Analysing Devkota’s Muna Madan through the lens of Shakespearean tragedy.

PALZOR BHUTIA

Muna Madan is a Nepali epic poem by Laxmi Prasad Devkota, portraying a poignant tale of love, sacrifice, and societal judgment as Madan pursues wealth, leaving Muna heartbroken.

Aristotle defined tragedy as an imitation of a serious, complete and significant action that evokes pity and fear, leading to a catharsis of those emotions. He also believed that the best plots in tragedies are those that involve simultaneous reversal and recognition.

Muna Madan mirrors a Shakespearean tragedy through its themes of love, ambition, fate, and societal judgment, where tragic flaws, miscommunication, and ill-timed events lead to devastating loss and emotional catharsis.

In Shakespearean tragedies, protagonists are often flawed yet relatable individuals whose decisions lead to their downfall.Madan is driven by ambition and a desire to secure a better future for his family. However, his flaw lies in prioritizing material success over his relationship with Muna, leading to their separation and eventual tragedy. His ambition mirrors characters like Macbeth or Othello, whose noble intentions are marred by their fatal flaws.

Muna on the other hand, embodies unwavering love and loyalty, yet her passivity and acceptance of societal judgment resemble the tragic resignation of Ophelia in Hamlet. Her suffering highlights the vulnerability of women in a patriarchal society, a recurring theme in Shakespeare’s works.

In Shakespeare’s tragedies like Romeo and Juliet, love is often at odds with societal expectations or external pressures.In Muna Madan, love is tested by Madan’s departure for Lhasa, where he pursues wealth. His absence creates a physical and emotional void, reflecting the tension between personal ambition and romantic devotion.Muna’s isolation and heartbreak parallel Juliet’s despair when separated from Romeo. Both heroines become victims of circumstances beyond their control, and their love, though pure, cannot overcome societal and external forces.

Shakespearean tragedy emphasizes the inevitability of fate, often foreshadowed through omens or prophecies. Similarly, in Muna Madan, fate acts as a cruel, unrelenting force.Madan’s illness in Lhasa delays his return, a turning point that seals the couple’s tragic destiny. His suffering in a foreign land underscores the futility of human effort against the whims of fate, akin to Lear’s downfall in King Lear.Muna’s death before Madan’s return mirrors the tragic timing in Romeo and Juliet, where miscommunication and ill-timed events lead to irreversible loss.

Shakespearean tragedies often critique the rigid edifice of society, such as the destructive influence of ambition of Macbeth or the consequences of jealousy and prejudice of Othello.

In Muna Madan, society’s judgment of Muna’s solitude and perceived abandonment highlights the cruel and patriarchal norms that fuel her suffering. This parallels Desdemona in Othello, who becomes a victim of false accusations and societal expectations.

A key element of Shakespearean tragedy is catharsis—the audience’s emotional purgation through pity and fear. Muna Madan evokes a similar effect;  Readers and audiences feel pity for Muna, who remains steadfast in her love despite immense suffering, and fear the consequences of Madan’s choices.The tragic inevitability of Muna’s death leaves readers with a profound sense of loss, mirroring the emotional impact of Juliet’s or Cordelia’s demise.

Both Shakespeare and Devkota explore the universality of human frailty; Madan’s ambition, though noble in intent, leads to his spiritual and emotional downfall. This aligns with Shakespearean protagonists like Hamlet or Macbeth, whose internal conflicts drive their tragedies.Muna’s resilience in the face of suffering reflects the quiet strength of Shakespearean heroines like Cordelia or Desdemona, yet her ultimate fate underscores the fragility of love in a harsh and judgmental world.

Muna Madan fits within the framework of Shakespearean tragedy because it captures the essence of human frailty, the conflict between love and ambition, and the devastating power of fate. The epic’s  universal themes of sacrifice, loyalty, and societal judgment make it a timeless work, much like Shakespeare’s plays. Viewed through this lens, Muna Madan transcends its cultural roots to stand as a global tragedy that resonates across cultures and eras. 

Note: It is my humble effort to view one literary work from the other perspective. I don’t intend to offend anyone who devotes to the works of Devkota and Shakespeare. This is a very amateur comparison and it may not fit the standard of some literary genre. Any suggestions and criticisms will be accepted with utmost sincerity. I will take everything as a constructive criticism and imbibe to strengthen my writing more polished and more cohesive.