CONTENTS

Objective: To discuss the author, plot and literary techniques

employed in the classic Drama“Silence! The Court Is In
This critique and literary Session” by Vijay Tendulkar
analysis of the Drama “Silence!
The Court Is In Session” by
Vijay Tendulkar focuses on:
• About the author
• Plot
• Themes
• Exposition

Critique and Literary Analysis 1

Book Report
ABOUT THE DRAMATIST
Vijay Dhondopant Tendulkar

• He was born on 6 Jan, 1928 in Maharashtra.

• He grew up watching western plays and felt inspired to write

himself.

• He wrote more than 30 full length Marathi-Language plays and

numerous one-act plays, short stories and movies scripts about
controversial social themes including violence, poverty, women
rights and corruption.

• Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe (Silence! The Court Is In Session) is

one of the most important plays written by him.

• He died in Pune on May 19, 2008.

Critique and Literary Analysis

2
Book Report
PLOT
The Dramatist employs a strong Exposition – He sets the Drama in a rich context and introduces
the reader to it fervently

• The Group of Actors gather earlier than the beginning of the play
• To pass the time and to familiarise Samanth to the intricacies of Court procedure they all decide to play a game : Mock
Trial
• They decide to accuse Leela Benare of infanticide and charge her under 302 of IPC , the trial becomes a play in the
play
• Everyone tries to expose Benare’s personal life and start accusing her of pregnancy and an affair with Professor Damle
• Verdict of killing the child right after its birth is passed. As the Child would bring an unethical and unhealthy message
to the future generations
• The Play ends when Benare is emotionally torn apart and ends it with her ‘sparrow song’.

Critique and Literary Analysis 3

Book Report
LITERARY DEVICES
Narrative techniques used by the Dramatist to add texture, energy, and excitement to the narrative,
grip the reader's imagination, and convey information through his unique style of writing.

THEMES

• Dramatist uses a variety of Themes to

represent ideas and abstract concepts

• Performance and Self Expression

• Women’s Role in Society

• Middle Class Status, Tradition, and Propriety

• Guilt and Innocence

Critique and Literary Analysis 4

Book Report
EXPOSITION
The Dramatist employs a rich Exposition – He sets the story in a rich context full of fine detail and
introduces the reader to it fervently; and this analysis compares the exposition to modern times

Original Exposition Contrast with Modern Times

• Racism and societal bias towards people of • Even though modern society has largely
colour
• Partiality in judicial system against the
downtrodden segments of society –
inability of the jury system to provide
impartial judicial proceedings free of
subjectivity
• Social Discrimination and prejudice
against people of colour
• Issue of rape and abuse of sympathy by a
white woman to hide her real intentions
• Orthodox outlook of the society and lack
of modern outlook towards the issues of
equality and justice
adopted the tenets of democracy that state
“Equal rights for all, special privileges for
none”, racism continues to exist in certain
parts of the world
• The present judicial system is comparatively
fairer to the downtrodden and due to the
spread of social media and the internet, things
happening in one courtroom are being shared
globally, thereby making the judicial system
far more visible across a nation and the globe
– this leads to improved accountability
• Outlook of the society has become modern
and people are demanding equal pay for equal
work and equal societal status regardless of
creed and gender
Critique and Literary Analysis 5
Book Report
CRITIQUE AND LITERARY ANALYSIS
BOOK REPORT

THANK YOU!