Abstract

Girish Karnad is one of the most prominent Indian dramatists of contemporary Indian Drama. His plays are truly a critique of modern Indian society but his major aim is the exploitation of human relationships and psychology. What is unique about Karnad is his use of history and myth, the juxtaposition of the past and present and various innovations that he has brought into modern Indian Drama. Girish Karnad reworks on the actual myth and adds contemporary attachments with it. Karnad modifies the myth in a way to suit his own plot. And this myth was transformed to reflect the contemporary society. Hermeneutics is the study of the philosophy of understanding and interpreting. Depth or Negative hermeneutics goes below the waking consciousness. Karnad has taken the plot of the play Yayati from Adiparva myth of Mahabharata in which Yayati was cursed by Shukracharya (Devayani’s father) for his relationship with Sharmistha of premature old age. Sharmistha’s son Puru rescues Yayati from the curse. Yayati is a play on theme of responsibility but Yayati himself is not ready to shoulder his responsibility. All the characters resemble the modern race of selfish, immoral and thankless individuals who constitute the majority in contemporary society.