Sakuntala Analysis

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Many acts from the Recognition of Sakuntala are important in understanding the play in its entirety, for example the curse that was placed on Sakuntala. The curse is a major part in the climax of the play, King Dusyanata forgetting and disclaiming Sakuntala and her unborn child. By explaining the curse from act four shows how it contributes to the play in more than one way. Also, how it helps understand the play in more depth.

After Sakuntala and King Dusyanata secret marriage is performed, she is preoccupied by the thoughts of herself and her new husband. As a result of her mind being elsewhere, a great sage, Durvasas, curses her because she didn’t tend to him as her gift. His curse was, “That man whose brilliance robs your thought of …show more content…

Even though the curse plays a major part in the play as an entirety, it’s explained hastily in two short pages. Such importance would be thought to have more depth or description to it. The curse is the reason for the king forgetting his love for Sakuntala as well as, forcing him to think of her more than he did when he left the hermitage to go back to his kingly duties. It also brings the family together in the last act and explains the kings behavior to Sakuntala. In act five, Sakuntala is escorted to the palace where her husband lives by two ascetics and Gautami, to be with him finally after their marriage was kept secret from her father. The king is told that Kanva has given his blessing to the two lovers, and asks that since Sakuntala is married he “Receive her, and perform your duties together as a couple should.” (62) Confused the king asked what is being proposed as a result of him not recalling his marriage to Sakuntala and feels insulted. Hearing this Sakuntala loses hope and feels though she was betrayed by the words the king told her when they were in the hermitage, words she says were used “so richly …show more content…

Lastly it brings the family together, Sakuntala, King Dusyanata and their son in the final act. The title of the play is the Recognition of Sakuntala, because the play revolves around the theme of the king not recognizing his love, the reason for that was because of the curse placed on Sakuntala by the hot-tempered

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