When Appanna comes to know about her pregnancy, he beats her up accusing her of adultery. She pleads her innocence but Appanna drags her to the village Elders and complains against her. Rani has to face the trial before the Village Elders to prove her innocence. Following the advice of Naga she takes up the Snake trial and speaks the truth: “Yes, my husband and this King Cobra. Except for these two, I have not touched any one of the male sex.”22
Woman is a victim of gender discrimination and has to undergo trial for an offence, which she is not guilty. But men go scot-free even after committing a dozen crimes openly. Appanna can beat his wife, lock her up and accuse her of adultery, while his own character and adulterous relations are not to be put up for questioning by the society. Chastity and innocence are the signs of New Morality. In fact chastity is invented by patriarchal culture but it enslaved women.
Many women lose their lives to protect their chastity and many other women bear in silence …show more content…
The female here is voiced through the character of the Queen, who has laid bare the inner recesses of her heart, and more importantly of her body, her need for flesh, her desire for sexual gratification. The sexual ferocity and vibrancy about the Queen is referred in the conversation of the King with Mahout: “No one’s written about her. While she sinks her teeth into the man and drinks blood, plucks his entrails like strings, the man’s head only laughs and sings.”25 The Queen is seen in the arms of a low-caste Mahout — the keeper of elephant in the sanctum of the ruined temple at midnight. In the climactic event of the play, the Queen enchanted by the beautiful voice of a low caste ugly Mahout [the Elephant-Keeper], mates with him. The Queen and Mahout have spent some unrestrained moments together to which the Queen reacts: “It’s been lovely meeting you. Every minute of
Woman is a victim of gender discrimination and has to undergo trial for an offence, which she is not guilty. But men go scot-free even after committing a dozen crimes openly. Appanna can beat his wife, lock her up and accuse her of adultery, while his own character and adulterous relations are not to be put up for questioning by the society. Chastity and innocence are the signs of New Morality. In fact chastity is invented by patriarchal culture but it enslaved women.
Many women lose their lives to protect their chastity and many other women bear in silence …show more content…
The female here is voiced through the character of the Queen, who has laid bare the inner recesses of her heart, and more importantly of her body, her need for flesh, her desire for sexual gratification. The sexual ferocity and vibrancy about the Queen is referred in the conversation of the King with Mahout: “No one’s written about her. While she sinks her teeth into the man and drinks blood, plucks his entrails like strings, the man’s head only laughs and sings.”25 The Queen is seen in the arms of a low-caste Mahout — the keeper of elephant in the sanctum of the ruined temple at midnight. In the climactic event of the play, the Queen enchanted by the beautiful voice of a low caste ugly Mahout [the Elephant-Keeper], mates with him. The Queen and Mahout have spent some unrestrained moments together to which the Queen reacts: “It’s been lovely meeting you. Every minute of