Biosketch
I have an extensive experience in teaching English for the past twenty years at various levels-Junior, College, Diploma and Degree Colleges, I have taught Foundation English, General English, Communication English, Communication Skills and Soft Skills as prescribed in the syllabus of concerned affiliating bodies like Andhra University, University of Madras and Directorate of Technical Education Tamil Nadu from time-to-time. i have an experience of handling English Communication Lab. I gained good familiarity with Anna University Technical English syllabus
Date of Award
21-5-2024
Document Type
Thesis
School
School of Arts, Sciences, Humanities & Education
Programme
Ph.D.-Doctoral of Philosophy
First Advisor
Koperundevi, E
Keywords
Bio-Power, Anatomo-Politics, Disciplinary Power, Jeremy Bentham’s Panoptican, Sovereign Power, Juridical Power, Power Relations
Abstract
The present study, ‘An Exploration of Power Relations in Select Plays of Girish Karnad: A Foucauldian Perspective‘ aims to study power relations among the different characters in the three plays of Girish Karnad viz., Tughlaq, Naga-Mandala and Tale- Danda through Foucault's three modalities of power viz., bio-power, disciplinary power and sovereign power.
Chapter 1, Introduction gives a bird-eye view of Foucauldian concepts of power followed by the three modes of objectification and dividing practices, subjects and power relations, inter-connectedness between power and knowledge, panopticism, bio-power and discourses, the application of Foucauldian theories of the three major powers. Next, a Girish Karnad‘s biographical sketch, followed by reviews of Girish Karnad's plays, Tughlaq, Naga- Mandala, and Tale-Danda, which appeared in various magazines, journals, and newspapers.
Chapter 2, Tughlaq: A Play with the Religio-political Sphere and Bio-power traces the background and origins of the play, contemporary relevance and ambiguity in power relations. The Sultan as a physical entity embodying power, the interconnectedness between politics and history, religion and politics, and history with religion, the mandatory prayer as an exercise of bio-power and bio-political strategy and ―dividing practices‖ in the name of religion, the Kazi‘s bio-power, shifting the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad as a biopolitical technique, parallels between Chess and life, Muslim religious leader's incarceration by the Sultan in the name of bio-political power. The Sultan's political acumen in his right to take life and give life-killing Imam and saving the life of KiAin-ul-Mulk., the power relationship between the Sultan and discontented elements and the abuse of bio-power ix by the Sultan in killing Shihab-ud-Din and stepmother. Finally, the transformation of biopower into monarchical power and gradual degeneration into economic power.
Chapter 3 Naga-Mandala: A Play with A Cobra and Disciplinary Power, speaks about the sources of the play and folktales followed by the playwright's confession in the prologue and its interconnectedness with truth and power relations. Next, Rani‘s marriage, with Appanna becomes an inflection point in power relations followed by Appanna‘s disciplinary control over Rani. Followed by, Kurudavva, a friend of Appanna's mother, who, too, exercises disciplinary power by teaching Rani how to conduct, lead and establish relations of power, surveillance is an exercise of disciplinary power and also how a dog bought by Appanna becomes a mechanical panopticon for exercising disciplinary power. Rani‘s chastity test in front of the village Elders, and Rani becomes a docile body for the exercise of disciplinary power, a correlation between oaths in the political field and docile bodies subjugated to the authorities brings out power relations and Rani‘s deification after the chastity test and Naga‘s power relationship with Rani.
Chapter 4, Tale-Danda: A Play for An Egalitarian Society and Sovereign Power, speaks of the leitmotif of the play-large-scale violence and strategy of power brokers, about Basavanna and his Sharana movement, about the caste hierarchy and relations of power are inseparable from the discourse on truth. The power relationship between King Bijjala and Basavanna and exclusive sovereign rights with power, the characteristic privilege of a sovereign, the right to decide on life and death, the power relationship between Jagadeva and King Bijjala, the three meanings of strategy concerning power relations.
Chapter 5 is an overall summary of Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4 and how power relations are explored in the select plays of Girish Karnad – Tughlaq, Naga- Mandala and Tale-Danda.
Recommended Citation
Netrakanti, Srinivasa Yogananda Rao Mr, "An Exploration of Power Relations in Select Plays of Girish Karnad A Foucauldian Perspective" (2024). Theses and Dissertations. 5.
https://knowledgeconnect.sastra.edu/theses/5