A Critical Analysis of Girish Karnad’s Naga-Mandala: Play with a Cobra Girish Karnad (1938–2019) was a renowned Indian playwright, actor, director, and public intellectual who wrote primarily in Kannada and English. Known for blending folklore, mythology, and contemporary themes, his plays such as Tughlaq , Hayavadana , and Nagamandala challenged social norms and redefined modern Indian theatre. Girish Karnad’s Naga-Mandala: Play with a Cobra is a remarkable example of how Indian playwrights have drawn upon indigenous narrative forms to explore contemporary social realities. Blending two Kannada folktales collected by A. K. Ramanujan, Karnad constructs a multilayered drama where myth, fantasy, oral tradition, and social critique converge. Naga-Mandala is a feminist retelling of the age-old stories of marital relationships, chastity, and female agency. The play demonstrates the vitality of Indian folk theatre by using surreal elements, symbolic imagery, and performative dev...
“The Juniper Tree” by the Brothers Grimm: A Tale of Darkness and Justice Introduction “The Juniper Tree” by the Brothers Grimm is a dark fairy tale that tells the story of a young boy who suffers a cruel fate at the hands of his jealous stepmother, but later finds justice through magical means. It strongly reflects the idea of fairy tale justice, where good is rewarded and evil is punished. A rich, kind couple longs for a child. One winter day, the wife cuts her finger while peeling an apple, and blood falls on the snow. She wishes for a child "as red as blood and as white as snow." The Wish and the Tragedy After months of waiting, she gives birth to a beautiful boy and dies, asking to be buried under the juniper tree. This tree becomes a central symbol of love, death, and transformation. The husband remarries, and the new wife gives birth to a daughter named Marleen. However, she hates her stepson and becomes obsessed with giving all inheritance to her daughter. The st...
