Youth Festival 2024

 This blog is specifically delt with the questions assigned by pro. Dr Dilip Barad sir to analyze the drama performances we watched at the Youth Festival, applying various dramatic theories and categories.

Here  is the questions asked to ponder! 

 1) Can you apply dramatic literary theories propounded by Aristotle (Tragedy), Ben Jonson (Comedy of Humours), Dryden (Play), Martin Esslin (Absurd theatre), Irving Wardle (Comedy of Menace) on the dramatic events presented in the Youth Festival?

2) Can you categories One Act Play or other dramatic events as sentimental / anti-sentimental comedy, comedy of manners, classical tragedy,modern tragicomedy or bollywoodish theatre performance?

Applying Dramatic Theories to Youth Festival Plays

1. Aristotle’s Tragedy:

Aristotle believed that a tragedy should make us feel deeply for the main character, often someone with a big flaw or unlucky fate. In the play Karna, we see Karna’s life filled with suffering due to fate and rejection, and this makes us feel sorry for him. Aristotle would call this a perfect tragedy since Karna’s journey really pulls at our emotions.

2. Ben Jonson’s Comedy of Humours:

Ben Jonson loved to make us laugh with characters who have over-the-top personalities. Think of a character who’s so greedy or lazy it’s funny. In the Skit at the festival, which tackled corruption, characters like corrupt officials were exaggerated to make us laugh while also showing the ridiculousness of these traits. Jonson’s style fits perfectly here – humor with a hint of criticism about society.

3. Dryden’s Theory of Play:

Dryden thought plays should feel like real life, mixing different emotions. In Karna, for instance, we get the intense tragedy of Karna’s life but also moments where he thinks deeply about his fate. This combination of strong feelings and thoughtful moments is what Dryden believed made a play relatable and realistic.

4. Martin Esslin’s Absurd Theatre:

Esslin’s Absurd Theatre focuses on how life can seem chaotic or meaningless. While no play at the festival was fully absurd, Aykhani Chopat had touches of this feeling. The story of betrayal and fate shows a world where events feel out of control and senseless, giving us that strange, “absurd” feeling Esslin described.

5. Irving Wardle’s Comedy of Menace:

Comedy of Menace mixes laughs with a feeling that something bad is lurking. In Aykhani Chopat, there’s murder and betrayal, but some moments make us laugh or feel uneasy at the same time. This balance of humor and danger is exactly what Wardle meant by “Comedy of Menace”—keeping us entertained and on edge.

Categorizing the Plays

1. Classical Tragedy:

Karna is a classic tragedy. It focuses on fate, sadness, and a tragic hero who has to endure a lot. Karna’s journey is heartbreaking, fitting the idea of an old-school tragedy where the hero’s life is full of sorrow.

2. Sentimental Drama:

Jamni and Sukh-Dukh na Sathi are great examples of sentimental drama, which makes us feel a lot of compassion for the characters. These plays show us stories about family, love, and life’s highs and lows, pulling on our heartstrings.

3. Modern Tragicomedy:

Aykhani Chopat is like a modern tragicomedy—it has serious themes like betrayal and murder but also some darkly funny moments. This mix of drama and humor is what makes it a modern tragicomedy, giving us a taste of both emotions in one play.

4. Comedy of Manners:

The Skit fits the Comedy of Manners style, where humor is used to make fun of society’s flaws. By highlighting issues like corruption, the skit gets us laughing but also thinking about the problems in society, which is exactly what comedies of manners aim to do.

These dramatic theories and categories help us see the unique styles and feelings that each play brings to the Youth Festival. They make the performances feel more meaningful and show us just how much creativity and thought went into each story.