Shakuntala by Kalidasa

Shakuntala is an interesting mythological drama that is an Indian based poetic story. According to Ryder, the great legend story of the king Dushyanta and Shakuntala is a thrilling love narrative from the Mahabharata epic (45). Kalidasa is a great poet who writes this poem entitled “Shakuntala”. King Dushyanta is on a hunting trip where he meets Shakuntala, Priyamvada, and Anasuya (the three friends). King Dushyanta and Shakuntala become lovers and this happens at the absence of Shakuntala’s father. King Dushyanta and Shakuntala hold their wedding “Ghandharva” ceremony that marks the occasion that allows the couple to start living together. Menka and Vishwamitra are the parents of Shakuntala. King Dushyanta is the founder and the king of pauraw dynasty (Reddy 17). This paper examine that achieving successes in life is difficult due to various challenges, but with consistent determination a person become successful.

Literature review

In this story, Dushyanta and Shakuntala meet in the forest and their mutual attraction comes together. Something does not allow the partners to be together. However, something else occurs which allow them to become together. Kalidasa tells the story whose central character, king Dushyanta falling in love affairs with a young woman known as Shakuntala. The beautiful imagery of the story makes the narrative to be humorous. Reddy views that the story starts with king Dushyanta finds himself in conversation with three women at a sacred place called ashrama (47). Shakuntala is one of the three women who fall in love with Dushyanta. The mutual attraction between king Dushyanta and Shakuntala develops into romance.

Dushyanta goes away from home when a hermit brings a bad omen to Shakuntala. Shakuntala is distracted by Dushyanta’s thoughts, and because of the curse, Dushyanta abandons Shakuntala. The impact of the curse makes Dushyanta to forget anything about Shakuntala (Reddy 20). Unfortunately, when Shakuntala offers greetings to Dushyanta once again, she realizes that Dushyanta cannot remember her. Sometime after marriage, Dushyanta goes back to his dynasty kingdom because he forgot everything about his lover. This sad incident happens because saint Durvasa (the hermit) cursed Shakuntala. The cursing occurs when Shakuntala dreams about her lover. Saint Durvasa travels to ashram that makes Shakuntala to lose her thinking about her lover.

Shakuntala therefore fails to greet her husband properly. This failure incenses the saint Durvasa to curse Shakuntala. Saint Durvasa claims that her husband will forget Shakuntala who is dreaming about him. The presence of the royal ring given to Shakuntala by the king Dushyanta enables the king to recall the love story and relationship he has together with his Shakuntala after several years back. Nevertheless, after sometime the hermit changes his mind. Since Shakuntala is so committed thinking about Dushyanta, the hermit informs her if Dushyanta is given a significant object that represents his love affairs with Shakuntala, he will remember the memory about his wife. Shakuntala recalls that Dushyanta gives him a ring when they are together. When Shakuntala wants to give Dushyanta the ring she comes to realize that the ring slipped off from her finger most likely while she is at the river Ganger.

Literature analysis

Dushyanta abandons Shakuntala and goes back to his kingdom. The hermit curses Shakuntala because she ignores taking her duties toward Shakuntala. According to Ryder, the tragic flaw shows that Shakuntala becomes more preoccupied than concentrating on her love (56). Once Shakuntala does the mistake, she repents over the error. Shakuntala loses a signet ring that she is given as precious gift by Dushyanta. Losing the signet ring shows that Shakuntala’s weakness. When Shakuntala convinces Dushyanta over the matter, she cannot explain how she loses the signet ring (Reddy 23). However, the tragic flaw does not allow Shakuntala to suffer endlessly. In the end of the story showed that, Dushyanta obtains the signet ring and he manages to recollect everything because he remembers how he gets into love relationship with Shakuntala. King Dushyanta repents and intends to rectify his past mistakes he does that disappoint Shakuntala. King Dushyanta plunges into a great depression. However, the fate manages to forgive king Dushyanta and eventually the king reunites with his lover (Shakuntala).

Reddy presents that the love relationship between Dushyanta and Shakuntala bring joy to the audience, but at certain time, the story is full of sorrow and sufferings (28). However, the end of the story reaches its climax with a happy conclusion when the two lovers reunite because they realized their tragic flaws. The narrative concentrates on the tension between duty and desire, which is exhibited in the erotic sentiment between the lovers. Passion and duty come into a conflict. Dushyanta is being pulled both by his husbandry duties (to receive her lover and accept her as his wife) and by royal duties (his responsibility of royal hunting and eventually going back to the kingdom). On the other hand, Shakuntala is in dilemma whether to receive visitors at home or to play her wifely responsibility of pursuing Dushyanta. The curse creates a negative impact that confuses the two lovers. Finally, the lovers reunite and lead a happy marriage life.

Works cited