Three Plays by Rabindranath Tagore: Translated, and With an Introduction (Drama, Bengali, India)
The first part of this dissertation provides a general introduction to the plays of Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941), the Indian author who became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, in 1913. The preliminary section delineates the main reasons behind the neglect and misunderstanding that have characterized criticism of Tagore's dramatic output, both in India and in other countries. In an attempt to offer a more objective and sympathetic approach to Tagore's plays, the next two sections trace respectively the development of Tagore's dramatic craft (preceded by a brief historical account of earlier Bengali drama), and the evolution of his work in the theatre, covering not only his own directorial and histrionic efforts, but also productions of his plays on the Bengali professional stage and major revivals in Bengali group theatres of the modern period. The typical themes and issues that concerned Tagore form the subject of the fourth section, with special reference to the three plays translated in this volume. An analysis follows of the progressively negative critical reaction in England and America to Tagore's plays, drawing on book reviews, theatre reviews, articles and book-length publications from 1913 onwards. The next section explores the problems and deficiencies apparent in previous English translations, especially those by Tagore himself; his translation titled Red Oleanders is selected for detailed examination as a representative of his flawed methods. The final section of the introduction describes the methodology of translation employed by the present author.
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