মুনীর চৌধুরীর ‘কবর’ : প্রাচ্য ও পাশ্চাত্য প্রভাবের স্বদেশি রূপান্তর/ Indigenous Transformation of Eastern & Western Influences in Munier Choudhury’s ‘Kobor’

Abstract

As Bangladeshi theatre has advanced, many prominent and creative dramatists have emerged. One of the important and influential dramatists was Munier Choudhury (1925-1971) whose plays show a significant connection between new ideas and present scenarios. During his writing career, which lasted almost thirty years (1942–1971), he mostly wrote one-act plays, original works, and translations. His artistic work is not limited to a single field; it is multidimensional. Instead, the themes, language, and characters of his plays are closely related to the political and social realities of his time. More specifically, the tense environment of the Language Movement, the effects of communal riots, and the turbulent period of the Liberation War greatly influenced his dramatic works. Apart from these issues, another major element of his plays is the influence of Eastern traditions and Western dramatic culture. Munier Choudhury’s ‘Kobor’, written in 1953 and published in 1966, is a well-known drama that established his position as a major figure in Bengali writing. It is based in the context of the historic Language Movement. The main aim of this research is to identify the outcomes of Eastern and Western theatrical practices in ‘Kobor’ and to evaluate their progression into a uniquely native style. The study centers on the primary narrative and structure, depiction of the characters, and the influence of Eastern and Western cultural effects reflected in the language and discourse of the play rather than simply concentrating upon the historical background of the Language Movement. The research studies how ‘Kobor’ relates to many aspects of Eastern and Western theatrical culture, especially their national interpretations. To build a strong conceptual framework, this research examines the effects of Western realism, expressionism, absurdist drama and epic theatre. The research indicates that motivated by Eastern and Western dramatic works, he did not simply copy or reproduce them. Furthermore, he applied an indigenous perspective to artistically reconfigure these influences, portraying this subject matter through well-known local regions, people, and language and dialogue deeply embedded in Bengali culture. Therefore, although elements of different Eastern and Western dramatic cultures are visible in the structure and form of ‘Kobor’, the fundamental awareness is deeply connected to the cultural and social dynamics of Bengal. To investigate these parts, this study uses a qualitative research methodology, including textual and comparative study. The study hopes to bring knowledge of the modernization of Bengali dramatic literature and the dramatic ideas of Munier Chowdhury.