Lecture Notes: Vijay Tendulkar's Play "Silence! The Court is in Session"

Introduction

• Playwright: Vijay Tendulkar
• Play: "Silence! The Court is in Session" (Original Marathi title: "Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe")
• Year of Production: 1967
• Significance:
  • Part of new Indian drama phenomenon of the 1960s
  • One of the first modern Indian plays focusing on a female protagonist who also becomes a victim
  • Innovative structure: a play within a play
  • Blurs the distinction between the outer and inner play, ultimately collapsing both by the end

Plot Summary

• Main Character: Miss Benare, a young schoolteacher
• Accusation: Infanticide (killing an unborn child)
• Structure:
  • Outer play involves struggling actors preparing for a city performance
  • Inner play is a mock court trial where Benare is charged
• Themes:
  • Critique of patriarchal structures and societal norms
  • Female sexuality and societal condemnation
  • Power dynamics where both persecutor and victim are powerless

Characters

• Miss Benare: The accused, protagonist, and victim
• Mr. Kashikar: Head of the drama troupe, represents patriarchal authority
• Mrs. Kashikar: Subservient wife, ridiculed and silenced by husband
• Sukhatme: Inefficient lawyer, struggles for competence
• Prokaryote (Prokary): The Kashikars' adopted son, infantilized
• Samant: Innocent villager, becomes part of the play
• Carnac: Aspiring actor, autobiographical reflection of Tendulkar
• Professor Damle (Off-stage): Married man, father of Benare's unborn child

Themes and Analysis

• Patriarchal Oppression:
  • Benare’s mock trial symbolizes societal condemnation of women
  • Patriarchal mechanisms operate through the court, silencing women
• Female Sexuality:
  • Benare's alleged affair and infanticide highlight societal control over women's bodies
• Theatre and Reality:
  • Play questions the nature of theatre and truth
  • The mock trial becomes indistinguishable from reality
• Character Dynamics:
  • Male characters are attracted to but threatened by Benare’s independence
  • They participate in her condemnation while secretly desiring her

Symbolism

• Courtroom:
  • Represents patriarchal space where women are trapped and silenced
  • The trial is a parody of justice and truth
• Benare’s Monologue:
  • Reflects on life, identity, and the betrayal of her body
  • Expresses a struggle with societal expectations and personal desires

Conclusion

• Summary:
  • The play is a critique of patriarchal society and its treatment of women
  • Highlights the contradictions and hypocrisy in societal expectations of women
  • Benare’s struggle is symbolic of many women’s struggles against societal norms

Final Thoughts

• The play remains relevant as it challenges viewers to reflect on issues of gender, power, and societal norms. It encourages a deeper examination of the roles imposed on women and the systemic structures that limit their agency.