INTERPRETATION OF COMMODIFIED CHARACTERS AND SUBALTERNS IN BADAL SIRCAR’S ‘BHOMA’

Abstract

As mentioned above that his plays mostly discuss societal themes, the plight of oppressed people, and dominance, this paper presents works by Badal Sircar that emphasise both significant historical occurrences and contemporary man's daily circumstances through a commodity of characters.  All of his writings are based on actual incidents that took place in society close to him. His character delineation is from the low and middle class strata of society. This paper is an attempt to explain and illustrate how, as a dramatist, he skilfully designed his characters to represent the suffering society and mind of people. His characters depict the present events and circumstances in readers lives to act as a mirror. The completion of the paper looked for voices from both the dominant and underclasses. It critically reveals the terrible experience and sufferings of the lower class folk. Bhoma published in 1983 focuses on the issues of farmers and lower class Indian society. The six characters of the play represent the relegation and corruption of crofters and rustic class in the name of supremacy and standards. The play has a significant title speaks the struggle of common men. The suffering of countryside men is not deemed by the bureaucrats of the society. Badal Sircar presents the exploitation of subaltern class. A stenographer represents pains and agonies of lower class men. Badal Sircar points out truly the widen gap between urban and rural classes. The play underlines the untold pains and pangs of subaltern classes.

Key Words: Commodity, Third Theatre, Peasants, Rural-Urban clash, Society, Post colonialism