A Comparison of East and West
A study of these two plays: Kalidasa's "Shakuntala" and Shakespeare's"Othello" reveal that there are more similarities than differences betweenattitudes towards love, duty, women, and society. In the East all aspectsof social behavior are more deeply associated with religion andspirituality than the West. Asian cultures have always emphasized theimportance of family, clan, caste, and community as compared to the moreindividual and independent view of existence taken up by Europeans. Both cultures encourage a submission to the conventions and rules ofsociety, the difference lying in the intensity of this conviction. At thecore however human emotions and behavior remain similar as do most of theirmotivations. Love, honor, duty may have different nuances in both culturesbut they have comparable aspirations. Thus a king in India and a General inVenice may both aspire for love and marriage but one will be ruled bycomplications of caste, religious niceties and family honor while the othercontrolled by the concept of self and role in society. "Shakuntala" is a mythical tale that has numerous versions in bothHindu and European literature. It is a tale that hol
Shakuntala too is attracted to Dusyanta, but her breeding has taughther to be modest and demure. Shakuntala foughtpassionately to persuade the king of her position when he lost his memoryand her arguments almost made him doubt his decision despite the powerfulcurse. He remains aware and conscious ofthe fact however that his wife is the 'fair Desdemona' both beautiful andyoung. Shakuntalamade her preference for the king as a husband clear, she in a show ofspirit demanded that he grant the right of being the next heir to theirfuture offspring before she consummated their marriage. Thisrule however is nullified in the case of Desdemona's pleas as Iago hasmanipulated his greatest weaknesses, his self-esteem and passion. By marrying Othello, Desdemona wasshowing that she was strong enough and educated enough to break thesocietal confines of passivity for women. He is convinced of his position through the evil persuasions ofIago and also the subconscious idea that since she had spurned societies'conventions once to ally herself with him then she was probably capable ofbetraying her husband as well. Even elopement can besmoothed over with the correct social etiquette whereas in the East such anevent would lead to complete ostracization. Dusyanta has had to pass through all theseto perform his dharma and reunite with his beloved wife. He believes in what he is told if the source is one he trusts. It encompassesdecades and passage of time is elaborated by the development of the coupleinto mature and wiser adults who find their dharma and the production ofthe next generation. In their love affair, it was Desdemona who was perhaps more of anaggressor, Othello being doubtful due to his physical and socialvulnerabilities. Despite his noble nature and integrity Othello is manipulated intodestroying the women he loves and denigrating her character and honorhimself. Knowing the consequencesof her decision on herself and her father Desdemona nevertheless elopeswith Othello and does not show any regret when her father is upset.
Common topics in this essay:
Women Shakunatala,
Othello Desdemona,
Shakuntala Dusyanta,
Indeed Othello,
Dusyanta Fate,
West Asian,
Othello Moor,
Initially Hindu,
Shakespeare's Othello,
Venetian Senator,
othello desdemona,
western cultures,
kalidasa's shakuntala,
social behavior,
shakespeare's othello,
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