Notes on 'Broken Images' by Girish Karnad

Overview

• Author: Girish Karnad (Born 1938)
• Awards: Padma Shri (1974), Padma Bhushan (1992), Jnanpith Award (1998)
• Themes: Bilingualism, personal and academic values, the politics of language in Indian literature.

Key Characters

• Manjula Nayak: A Kannada writer who gains fame by writing a novel in English.
• Malini: Manjula's physically challenged sister, central to the emotional narrative.

Major Themes

• Bilingualism: The tension between writing in one's mother tongue versus a global language like English.
• Identity and Betrayal: The conflict of being perceived as a traitor to one's mother tongue by writing in English.
• Family Dynamics: The relationship between Manjula and her sister Malini, highlighting themes of love, sacrifice, and guilt.

Structure of the Play

• Setting: A television studio with a plasma screen and various television sets.
• Format: A monologue that turns dialogic, involving an image of Manjula that interacts with her.

Important Quotes

• “A heap of broken images, where the sun beats, and the dead tree gives no shelter.” - T. S. Eliot
• “If there was betrayal, it was not a matter of conscious choice.”

Discussion Questions

1. Why does the playwright use the technique of the image in the play?
2. How does the play address the issue of bilingualism in contemporary Indian literature?
3. What is the significance of Manjula's relationship with her sister Malini?

Suggested Reading

• Two Monologues: Flowers, Broken Images by Girish Karnad
• The Dreams of Tipu Sultan by Girish Karnad

Conclusion

• The play explores complex themes of identity, language, and familial bonds, making it a significant work in contemporary Indian literature.