The Fire & The Rain

G I R I S H K A R N A D
The Fire and

the Rain
Question
Critically examine how Girish Karnad’s
play is structured in terms of a
dialectic between desire and denial.
I ABOUT THE AUTHOR
II DIVINE DENIAL
content III
YAVAKRI KNOWLEDGE VS TRUE
WISDOM
ROMANTIC DESIRE &
IV COUNTERPART DENIEL
GAUDY AND
V GORGEOUS OFFERINGS
VI THE AUTHOR VS THE

SOCIETY
VII CONCLUSION
About the
I Author
About the Author
Girish Karnad, a versatile playwright, actor
and director, is an outstanding dramatist in
contemporary Indian English Drama.
He was a prolific writer who has been

influenced by the trends in Kannada
literature.
He based the plots Karnad’s play are remarkable for their
of his famous plays stageability. He developed a dramatic
Tughlaq, Yayati, technique which changes according to the
The fire and the requirements of his plots.
rain, Bali, The His plots are brief and suspenseful. His
sacrifice and The characters ar vivid and well created. Karnad’s
Dreams of Tipu English is clear and sinple; his dialogues are
Sultan etc on precise, straightforward and to the point. He
has successfully moulded English to express
legend, history Indian issues.
myth and Folklore.
The Divinity:
II
Desire & Denial
Divine denial is a recurring motif that
underscores the complexities of human desires,
the consequences of divine actions, and the
interplay between the mortal and divine realms.
It highlights the characters' struggles in dealing
with divine forces that can either obstruct or aid
their aspirations, ultimately contributing to the
play's thematic depth and narrative tension.
The interpretation of thematic divine denial also

comes down to the game of destiny. Though
there is constant desire and denial but destiny
plays an important role in it.
Yavakri Knowledge
III vs True Wisdom
Yavakri had the desire to achieve the
knowledge of Vedas directly from the Gods but
was in denial that his 10 years of penance and
sacrifice would lead him to his desire which
was not possible as told by Indra that to
acquire actual knowledge he had to go through
the study under a guru and have experience to
obtain full knowledge
Romantic desire &
IV Counterpart deniel
Aravasu
Role: Religious authority and priest
Denial: Strict adherence to tradition and rituals
Desire: Suppression of personal desires for
religious duty
Nittilai
Role: Passionate and sensual
Desire: Pursuit of personal desires
Conflict: Clashes with societal norms and
religious rules
Vishakha
Role: Dancer and intermediary
Struggle: Balancing personal desires and societal expectations
Complexity: Navigates attraction, duty, and social context
Gaudy and
V gorgeous offerings
The land is gripped by a severe drought,
causing it to lose fertility and leading to
widespread hunger, suffering, and death
from starvation. Many people are forced
to flee the famine-stricken area.
Throughout the play, there are mentions
of the devastating consequences of
famine, with dwindling populations and
desperate villagers.
VI The Author vs
The Society
Karnad's plays were known for their social and
political commentary. He addressed issues like caste,
gender, religion, and power dynamics in Indian
society, raising important questions through his
work.
TALE-DANDA
V Conclusion
“The Fire and the Rain”
The title of the play brings together two physical elements
which are normally considered as antithetical.
The 'Fire' becomes the symbol of 'lust, anger, vengeance,
envy, treachery, violence and death' ; whereas the 'Rain'
stands for 'self sacrice, compassion, divine grace,
forgiveness, revival and life'.
“Theme of the Play”
Karnad uses the story of Yavakri and Indra-Vritra
in his drama The Fire and the Rain to explore the
exploitative priestly class, human impulses, and
negative traits. The Prologue and Epilogue are the
story's points of departure between the play's
three acts. The main themes include human nature's
weakness, misleading information, and retribution.
“CONCLUSION”
In Girish Karnad's plays, the dialectic between desire and
denial is a recurring theme that reflects the complexities of
human existence and societal norms. Karnad's characters
often grapple with their desires in the face of formidable
denial, and their journeys serve as a mirror to the audience's
own struggles with the same dialectic in their lives. His plays
invite critical examination of the human condition, the
consequences of desire, and the forces that deny fulfilment.
I ISHIKA KUNDRA
“meet the team” II KAMINI SINGH
III NITIN KUMAR
IV NIHAL RABHA
V ARYAN P
KUSHWAHA
thank
you

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G I R I S H K A R N A D

The Fire and

VI THE AUTHOR VS THE

He was a prolific writer who has been

The interpretation of thematic divine denial also

“meet the team” II KAMINI SINGH

III NITIN KUMAR

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