Vijay Tendulkar’s “His Fifth Woman” is a play of Metaphysical Allegory
Structure of the Play:
The play is divided in 5 scenes. The first scene of the play begins with the description of Chilly winter cold night. It is the scene of dimly-lit lobby of the government hospital. In the darkness of night two characters appear with the sound of handcart entering the compound of the hospital. Dawood and Sakharam enter, carrying patient on the stretches and they put the stretcher on the ground. Both of them express their anxiety related with the condition of the patient. Sakharam as usual maintains his rough, aggressive and contemptuous tone. The ward boy was in fast sleep with blanket over his face. Both Dawood and Sakharam pull the blanket away from the sleeping man. Sakharam is conscious of his responsibility towards the patient and he is furious towards reckless ward boy who comments “People make a poor woman pregnant and leave her here to avoid the responsibility” 3(p.49). Later Sakharam becomes philosophical and expresses his faith that all the accounts of human action are to be settled in the other world. Like a philosopher, he dictates Dawood that one should not deviate from the path of Justice and righteousness because God records all human action. Then the nurse comes and enquires about the nature of the relationship between Sakharam and the patient woman. Sakharam admits that he keeps woman for appropriate food and security. Dawood wonders at Sakharam’s honesty in his dealing. Nurse attends the woman and reveals that because of excessive cold, she has got infection and needs immediate intensive care. Dawood expresses his sympathy for the unfortunate condition in which the woman has been surviving. Sakharam’s im...
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... form of ‘heaven’ and ‘hell’ which are normally related to one’s actions done in this world. But the playwright thinks that it is one’s desire that transforms after life as heaven or hell, although it remains the same for all. In this way with the help of his naturalistic dialogues, Tendulkar has been able to present the reality of life in clear terms. The presence of ‘Crow’ is felt through the play, hinting at the misery of man’s life on the earth.
Thus, Tendulkar “His Fifth Woman” is a metaphysical-social allegory. It is an epoch-making play in the history of Indian English Drama.
References:
1. Vijay Tendulkar, “Five Plays by Tendulkar: The Cyclist and His Fifth Woman”, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2004, P. 60.
2. Vijay Tendulkar, “Five Plays by Tendulkar: The Cyclist and His Fifth Woman”, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2004, P.74.
Price, S.L. “The Indian Wars.” Sports Illustrated 4 Mar. 2002: 1-5. SI.com. 16 Nov. 2008.
Nair, N. (2011). Cricket Obsession in India: Through the Lens of Identity Theory. Sport in Society: Cultures, Commerce, Media, Politics, 14(5), 569-580. doi:10.1080/17430437.2011.574351
Price, S.L. “The Indian Wars.” Sports Illustrated 4 Mar. 2002: 1-5. SI.com. 16 Nov. 2014.
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