as  the  mother  of  an  illegitimate  child  and  having  illicit  relations  with  so  many "Existentialism"

Wordsworth persons.  As  the  trial  go  on  all  the  witnesses  and  authorities  become  inimical  towards  Miss Sashi Despande
Preface to the Leela  Benare.  On  the  charge  of  unmarried  motherhood  and  having  illicit  relations  with  so Satan
Lyrical Ballads many  persons,  the  judge,  Mr.  Kashikar  orders  the  school  authorities  to  dismiss  such  an Structuralism and
immoral  woman.  Miss  Leela  Benare  tried  to  defend  herself  through  a  long  soliloquy.  "The Literature
parrot to the sparrow said, "Why, of why, are your eyes so red?" Oh, my dear friend, what Tales from
shall I say/" Someone has stolen my nest away. Sparrow, sparrow, poor little sparrow 'oh Shakespeare
Age of Chaucer
brother  crow,  oh,  brother  crow.  Were  you  there?  Did  you  see  it  go?"  No,  I  don't  know  I Tess
didn't see, what are you troubles to do with me? O sparrow, sparrow, poor little sparrow." Theory of Literature
Tolstoy
The jury of the Sangeet Natak Akademi refused to accept "Silence! The court is in session" Two Uses of
as a play because they were stuffed with colonial hang ups and they considered themselves Language
Structuralism and its
Application to Literary to be consumers in the entertainment market. Maharjas promoting Indian art and culture in Ulysses
Theory their  private  dance,  halls.  Vijay  Tendulkar,  while  refusing  to  conform  to  such  norms  of
Verse Satire 17thC

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11/21/2015 English Literature: Silence! The Court is in Session
complacency, imposes his own authorial power which Vivekananda
is  accepted  by  themoney  magnets  as  a  trivial,  non Wordsworth's Nature
serious activity.

Criticism
Tendulkar's  this  play  is  based  on  the  theme  of
Neo‐Classical power, its sources and manifestation. The characters Absurd Drama
or Augustan fight  for  authority  and  power  and  try  to  trap  each Addison
Age
other  through  a  metaphorical  mock­court.  But Aristotle
peculiarly,  the  power,  play  that  underscores  the Arnold
games operates more through the monologues rather
Ars Poetica
Jacobean than  through  the  dialogues.  The  play  oscillates
Bardsley
Drama between  theatricalization  of  private  life  and
privatization  of  theatrical  performance.  Leela's Barthes
position  within  the  game  of  the  mock­trial  is  not Blake
steady  she  oscillates  between  reality  and  illussion Camus
and  the  imaginative  and  the  mundane.  While Chaucer
Indian English
Literature performing  the  role  of  a  woman  in  the  group,  she Critical Essays
transcends  the  limitations  of  verbal  reasoning  and
Cultural Materialism
tries to spy into the masculine strategies. The charges against Leela Benare are levelled by
Darwin
evidences  of  reality  that  mark  out  the  boundaries  what  might  be  called  the  collective
Death of the Author
mindscape, the limits of same experience. 
Bacon: As an Deconstruction
Essayist
Leela  differs  as  to  the  best  way  to  break  loose  from  this  enslavement  to  collective Deridda
prejudice,  but  she  believes  that  truth  and  reality  are  achieved  only  when  reality  is Edmund Wilson
approached  in  nakedness  of  mind.  Leela's  argument  against  body  and  its  mechanical Eliot
connections and her discourse of emotion saves her from dehumanization. Her statement in Emile
Johnson's the  last  monologue  also  reminds  one  of  Theodre  Rozak's  observation  quoted  by  charles
Preface to Esslin
Shakespeare Frankel,  "Our  proud,  presumptuous  head  speaks  one  language  our  body  another­  a  silent,
Eugene Ionesco
arcane  language.  Our  head  experiences  in  the  mode  of  number,  logic,  mechanical
connection, our body in the process of fluid process intuitive adaptition, it says to an inner Existentialism
purposive rhythm­­" (Frankel:70) Feminist Criticism in
the Wilderness
English Lit Vijay  Tendulkar  again  and  again  mentions  society  and  social  customs  by  his  characters. Foregrounding

Anglo Norman (2) Miss Benare has the charge of infanticide. Mr. Kashikar, the judge enquires Sukhatme, "Did Formalist Approach

Anglo Saxon (7) you notice also, Sukhatme, that this charge is important from the social point of view? The Freud

question  of  infanticide  is  one  of  great  social  significance.  That  is  why  I  deliberately  picked Halliday
Augustan (29)
it. We consider society's best interests in all we do." Miss Benare, the heroime of the play, Historical
Chaucer Age (8)
is a school teacher. She is totally devoted to her profession and her popularity has caused Materialism
Elizabethan (25) the envy of her colleagues at school and even the school management. Initially, when Leela Horace
Modern (41) Benare narrates her life in the school with children, she transforms the empty scenic space Joyce
Movies (2) of the proscenium, stage into a school situation. 
Joyce on Criticism
Post Modern (32)
Language
Present (8) Leela's acting changes the dialogic narration into live performance and with that the empty
space  transforms  into  a  new  mimetic  space.  The  characters  go  back  to  a  changed  context Language of Paradox
Puritan (6)
and  situation.  Leela  becomes  the  teacher  and  other  performers  become  children:  Benare: literary Criticism
Revival (5)
(suddenly expansive) shall I tell you a story? children be seated. There was once a wolf ­­­ Lyrical Ballads
Romantic (14)
" (P9). As the game of transformation begins the other performers voluenteer to participate Marx
UGC‐NET (20) in  the  process.  Balu  Rokde,  the  youngest  of  the  actors,  says,  "Rokde:  (suddenly  sitting Marxism
Victorian (27) down cross legged) Do tell it miss sit down, Mr. Sukhatme. Ponkshe, Sit down." (P­10)
McCarry
Mytth of Sisyphus
Famous Article In  the  court  Miss  Benare's  crimes  of  infanticide  and  illegitimate  motherhood  is  established
New Criticism
by  the  prosecution  as  crimes  against  society.  To  Sukhatme  Kashikar  says  "This  case  has
Xingjian Orientalism
great  social  significance,  Sukhatme,  No  joking!  I  must  put  aside  the  practice  of  court  and
Translation Indian English give  evidence."  (P92)  The  public  prosecutor  Sukhatme  clarifies  that  motherhood  is  sacred Poetics
Drama
and a mother bears the responsibility of bearing her child unmindful of her own difficulties Pope
Theory of Literature
and Miss Benare has brought shame to the holy mothershood by her conduct. Post Feminism
Structuralism: Deridda
Post Structuralism
Structuralism "The  woman  who  is  an  accussed  has  made  a  heinous  blot  on  the  sacred  brow  of
Preface to
Social Construction of Reality motherhood­  which  is  purer  than  heaven  itself.  For  that,  any  punishment,  however  great, Shakespeare
Sartre: Existentialism that  the  law  may  give  her,  will  be  too  mild  by  far.  The  character  of  the  accused  is Psycho Analysis
Room of One's Own appalling. It is bankrupt of morality. Not only that Her conduct has blackened all social and
Psychology and Form
moral  values.  The  accused  is  public  enemy  number  one.  If  such  socially  destructive
Psycho Analysis Rousseau
tendencies  are  encourraged  to  flourish,  this  country  and  its  culture  will  be  totally
Preface Lyrical Ballads Russian Formalism
destroyed." (P­115)
Post Structural Assumptions Sartre
New Criticism Sukhatme  further  clarifies  his  point  "Infanticide  is  a  dreadful  act,  but  buinging  an Showalter
Literature, Censorship and illegetimate child is horrifying. If it is encouraged, there will no such thing as the institution Stage of
the State of  marriage.  Immorality  will  flourish.  Before,  our  eyes,  our  beautiful  dream  of  a  society, Development
Literary Criticism & Theory governed by tradition will crumble into dust." (P­115). It is through his characters that Vijay Surrealism
Literary Criticism Tendulkar  expresses  his  deep  concern  about  motherhood,  morality,  society,  traditions  and Swift
Joyce: Extrinic Approach to our religion. The judge Mr. Kashikar defends social customs while giving judgement on Miss Theory of Criticism
Stuty Benare's  case  "Prisoner  Miss  Benare,  pay  the  closest  attention.  The  crimes  you  have
Theory of Literature
Indian Women Drama committed are most terrible. There is no forgiveness for them, your sin must be expiated.
Touchstone Method
Indian Themes Irresponsibility  must  be  chaimed  down."  (P­118).  The  judge  expresses  his  views  on
motherhood thus. Two Uses of
Indian Epic Language
Home & Exile WJ Long
"Motherhood  must  be  sacred  and  pure.  This  court  takes  a  serious  view  of  your  attempt  to

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11/21/2015 English Literature: Silence! The Court is in Session
Consciousness & Novel dynamite  all  this...  The  morality,  which  you  have  shown  through  your  conduct  is  the Woolfe
Camus: Myth of Sisyphys morality you are planning to impart to the youth of tomorrow." (P­119) Wordsworth
Absurd Drama: Esslin
The judge pronounce his final judgement thus, "Neither you nor anyone else should ever do
Blog Archive
anything  like  this  again.  No  moments  of  your  sin  should  remain  for  future  generations.
Writers Therefore this court hereby sentences that you shall live. But the child in your womb shall ►  2015 (45)
Achebe Addison Adiga Albee Alberuni be  destroyed."  (P­119).  Although  Miss  Leela  Benare  says  that  society  has  no  right  to
►  2014 (77)
Ambedkar Amrita Pritam Anand interfere  with  her  private  right  liberties  but  inspite  of  that  she  can  not  totally  shy  away
Aristotle Arnold Aurobindo from her responsibility. Vijay Tendulkar has developed the central character of Miss Benare ►  2013 (63)
Ghosh Backett Bacon Badiou Bardsley
Barthes Bejnamin Belinda Webb through  the  contents  of  a  beautiful  poem  by  Mrs.  Shirish  Pai.  Miss  Benare  is  very  frank  in ►  2012 (90)
Bellow Blake Braine Brooks Browne giving  a  fitting  reply  to  the  charges  levelled  against  her  in  the  court.  She  tells  the  judge ►  2011 (213)
Browning Buck Burke CA Duffy that life is a very dreadful thing and life must be hanged.
Camus Charlotte Bronte Chaucer ▼  2010 (76)
Coetzee Coleridge Conard Darwin ►  December (23)
"Na  jievan  Jeevanmarhati  'Life  is  no  worthy  of  life.  Hold  an  enquiry  against  life.  Sack  it
Dattani Deridda Derrida Desai
Desani Dickens Doctorow Donne from  its  job,  But  why?  Why?  Was  I  slack  in  my  work?  Ijust  put  my  whole  life  into  working ►  November (1)
Dostoevsky Dryden EB Browning with children." (P­119). ▼  October (6)
Eliot Ellison Emily Bronte Esslin David Mitchell
Eugene Ionesco Ezekiel Farrel
To  conclude  Vijay  Tendulkar  has  presented  the  trial  between  the  humanists  and  the  anti­
humanists in his play "Silence! The court is in session". IB Singer
Faulkner Ferber Fitzgerald Foucault
Freud Frye Fyre Gandhi Ghosh Salman Rushdie
Gilbert Adair Golding Gunjar References signs deal to
Halliday Hardy Hawthorne Hemingway publish memoir
1.  Berne,  Eric:  Games  People  Play  1964  Grove  Press  Inc.  New  york  rpt.  1983.  Sterling
Heyse History Horace Hunt Huxley
Ibsen Indra Sinha Jack London JM Publishers Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi. Silence! The
2. Hutchins on, Peter: Games Authors play 1983. Methuen. Lond on and Newyork. Court is in
Synge Johnson Joyce Jumpa Lahiri Session
Kafka Kalidasa Kamla Das Karnard 3.  Mehta,  Kumud:  "Introduction"  Silence!  The  court  is  in  session.  Vijay  Tendulkar,  1978
Keats Kipling Langston Hughes Larkin Oxford university press, Delhi. Man Booker Prize
Le Clezio Lessing Levine Lucretius 2010
4. Tendulkar, Vijay: Silence! The court is in session 1978 Oxford University Press, Delhi. All
Mahapatra Malory Mandeville
Nobel Prize
subsequent references are marked by page number only
Marlowe Martel Martin Amis Marx Literature
Mary Shelley Maugham McCarry Miller
Milton Morrison Mulk Raj +6   Recommend this on Google ►  September (39)
Anand Nabokov Nahal Naipaul ►  August (3)
Narayan Nietzsche Nikita Lalwani O Labels: Indian, Vijay Tendulkar
Henry Ondaatje Orwell Pater Pinter ►  July (4)
Pope Richardson RL Stevenson
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Despandey Shah camouflagedwhispers May 14, 2013 at 2:30 PM
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Norden Lachungpa June 2, 2013 at 9:46 PM

Search This Blog a simple and humble thank you for your effort,passion to share knowledge,good blog and
god bless.
Search Silence! The Court is
Reply
in Session

Follow by Email Neo‐
Norden Lachungpa June 2, 2013 at 9:46 PM
Email address... Submit a simple and humble thank you for your effort,passion to share knowledge,good blog and
god bless.

Reply Classical or Augustan

Age

Age of
nannam lokesh January 29, 2014 at 10:43 PM

I felt so happy that this much message first i saw and then this summery is good to learn.
Thankyou!so much.

Reply Chaucer

Karaka Das April 20, 2014 at 5:34 PM

thankyou so much.but I want to correct u at one place.it ll b proscenium not

prosceneum(7th para,last line)
Kamala Das:
Reply Confessional Poet

Replies

Deepak Singh April 20, 2014 at 6:05 PM

Thanyou K. Das for spotting the error. KP. Deep'ak, Team Literarism
Jacobean Drama
Reply
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Application to

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