The
character of Charudatta:-
v Introduction:-
Dr. Ryder rightly remarks, “Mrichchakatikam displays admirably three
characteristic of its author, his variety, his skill in drawing to characters
and his humour.
Sudraka was well versed in the art of
Characterization. Here he has given all sorts of chapters, high and low and
they are undoubted living men and women. They represent different walks of
life. They belonged to different classes and profession of the society. The
real interest of this poetic drama lives in its very varied world of
characters. We find people of different caste, clour and creed. We have a wide
range of characters such as the Brahmin hero like Charudatta, Vadusaka like
Maitreya, Villain like Sakara, revolutionary like Sharvilaka, Cultured men like
the two Vitas and the three Ceteas as against the grumblers and drunkards like
Mathusa, Barduraka, Dutakars and Samvahaka, loyal and diligent officers like
Viraka and Candanaka and also the life like portraits of the heroines,
Vasantsena, Madanika and Dhuta.
v A hero of the ‘Dhirodat’ type:-
Charudatta is a hero of the
‘Dhirodat’ type. He is very handsome. He loses almost the whole of his fortune
by giving away vast sums in charity. he is fond of music and extremely
sympathetic towards other, even to the thief who breaks into his house. He
cares for his good name above everything else and is prepared to stand by truth
at any cost. He brood stover his poverty every now and then because he can not
help others now. He is always against the terrorism of him except Sakara who
always calls him ‘daridraChudratta’. Madanika compares him to the moon.
Candanaka describes him a ‘Gunarvinda’. The judge treats him with great
respect. For Candalas, he is ‘gunratnanidhi’. And last, Vasantsena the most
beautiful courtesan in Ujjayni fall deeply in love with his. Though he is very
poor, she speaks volumes in his favour.
v Incarnation of nobility
The word Charudatta means the one
whose manner of giving charity is always beset with nobility. Charudatta is the
incarnation of nobility. He bows down before the courtesan’s mother with
nobility, welcomes the smallest office of the court with nobility and also offers
his necklace to Vasantsena in the place of her stolen ornaments with nobility.
v Excess of charity
Excess of charity makes him poor. On
account of his poverty, his house has lost its former beauty and luster, but
his own personality is as integral as before. The proverb ‘Proverb is a crime’
has proved to be true in his case. Sakara feels jealous of him and says, “Poor Charudatta can attract Vasantsena, Why not
I? If Charudatta were rich, Sakara might not have become his rival.
Poverty has not made Varudatta a cynic. We do not find any distortions in his
personality.
v a passive character
Some critics find Charudatta a
passive character. They ask, “Does Charudatta deserve to be the hero of this
play? They are justified. At first sight, it seems that he fails to control the
situation. He becomes a fatalist and helplessly accepts the authority of the
ruthless ‘Fate upon’ him. But When we go deeper in this character, he proves
himself in the centre of all events in the play.
v His important role in the political revolution:-
Most of the important events develop
round his character. For example, He indirectly plays a very important part in
the political revolution. Most of the political leaders have high regard for
him. Sakara strangles Vasantsena Sakara’s companion. Vita is so much confused
than he ultimately joints the party of Sharvilaka. Sharvilaka comes into
contact with Charudatta and Vasantsena through Madanika. He is deeply impressed
by Charudatta’s generosity. His companion Vita has also might regard for him.
The political leader, Aryaka also firmly believes that Charudatta has played an important party in saving his life.
Candanaka, a military office is so much impressed Charudatta that he does not
arrest Aryaka because he feels that it may offend Charudatta’s feelings. This
sows that Charudatta plays a very important part in the political revolution
indirectly. Charudatta’s death sentence works as a spark to the fuel and it
resulted in to political revolution. Thus Charudatta plays as a nucleus. such
is the characteristic feature of his personality.
v His passiveness in love
His passiveness in love is also
illusive. Though he himself does not go toe see his beloved as Vasantsena does,
yet he is always ready to undergo any risk for the sake of his love .Maitreya.
the Vadusaka, tries to divert him from a courtesan’s love. At this time
Charudatta’s answer to him is very significant., He tells him, “Friend, stop all your comment. I am bound to ma
age. A horse tires to run fast, but his physical weakness does not help him to
do so. In the same way, man’s restless mind may move here and there, but at
last it will return to the heart. This woman could be won with money only. She
is deserted by me because money has deserted me”. He uses these
devices only to deceive Maitreya.
v A man of strong
self-confidence
Charudatta is a man of strong
self-confidence. Maitreya tells him that Vasantsena is going to demand from him
something more than her ornaments. He coolly replies, “Let her come. She
will return fully satisfied.” Now his love for her is beyond control. When
she comes, he hugs her as the (tightening does the cloud. When Maitreya convey
him Sakara’s treat, he simple says, “He
is a fool.” He is ready to face any danger for the sake of her love.
Dr. De rightly remarks, “The most outstand feature of is character his deep
love for Vasantsena.” Keith also
observes, “He loves
Vasantsena with affection free from all mere passion.
v His tragic End:-
When Charudatta comes to know that he
has lost Vasantsena for ever he is not in a condition to she a tear or two
recollecting her eager love for her. He finds in himself in very critical
condition. The present days of his life are full of noise and fury. When he is
informed about her the court, Sakara is quarreling with him. The process of
taking statements of the doubtful personas is going. Different people express
their own doubts about Vasantsena’s murder. Really, it is the climax of
Charudatta’s pitiable and pathetic condition. Naturally, there is no scope of
him to express his heartfelt sorrow after he sad demise. At this time, the
people may take him as a hypocrite. Here purely introvert man finds himself in
the midst of tortuous physical event. What an
irony! He can only say, “Why should I exist without Vasantsena?
v Conclusion:-
It is said about Kalidasa’s
character, “His heroines are more attractive and charming then the heroes. The
opposite is the case with Sudraka. His heroes are most pleasant and charming
the heroines. Dr. Ryder says, “In the
case of Charudatta, his character lives in a sen win which Dushnata or even Ram
can hardly be said to live.”
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