Beyond Romance

Analyzing Feminine and Masculine as Mutually Exclusive Ways Towards Empowerment in Abhijnanasakuntalam

Abstract

Present paper undertakes the textual analysis of Kalidasa’s play Abhijnanasakuntalam, translated in English by Chandra Rajan. To come up with new insights, the paper critically looks at the feminine and masculine virtues represented by the central characters to carefully analyze their interplay and imprinting on mutual relationship as well as the narrative structure. The paper concludes that both the characters exhibit masculine and feminine as different ways of behavior that embark their own individual trajectories towards complete realization. As long as these virtues are less developed, there are conflicts among the characters resulting from mutual dependency. At the point of maturation however, these virtues enable the characters to co-exist in harmony. The paper thereby concludes with the new insights into the reading of the most celebrated text.