Online Thinking Activity on the Waiting For Godot by Samuel Beckett

My views on this worksheet : Waiting for Godot

Click here to view the worksheet 

                                   Waiting For Godot

                                

·    What connection do you see in the setting (“A country road. A tree.Evening.”) of the play and these paintings?

Ans. Beckett has intetionally used this setting after viewing the painting in gallary. The title of the painting is 'Longing' but Beckett uses 'Waiting' here because he want to say waiting means Longing for Godot. The Tree is symbolically used here like cross where Christ crucified , they are waiting second coming of christ. 

·  In both Acts, evening falls into night and moon rises. How would you like to interpret this ‘coming of night and moon’ when actually they are waiting for Godot?

Ans. In both the acts, evening falls into night and moon rises which can be interepret in a way that nature never wait for anything or time is not stop or wait for anything. It continues but human condition is to wait for Godot in a play and no any changes happen.

·       The director feels the setting with some debris. Can you read any meaning in the contours of debris in the setting of the play?

Ans. Yes, we can take deep meaning of the debris that is because of the  destruction happen after the WWII.

·       The play begins with the dialogue “Nothing to be done”. How does the theme of ‘nothingness’ recurs in the play?

Ans. 'Nothingness' or ' Meaninglessness' is the main theme of the Absurd Theatres. In Waiting for Godot, this theme works very well that characters wait and wait , doing nothing. We are doing so many works in our life but all are meaningless in life. We also sometimes feel that we do the things though it seems nothing happens. Same way in the play the more changes happen, more remain same.

·       How are the props like hat and boots used in the play? What is the symbolical significance of these props?

Ans. Hat and Boots are symbolically used in this play. Vladimir plays with Hat which seems that he is thinking somethind and Estragon plays with boots which suggests ignorense. 

·       “The subject of the play is not Godot but ‘Waiting’” (Esslin, A Search for the Self). Do you agree? How can you justify your answer?

Ans. I agree with this point that the main theme of the play is not Godot but  'Waiting' because in life we are one or other way wait for something like most people wait for Moksh, success. Waiting is worst punishment that we can't bear and be angry , so we try to divert our mind in other things which we do in our whole life.

· Vladimir and Estragon talks about ‘hanging’ themselves and commit suicide, but they do not do so. How do you read this idea of suicide in Existentialism?

Ans. In life, many time we put into the situations where we fed up of sufferings and struggles of life at that time we think of suicide but we don't do that in real life. We go on living a life because somehow we fear that what  happen with othes. So , perhaps the Beckett wants satarise this types of people by the character of Estragon and Vladimir who think of suicide but don't do that.

·       Do you think that the obedience of Lucky is extremely irritating and nauseatic? Even when the master Pozzo is blind, he obediently hands the whip in his hand. Do you think that such a capacity of  slavishness is unbelievable?

                                                                    

Ans. Yes, Lucky's obidience is extremely irritating and nauseatic. Some people are so obidient to their master that even they can't grap or see the chance  to free from that slavery but they are become so obidient to their masters. In socirty,  we find many people or Bhaktas who are too submissive to their masters even if their gurus or political gone blind. They don't questions anyone  and they became victim of slave morality.

Thank you.

Representation on LGBT in Parallel Cinema

Representation of LGBT in parralel Cinema from komal shahedadpuri

Existentialism

As part of Flipped Learning on the concept of Existential Philosophy, here is my views with reference of all ten videos and Articles on it.

Click here  to see  Flipped Learning 

                     

What is Existentialism ?

          Existentialism is a  philosophical approach which  emphasizes on the existence of an individual person as a free and responsible agent determining their own development through the acts of will. Thinking is more important to know existential philosophy that if you think that what is your purpose of living a life then you can understand the Absurdity of life. It is reaction against Rationalism, Empiricism and Positivism. It originated with Soren Kierkegaard and Nietzsche , both are known as founding Fathers of this philosophy. Kierkegaard saws rationality as mechanism that humans used to counter their existential anxiety (fear of being in this world) and also stressed that individuals must choose their own way without any universal force and Nietzsche gave statement that 'God is Dead' as he challenges the foundations of  Christianity which leads to Atheism. His original notions of the 'Will to Power' as mankind's motivating principal that is his concept of Ubermensch (Superhuman) as a goal of humanity that man has superpower to do whatever they want. There are many philosopher who have contributed in this like Heidegger , Albert Camus, Simone De Beauvoir and Jean Paul Sartre.

Answer 1

અસ્તિત્વવાદ માણસને એક વ્યક્તિ રૂપે જુએ છે. પતિ-પત્ની બે હોય. પણ હકીકતમાં તો પતિ, એક મનુષ્યવ્યક્તિ. તેમ, પત્ની પણ, એક મનુષ્યવ્યક્તિ. (Suman Shah)

    1) It talks about Individualism not for togetherness that 'I have my own world', 'I born Free to do whatever want to do, no one can stop us'. It based on triangle of Individualism, Passions and Freedom that do on your own don't wait for God for any help because you are your own creator and for that you should have passion to achieve something along with hard work and if you believe that God will come to help you, it is like your Philosophical Suicide. So, don't being Sheeples expand your individual thinking and create your own different world and for that individual passions and emotions are require. 

વિશ્વ વિશ્વ છે. પણ વ્યક્તિમાત્રને થાય છે --હું હું છું. હું ભલે દુનિયામાં છું, પણ મારી પોતાની એક દુનિયા છે. (Suman Shah)

     

   2) According to Albert Camus, when an individual's longing  for order that clash with real world's lack of order that is the result of Absurdity. The meaning of life is not provided by any natural force but created by human actions and interpretations. He gave essay ' Myth of Sisyphus' in which he more focus on the matter of Suicide as serious philosophical suicide , he said that "An elegant suicide is the ultimate work of Art" when we start to think that life is meaningless , we drown towards suicide. video-2

3) Through 'Myth of Sisyphus' , he talked about feelings of Absurd. The reasons behind suicide are A total absence of hope, A continual Rejection and Conscious dissatisfaction  from life but  here he said that reason is useless, there is nothing beyond reason. To Leap from life is easy. Video-3

 4) Generally, this philosophy came into existence as response to World War II because after that people started to search the meaning of life and they find that everything is Absurd in life. In Video 4, three main concept are discussed that are Dadaism, Nihilism and Existentialism, Dadaism was response to World War I as it rose up in 1916, it is against the war. It's Art movement as the Creation is primary goal of it and it leads us to questions the values like Art work of 'Fountain' by Marcel Duchamp. All these concept are different from each other.

5) After World War II, despair , anxiety and absurdity is there , Existentialism came to cure people from these feelings. 

6)Existentialism and Nihilism are different , both take same road but at some point take different path.

7) "Human ! All too Human" Divine perspective V/s Human Perspective. Sartre said  'Existence precedes your Essence', man is fully responsible for his nature and choices. 

8) Ubermensch,  we can make our own rules, don't follow the silly rules of your parents.

9) Learning is a gift, even when pain is your teacher, to experience sufferings of life. Life asking us to experience and enjoy the sufferings of life because it integral part of life.

10) Clash between what we do, it give meaning to life and don;t give any meaning to life.  The Search for answers in Answer-less world. You have to give for what you take.

 Answer 2 

       I like Video 9 because the understanding of this philosophy is given in a very practical way by applying to life as How it affects by experience of everyday life. It affects as we think about things. Mostly I like is the  10 things / tips given that how to live life more existentially. How  it affects mind and heart.

 In short, Existentialism is Freedom of Choice to believe or not to believe. 

“ચૉઇસ”-ના એ ચાર સવાલ પાસેથી મારા સ્વાતન્ત્ર્યનું સ્વરૂપ “જવાબદારી” બની જાય છે –“રીસ્પૉન્સિબિલિટી”. સમજાવા લાગે છે કે“સ્વાતન્ત્ર્ય” અને “જવાબદારી” એક જ સિક્કાની બે બાજુઓ છે. સ્વતન્ત્ર રહીને પણ જવાબદાર રહેવાય. જવાબદાર રહેવાથી પણ સ્વતન્ત્ર રહેવાય... (ક્રમશ:)(Suman Shah)

 "I have grown old without being bored, Existence is still a strange thing to me , and as a stranger I give it Welcome." (G.K Chesterton)

Online Discussion On Atheism and Morality

           
     In this  article , Atheism with morality is  very  well  represented  as we see in Indian  Society  that  major  problems created by  Theists  that  who  are  blind followers of Religion  and  particular God. Because of  that  many  issues  often  take place in our  society, only  because  Morality  is measured  on the  basis  of  religion. People  or  writers  who  don't  believe  in any  particular  religion and  God ,they are  highly  criticised  by  society  and  forced  to  believe  or follow  any  religion  as many  writers  who  try to  show  the  reality of  world, they are  banish from the  country like  Salmon Rusdie ,only  because  people  can't  understand their  own  individual  moral  codes to  remove  the  evils of  religion  and they  throw  the  light  on the  darkness  created  by  false  religious  institutions. According  to American Atheism, Atheism is not  belief  system, nor is it  a religion, it's  about the  person 's own  individual  morals about  good  or  bad which  is  experienced  very well by them. Like  in "The  God Virus " by Darrel  W Ray, he talks  that  how  religion  infects lives  and  culture of  human beings. Darwin the  dog tell us  to " be nice to people, just  because it's  right to do ".The morals of Humanity  is better   than  morals  of  religion. True moralist  doesn't  expect  anything  from  religion and God. 

Thank you.

Online Discussion on seriel 'Paheredaar Piya Ki'

          'Pahredaar Piya Ki' is now days subject of discussion or controversy because it deals with  the theme like 19 years girl married to 9 years boy. So, many people opine that it create wrong images in mind of children and misleading them where some believe that it is progressive one as many people commented under videos which linked here that if there is 19 years old boy married to 9 young girl , no one have any objection as Lord Krishna did but while girl do, it's wrong. So, there are both Prose and Cones of this serial and many see it better than Sas- bahu serial that it doing

something our of the box and entertain us. But Smriti Irani goes against and want ban this. This tradition of banned things at some point repressed creativity.

Discussion on Rakhi Day and Shitala Satam

On Eve of Rakhi Day and Shitala Satam, we discussed about it that how age old rights and rituals are still present in our culture in one or other way with reference of an Article by Neha Shah on 'Necessity to expand the meaning of Rakhi Day'.

Here is my views on this topic. 

As Literature students, We know how the age old myths are still present and people strictly follow it even after so many years. As Neha Shah has put very suitable arguments on the meaning of Rakhi Day, I have also experience that all as I have brother younger than me , how he protects? I am elder than him and I protects him and fulfill his wish because somehow I economically independent but still my mother perpetuates the man's ego that when he grown up he will protect me and fulfill my wishes. So, how the traditional mindset is still works, it should be as per situation of time, in old days women were not economically independent , so they have to depend on man but now situation has changed, through that the meaning of Rakhi Day should be change that it is symbol of love, it can be between two brothers and sisters also. For example, Shakti Mohan, she is successful dancer and judge in reality show Dance+3 , she has not any brother but has three sisters in which one is singer, other is Actress and third one has no any talent but she was backbone of all three sisters. So , they celebrate Rakhi Day with each other. So, the way of looking towards Rakhi Day should be change otherwise if responsibility to protect sisters can be given to brothers, the right to control the freedom of sisters automatically come with it.

     Secondly, Today on eve of Shitala Satam, there many rituals and myth of it. Myth is told in such way that gives fear to people that if they don't follow such rituals, Goddess punish them. Some people force other to follow it, if they want or not. By doing such rituals like in morning three old woman come and from seven home, water infused on them because such people believed that they are figure of Goddess Shitala, people remember Shitala Goddess while we should remember Edward Jener who gave solution and saved children from pox disease but when we suffered from that disease , people say it's blessings for you. So, the mind of people conditioning in such way that they don't remember scientist Edward Jener.

Review of Play Yugpurush: Mahatma Na Mahatma

'Yugpurush' Mahatma Na Mahatma

You can read other reviews here                                                                                                                              4 August, 2017

 

            We got an opportunity to see this play live. This is a 2016 Gujarati play based on the relationship between Jain philosopher Shrimad Rajchandra and Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi. The play depicts the spiritual journey of Gandhi. It is written by Uttam Gada and directed by Rajesh Joshi.(wikipedia)
                                           
        If we see it as per theoratrical  view , it is great piece of art as there was very good arrangement of setting for different situations and scenes and it change very smoothly without ant disturbunce. But as themetically we see it grows from Inspiration to Vyakti pooja as Godly figure. It is good that we inspire deeply from someone and follow his path to live better life  but when it turn into worshiping, it's not good for society. Sprituality turns into Religion. 

    It shows the strong relation between two person. Rajchandra was shown here as a multitasker   who can do many things together , there is test of him taken by people , is shown on stage. So, to see drama  live it's very aesthetic experience for audience than screen. Whole paly is only praising the 

Rajchandra but there is also fault or weakness in every man even in great man also. So, there is no real presentation of personality, it's only one side of coin is shown here.

                      

Review of Play 'DigDarshak'

Hindi One Act Play'DigDarshak'

                                                                                                                             08, August, 2017

                 

         Today ,we have screening of Hindi play  ‘Digdarshak’ , written by Priyam Jani and directed by Rishit Jhaveri  in Department of English MKBU, organised by Film Screening Committee. Generally story is about a theatre director who reunites with one of his student who become Bollywood   Superstar but Director disappointed that his student leave him and theatre too.  Director is very serious and conscious about theatre as he gave his whole life to it  than his family. So, here  he can’t balance his family along with his work ,which is very important skill that how you maintain your work and all family relations together. Here the  work is first priority than family. Here the  main and interesting topic is   Cinema  v/s  Theatre. When we are talking  about Cinema is all about your facial expression and gestures , sound of the dialogues is not high because  camera captures all things. Cinema is not cup of tea of any single person to make movie, it need many people like director, actor, cameraman, costume ,designer, scriptwriter and many more , so it became democratic  while  Theatre is controlled by single person that is director or trainer of drama, so it became autocratic. Trainer may be angry, rude or have no passions where as teacher passion should be there.

     Asva Play is in flashback technique or we can say that art within art, it’s like the Play within Play of Hamlet where Hamlet have talk with actors and play a role in that, name of the play was “The Murder of Gonzago”. Digdarshak is like a Kunstlerroman  means work of art who portrays the growth to maturity of an Artist, so here it can be apply as it shows the growth of an theatre Artist. Every new generation is smarter than old one , so here student became Bollywood star and his trainer don’t happy with that but slowly he accept his student’s success. 

     There is also one play named “Six  Characters in Search of an Author” by Luigi Pirandello , is an Italian play and performed in 1921. It is  an absurdist metatheatrical play about the relationship among authors, their characters  and theatre practitioners which somehow have similar plot to ‘Digdarshak’. Here, we have also familiar with the director and writer’s intention to make play like this which is very difficult to know in literature .

     I have no much knowlegde about theater but as literature student and after the valuable discussion on this play among teachers and students , I have written this blog as my views on this play. So, overall this is very productive and fruitful  session on play for literature students and Art lovers.

      

Online Task on 'To The Lighthouse' by Virginia Woolf

Here is my interpretations on the given questions.
                                           
                                                


2)  Do you agree: "The novel is both the tribute and critique of Mrs. Ramsay"? (Key: Take some clues from the painting of Mrs Ramsay drawn by Lily Briscoe and the article by Andre Viola and Glenn Pedersen. Can we read Mrs. R in context of the idea of Ideal Indian Woman - Karyeshu dasi, Karaneshu manthri; Bhojeshu mata, Shayaneshu rambha; Kshamayeshu dharithri, Roopeshu lakshmi; Satkarma yukta, Kuladharma pathni. )

Ans, Yes, I am agree with this idea that 'The Novel is the both the tribute and the critique to Mrs, Ramsay'. When we read article by Andre Viola, Lily Briscoe is at the center and Mrs, Ramsay became critique as one of her daughters died during childbirth because she walks on Mrs Ramsay's path and others are don't want to sacrifice more like there is "manliness in girlish heart", in that way it's like critique on her. on the other hand if we see that she maintains all human relations and even after her death, she will remembered by other characters as Mrs, Ramsay has traditional womanhood to serve men which presents Ideal Indian  women who always care for others ,so she good at men's view (Mr, Ramsay and James) it's like tribute to her but from women's side she is not good as her daughters are not satisfied with her behavior. Till the end of the novel, we can't get clear idea that in which way Mrs, Ramsay's character is described. Virginia Woolf  puts character of Mrs,Ramsay in such a way that we can interpret it in both  way , we are free to do it and novel has not one meaning but multiple meanings as literature is not for one interpretation but open for many.

3) Considering symbolically, does the Lighthouse stand for Mrs. Ramsay or the narrator (Virginia Woolf herself who is categorically represented by Lily)? 

Ans,  Lighthouse is at the center of the novel, it symbolises the spiritual strength and emotional support which is provided by Mrs, Ramsay to other characters of the novel in that sense , 'Lighthouse' stands for Mrs, Ramsay. But when we look from other side , Mrs, Ramsay became wall rather than bridge between her husband and children as Poojaba Jadeja said earlier. It stands for Lily Briscoe or Virginia Woolf herself as 'Lighthouse' stands alone in ocean which says that Virginia Lily Briscoe chalande the point that 'women can't speak and can't paint'. As as the end the wall fell down between Mrs,Ramsay, James and Cam.

5) What do you understand by the German term 'Künstlerroman'? How can you justify that 'To The Lighthouse' is 'Künstlerroman' novel? 

Ans, This novel is can be 'Kunstlerroman' novel. 'Bildungsroman' is other word which shows the spiritual,psychological  or social growth of protagonist while 'Kunstlerroman' means the growth of an Artist. In this novel, there is two Artists  Lily Briscoe is a painter  and  Augustus Carmichael is a poet who are in beginning can't paint or write poetry but as novel grows, Carmichael (poet) found his place and his poems famous during war time. and Lily Briscoe is able to complete her painting till the end.

10) Why did Virginia give such prominence to the tale of the “Fisherman’s Wife”? In particular, why did she weave such a misogynist tale into the fabric of a book which so eloquently challenges received patriarchal notions about the roles and capabilities of women? 

Ans,  Virginia Woolf  used the tale of ' Fisherman's Wife'  but in ironic way and subverted  it in this novel. In real tale, women is became cause of downfall as she tells her husband to ask more from fish which here it subverted that Mr, Ramsay is in power that without his permission.Mrs, Ramsay can't  renovate her house and help needy person. So, here this tale shows the Patriarchy rules as on way to lighthouse , boy cuts fish and throw its pieces in water while in real tale Fisherman is kind and give life to fish. 

11) How is India represented in 'To The Lighthouse'? 

Ans,  India is represented in novel as 'Ruled India' means still India ruled by Patriarchy as our all myths or folklore are male centered like Ram, Krishna etc.. which is also shown in novel that Mr, Ramsay has power than Mrs, Ramsay.

Augustus Carmichael's visits to India is considered as an Achievement because during that time India is shown in positive way as outsiders attracted towards India's culture and heritage. India also referred as the land of Desire to visit and exotic land. So, here we can say that Virginia Woolf  has given the positive representation of India while today the India is known as country of poverty, dirtiness and illiteration.