Sleeping with Evil

A study of violence in selected plays of Vijay Tendulkar

Abstract

Changes as dramatic and spectacular takes a heavy toll in any society and one as Indian, many feel uprooted, deracinated and buffeted by forces that strike like natural calamities, without scope for appeal or remedial action. The new world, then appear to the displaced as one running on principles and conventions which are not at all conjunctive with the old moral order, and having familiar gods. Such an experience results in unfocused anger, anomie and anxiety – these then get ingrained as an integral part of the self. This blend then becomes deadly – wide-ranging violence, unpredictable and unprovoked, is its natural outcome. If we try to trace the factors responsible for such behaviour of human beings, three factors come into forefront:  a) Innate, b) Socialisation and c) Situational factor.  Innate factors are those of the inner and defective aspects of an individual makeup. The socialisation factor involves the social environment influencing ones biological as well as mental growth towards violence. Behaviour of parents, peers, friends and family members all act as context in socialisation and influences future behaviour. The situational factor acts as a catalyst over and above the innate and socialisation factors, propelling one individual towards acts of violence. This paper has been based on the hypothesis that Vijay Tendulkar has challenged Indian social life and hierarchy. He explores the invisible and unrepresented issues related to multi-dimensional politics of violence in his plays and by placing them on the stage for public discussion. He exposes the hypocrisy in the traditional Indian society. His plays are disturbing in the sense that he ventures in those subjects, which are taboo-oriented in Indian Society, as themes in his plays, as his basic urge has always been to express his concern vis-à-vis his perception of reality: the human condition he perceived. Tendulkar was trying to connect people with something more primal, honest and true within themselves that had been lost for most of the people. This research paper will make a critical study of the dynamics of violence reflected in the stage plays of Vijay Tendulkar translated into English. The study plan of this project includes all these three aspect which seems to be there in Vijay Tendulkar’s plays. The researcher had taken up the first part, namely “Breakfast with Evil” to give an overview of the aspects of evil which is dealt upon by Tendulkar in his plays. The second one “Sleeping with Evil”: A study of violence in selected plays of Vijay Tendulkar is being taken up in this second spell.