By finishing the reading for Shakuntala, I realized that the play had a wheel which brought things back to their original state. Unlike the other epics that we have read, i.e. Madea and Gilgamesh, the characters do not learn a lesson of any sort, and instead just face challenges in the way to restoring them to their original positions in life. For Shakuntala, it was her return to her social status, Kshatriya, and for the King Dushyanta, it was the return of his love for Shakuntala.
Unlike the other epics, this play also didn’t have a moral to it. It is clear that this was written for the purpose of entertainment, opposed to the educational motives of the Ancient European plays of Madea and Gilgamesh, where young men were even sat towards the front of the theater, so as to learn better and more easily.
I, too, like most readers did not feel much morally aware after reading this, unlike the mini- enlightenment that I experienced after Madea and Gilgamesh. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it for its poems, songs, and metaphors that stand incomparable in their beauty and phrasing.
I agree with your contrasts between Shakuntala and the other plays that we read this year. I also think that Shakuntala is more of an entertaining piece rather than one that appeals to the audiences and teaches a lesson. Shakuntala is one of the pieces that don’t really have a moral and teaches the audience more of Indian culture than anything. Shakuntala addresses the multiple lifestyles that existed in India and the values that people held during the time. This piece shows contrast between the religious and political lifestyles that existed in India in a playful way. But overall, Shakuntala is more of a leisure read when compared to pieces of actual substance.
I think that you are basically right on with your observation with Shakuntala. I especially like this wheel concept that bring everything back. I can see a similarity with cartoons; in the end no matter what happens, everything resets to as it should be. I think this is supposed to be more of a romantic comedy, much like what we discussed in class. I do think your sentiment about it being an interesting introduction to the culture and poetry of this civilization. Not everything has to be teaching a moral value or way to live your life. Shakuntala is just a cultural tour guide to us readers who are looking into another culture and time
I agree with your concept of the Wheel of Return. I imagine this idea in a movie, where a person has the ability to go through the challenge and reset to his starting point. Sakuntala’s role to readers is her ability to show the cultural values in India as well as entertain them. Not all the characters in literary stories need to learn a lesson in order to show a moral. Her performance demonstrates Indian ways of life as a comedy. She shows people that culture can be learned by this other idea.
I completely agree with your idea of the differences between Shakuntala and the other texts that we read previous to it. The stories we read before definately had a purpose for reading that when you get to the end there is something you can take from it and learn if you think deep into what really went on. In Shakuntala it seemed as if it were just for entertainment of the people but at the same time I believe that it explained a little bit about her culture. I don’t believe this was on purpose when it was being written but I believe that through the writing there are certain things you can learn about this time and the values they had in india. I also think seeing the performance of this text helped to explain the text a little more and put it into context for me. The culture was also portrayed by the actors.