Characteristic of Western and Kannada Absurd Dramas

Abstract

In the literary heritage of modern Kannada theatre, innovative methods of writing such as stories, poetry, novels, etc., which are limited only to plays, should be taken into consideration. After the 19th century, modern Kannada theatre under the influence of Western theatre took a path of innovation and expanded its range of features. Along with the Kannada Renaissance literature, the modern Kannada dramas that came to light are mostly imitations of Western and Indian Sanskrit dramas. Apart from that, important Western plays like Samuel Beckett, Eugène Ionesco, Jean Genet, Arthur Adamov, Harold Pinter, Sart, Albert Camus, Brecht, are found to have built upon modern dramas on a satvika basis. Following this Kannada Absurd dramatists can be divided into two groups. The material portrays incongruous things through a coherent technique using coherent language. Playwrights like Kirtinath Kurta Koti, G.B. Joshi, Girish Karnad can be identified. The second group includes Chandrasekhar Patil, P. Lankesh, Chandrasekhar Kambar can be named. Kalyan Karnataka dramatist Chandrakant Kusunur is popular among Absurd dramatists. He wrote the most plays among the Absurd plays. We did not see any western influence in many of his plays. He has written Ani Bantani, Dindi, Mane, Rekke, Vidushaka. Ratto Ratto Rayana Magale etc. play an important role in the development of Kannada anomaly. Western Kannada Absurd plays can thus be observed in a geographically adequate traditional setting. This article attempts to analyse the different types of dramas, and dramatists, who contributed to the field of Absurd dramas in Kannada theatre due to the influence of western Absurd dramas in Kannada drama literary tradition.