This document provides an overview of rasa theory and absurd theater. It defines rasa theory as relating to the aesthetic flavors or emotions evoked in an audience but not described in Indian arts. Absurd theater is defined as agreeing with Camus that the human situation is essentially absurd and devoid of purpose. The document then discusses key differences between the two, such as rasa theory establishing nine rasas while absurd theater questions existence and features meaninglessness.

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Rasa theory and
Aburd theater
By Nidhi Jethava

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Table of content
 What is rasa theory
 What is absurd theory
 How both terms are different

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Prepared by :- Nidhi Jethava
Batch :- 20-22 MKBU English Department
Paper :- 109, Literary theory & Criticism and Indian
Aesthetics
Roll Number :- 13
Enrollment Number :- 30692064200009
Email Id :- jethavanidhi8@gamil.com

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What is Rasa Theory ?
 In Indian aesthetics,
a rasa (Sanskrit: रस) literally
means "juice, essence or
taste".
 Connected with Indian arts
about the aesthetic flavor of
any visual, literary or musical
work that evokes an emotion
or feeling in the reader or
audience but cannot be
described.

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What is Absurd Theatre
 Theatre of the Absurd,
dramatic works of certain
European and American
dramatists of the 1950s and
early ’60s who agreed with the
Existentialist
philosopher Albert
Camus’s assessment, in his
essay “The Myth of Sisyphus”
(1942), that the human
situation is essentially absurd,
devoid of purpose.

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Theatre of The Absurd History
 This Movement influenced by existentialism, began in the from
of experimental theatre in Paris and resultantly, after the spread
of the absurd from in other country, absurdist plays were written
in French.
 Absurd element first came into existence after the rise of Greek
drama in the plays of Aristophanes in the form of old comedy.

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Natya Shastra
 Founder- Bharat Muni
 Nāṭya is Naṭa (नट) which means
"act, represent“
 The word Śhāstra (शास्त्र) means
"precept, rules, manual,
compendium, book or treatise", and
is generally used as a suffix in
the Indian literature context, for
knowledge in a defined area of
practice.
 complete compilation is dated to
between 200 BCE and 200 CE,
 Theory of Nav-Rasa

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Characteristics of Absurd drama
 Questions of Existence
 Distrust in Language
 Illogical Speeches and Meaningless Plots
 Re-establishment of man’s communion with Universe
 Emphasize on Abstract Values of Life
 Vagueness about Time, Place and Character
 Lack of communication amid characters

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Rasa Nispatihi
 “विभािानुभािव्यभभचारर
संयोगाद्रसननष्पवतिः।”
 It means the RASA is born
out of the combination of
Vibhava, Anubhava and
Vyabhicharibhava.

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CRITICAL VIEWS ON RASA THEORY
:-
 1. BHATT LOLLATA’S ‘UTPATIVADA’
 SAMKUKA’S ‘ ANUMITIVADA’
 3.BHATTA NAYAKA’S ‘BHUKTIVADA’
 4.ABHINAVAGUPTA'S ‘ ABHIVYAKTI VADA’

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Features of Absurdist Plot
• Absence
• Emptiness
• Nothingness
• Unresolved
• Mysteries

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Nine kind of rasa
 Shringara (love/beauty)
 Hasya (laughter)
 Karuna(sorrow)
 Raudra (anger)
 Veera (heroism/courage)
 Bhayanaka (terror/fear)
 Bibhatsa (disgust)
 Adbutha (surprise/wonder)
 Shanta (peace or tranquillity).

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Comparison
Rasa Theory
 Established by Bharat Muni
 Full of Rasa
 Full of meaning
 Nine kind of Rasa
 School of Rasa
Absurd Theory
 Established by Martin Esslin,
Samuel Beckett, Harold
Pinter.
 Meaninglessness of life
 Nothingness
 Searching of self

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Citation
 Abbotson, Susan. Thematic Guide to Modern Drama. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood, 2003.
Print.
 Abrams, M H, and Geoffrey G. Harpham. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Boston, Mass: Thomson
Wadsworth, 1999..
 Absurdity. Washington: University of America, Blocker, Gene H. The Metaphysics of 1979.
Print.
 Alsharadgeh, Samer Ziyad. The Theater of the Absurd . 2018.

Beckett, Samuel. Waiting for Godot: A tragicomedy in 2 Acts. New York: Grove, 1982. Print.

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Continue
 Bharata, Muni, and G R. S. Iyengar. Natyasastra: Translation of Bharatha
Natyasastra. Bangalore: Suvani Prakasana, 1977. Print.
 Bharatha.The Natya Satra of Bharatamuni. Trans. A Board of Scholars. 2nd
ed. Delhi :Sri Satguru Publications, 2000
 Camus, Albert. The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays.Trans. Justin
O'Brien. New York: Vintage, 1983. Print.

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