explain how the dichotomy between Indian traditions and culture, and an affinity for Western modernity, is portrayed in "The Boss came to Dinner"
Answers
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Explanation:
The Theatre of India by Sylvain Levi has been pub-
lished in two volumes. The first volume consists
of 282 pages and contains chapters on Treatises on
Dramaturgy, The Dramatic Art, History of Indian
Dramatic Literature, and Dramatic Aesthetics, It
also has a biographical note on Sylvain Levi
by Robert Antoine. Special gratitude is expressed to
Fr. Antoine for preparing the entire MSS. of Vol-
umes 1 and 2 for press publication, and for making
the Comprehensive Index appended to Volume 2.
July 1960
Contents
L THE ORIGINS OF THE DRAMA 9
1. The Legend : Bharata and the Natya-^astra / .9
2. History / 12
A. Vedic Literature 13 ; B. The Epic / 21 \
C. The Grammatical Documents / 25 ; D. Religion
and the Theatre j 28 : E. The Puppets / 36 ;
F. The First Mentions of the Najaka / 31 ;
G. The Technical Terms. The Prakrits / 40 ;
H. Literary Origins of Dramatic Poetry / 47
2. THE GREEK INFLUENCE 53
1. The division in acts j 56 \ 2. Entrance and stage-con-
ventions / 57 ; 3 The curtain / 57 ; 4. The story of the
drama / 59 ; 5. The characters / 66 ; 6. The prologue PO
3. DRAMATIC PRACTICE 74
A. The Hall The Stage The Preliminaries / 77 ;
B. The Troupe. The Actors / 83 ; G. The Direction / 97;
D. Stage Management / 93
4. MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY THEATRE 97
A. Tairas j 97 \ B. The Revival ol the Classical Drama
! 100 \ C. Western Influence / yft? ; D. Theatre in
Aryan India / 104 ; E. Theatre in Dravidian India / 112
5. CONCLUSION 120
NOTES 134
INDEX
APPENDIX
139
I
The Origins of the Drama
J. THE LEGEND : BHARAT A AND THE
NATrA'&ASTRA
In their taste for the marvellous the Indians like to colour
history with legends and fairy tales. Thus the creation of
the drama according to the Ndtya-^asira is part of a heavenly
story. If we have to believe the Indian tradition, the
drama literally fell from hcavem on earth, for it was born
among the gods and it was Brahma himself who composed
the code of the new art, as an appendix to the four Vedas
created by him. Bharata received the heavenly revelation
which he transmitted to the mortals.
The legend of the origin of the fifth Veda^ runs as
follows : One day, as the pious Bharata had finished his
prayers at the hour when the sacred readings are suspended,
the sages led by the Atreyas came to visit the Muni who
was surrounded by his sons. These noble personages who
had gained perfect control over body and mind asked the
saintly master of all rhythms : ‘^How did the JVdtyaveda
which the Lord has proclaimed equal to the four Vedas
come into existence ? Who composed it ? How many
parts does it have ? What is its scope and its application ?
May it please Your Holiness to enlighten us.”
Thus solicited, the Muni began to speak : “If your
heart is pure and your mind attentive, listen to the origin
of the NiiXyaveda composed by Brahma himself. After the
Golden Age (Krtyayuga) and the period of Manu Svyam-
bhuva came the Silver Age (Tretdyuga) and the period of