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'Puru king, restrain yourself! I too may be consumed by love, but I'm not free to give myself to you.'

Indian society dictated that a woman of virtue was not to openly declare her love for a man. The main thing that distinguishes Shakuntala from her mother Maneka, is her innocence.  Dushyanta attempts to find the sexual boldness characteristic of Maneka, in Shakuntala. However, he is unable to do so. This is because Shakuntala is supposed to be the 'perfect' Indian female - one who is shy, therefore enabling a man to 'chase' her.  Shakuntala's upbringing in the hermitage teaches her to reject Dushyanta's advances - an action that makes her seem more unattainable, and therefore more attractive to the king.

- aazeen

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'and i too, when i remember Kanva's daughter, have little desire for the chase.'
Dushyanta finds a new thing to acquire. When he sees Shakuntala as a potential mate, he doesn't wish to chase a deer anymore. both shakuntala and the deer are symbols of innocence being chased by a power-hungry man
- aazeen

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"Then in the lovely spring-time he saw her intoxicating beauty - (She stops in embarrassment.)

metaphor - so beautiful that it intoxicated him, made him lose his senses.
stage direction conveys certain feelings
stopping shows their innocence - how they've been brought up delicately, and are very careful about manners.

- aazeen

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The clown, while conversing with the king, states "for a man who's overdosed on dates." This phrase is a representation of the power the king held; he had the ability to get all he wanted and desired. Nonetheless, the clown might be trying to suggest that the king should be happy with all he has, because with Shakuntala he is chasing something he cannot easily get.

- Kushaan

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Dusyanta states "You, my rival, take her" as he views the bee near Shakuntala. Here, the author tries to portray her desperation through humour. Comparing a simple bee who's trying to collect nectar to a rival, the king's immense love and desire to have Shakuntala is highlighted. The audience is left amused with this behaviour.
Like a bee is attracted to flowers, which represent beauty, even Dushyanta is attracted to Shakuntala, who represents beauty for him.

- Kushaan

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"king (walking and looking about): the hermitage! well, i will enter.
(as he does so, he feels a throbbing in his arm)
a tranquil spot! why should i thrill?
love cannot enter there -
yet to inevitable things
doors open everywhere."

in the play, there are many spiritual and supernatural forces working behind the scenes, for example; the feeling in his arm or the curse later in the story. this also represents divine intervention as well as fate which are two concepts intertwined throughout, and we can see the cultural significance of these ideas in Indian epics.

they both feel uncontrollably drawn to each other. there is a constant complexity of mysterious powers at work and it is almost like their love story isn't completely in their own hands. also, external indicators foreshadow deeper truths and feelings in the story. the natural world mirrors the situation, for example the lines describing 'the jasmine and tree and their union', and their bodies mirror their inner desires for example in the lines above.

- jia m

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page 26

blossom- gem uncut / untasted

he is drawn to her innocence

untouched - wants to be the only one to own her

fetishisation of her youth - its like an obsessive desire

clowns personality (humour )

appears as though his mental age is younger - always humorous and light hearted

he appears supportive and concerned for the king giving him advice - yet the act begins with the clowns complaining

a clown can question and comment on the problematic and serious issues that the king is facing without being offensive through the use of humour as a tool to create a more relaxed environment.

page 21

shows his dependancy on her - comparing to food

what does it say about how everyone else in Dushyants court perceives her ?

good dates and sour tamarinds

pearls are yours

gorged and overdosed

he has an unlimited supply of women as the king he can have everything you want

he is bored of simply using all the women as objects

calls her a forbidden fruit before this - considers her an object or fruit of indulgence

shows how he has everything he desires on a silver platter but she is different and exotic, comes from a rustic environment therefore intriguing and different to him.

she is other worldly - human psychology to desire what is different and unique

this act introduces the conflict between his duties and desires

- vanya sharma

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page 13 line 2

pondering over revealing his identity, its a game to him where he’s trying to lure in the girl by hiding his true identity. he tries to find an answer that would make her happy

could also be from the perspective that he wanted to be treated as who he is and not just a an of power.

page 11 “you my rival take her”

he is so infatuated with her that he is jealous of the insect, strange sentiment.

talks about the character - why is he jealous of a simple insect

she is depicted as an untouched woman of innocence, a bee is an insect that is known to be attracted to beauty (flowers) what shankutala is represented as. Dushyant is jealous of the bee as it is embodying his intentions of being attracted to her beauty and wanting to be the one to contaminate her, sting her.

take her- like he owns her and she is an object that can be stolen: shows his character as a king who has always gotten his desires and believes he needs to win her like a prize.

big ideas noticed

depiction of the 'male gaze'

bee as a symbol of desire (jealousy)

deer - chase and innocence of Shakuntala

she is compared to a flower, as a symbol of her purity and beauty.

- vanya

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“for a man who’s overdosed on dates”

Typical male stereotype to get what he cannot have, particularly for men in positions of power

shows how he has no lack of women in his life, but seeks what he cannot get.

shows classism as the king is used to getting what he wants and desires, but others are not

Shows that the clown is one of the only people who get to speak freely with the king

- Tara Sarvepalli

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"you, my rival, take her"
Dushyanta shows jealousy towards the bee because the bee is being able to touch and be near Shakuntala, whereas he is not able to do so. Additionally, the bee symbolises the King, while Shakuntala becomes the flower; these are representations of masculinity and femininity respectively.
- Jia Gunthey

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" I am a student of Scripture. It is my duty to see justice done in the cities of the king. And I have come to this hermitage on a tour of inspection."

In this phrase we can see how even though he is the King, he is choosing to lie and conceal the truth. Which brings out how easy it was for him to lie to her, almost like it was second nature to him, to lie so unnecessarily.

- Tara Sarvepalli