Mahesh Dattani: SEVEN STEPS AROUND THE FIRE

With Introduction, TEXT, Paraphrase, Summary, Word-Meanings, Explanations, Objective-questions and other critical discussions.

by NIDHI AGRAWAL

pp.: 262

Price: Rs. 180.00

ISBN 978-81-7977-504-2


Also available at amazon.in

Mahesh Dattani entered the theatrical world of English Literature in the last quarter of 20th century. He has explored the vitality of human life through his plays and embellished the tradition of Indian English Drama with his creative innovations. He has touched the unprivileged segments of Indian society in his plays. He presents on stage the realistic world of homosexuals, HIV Positive, eunuch fight for identity, child sexual abuse, gender discrimination, interpersonal relationship and other touching areas of Indian life. His artistic perception and innovative vision assist him to alter the conventional concepts of Indian English Theatre and to forecast the post modernist issues. Dattani is a versatile genius who can write, act, dance and direct. He is the first proud Indian English playwright to win Sahitya Akademi Award for his work Final Solutions and Other Plays.

His play Seven Steps around the Fire has been selected to become a part of the B. A. III syllabus of U.P. State Universities. This play dramatizes the fight of eunuch community to search their identity in the hypocrite world. The present book along with the TEXT also includes the critical study of various techniques and devices that Dattani has applied in this play. To make the play more intelligible to students; word meanings of the difficult words and paraphrase of the text in Hindi and English is given. The main topics of the play are discussed in easy and comfortable way to assist the students in appreciating the play as well as to prepare them for the examination. The explanations of some important quotes are provided to make those speeches understandable to the students. The objective type question-answering will enhance the aesthetic value of the play as well as prepare the students to remember all the major incidents of the play. Hindi of some bold words is not given in Hindi paraphrase of the text.  

List of Contents

Biography of Mahesh Dattani

Dramatic techniques in the plays of Mahesh Dattani

Definition of Drama                                                                   

History of Indian English Drama                                                   

An overview of Mahesh Dattani’s other plays                                  

A Short Summary of Seven Steps around the Fire in English             

A Short Summary of Seven Steps around the Fire in Hindi               

Seven Steps Around The Fire Text, Paraphrase and Word Meanings

Charcterization in the play                                                           

Plot of the play                                                                          

Themes interwoven in the play                                                     

The Technique of Voice-over                                                        

Aptness of Paralinguistic and Non-linguistic Devices                        

Murder mystery                                                                          

Relationship of Hijra and Common Mass                                       

Short Discussions                                                                       

Explanations                                                                              

Objective Questions