Sakuntala: Symbolism in the Allusion to Plant Life
In Sakuntala, Act I, background of the scene was fully colored by nature and it was decorated with fresh flowers and cute creepers. The King Dushyant tried to kill a male deer that was stopped by a hermit and his team. Then, he changed his way to visit the hermit’s daughter who was taking care of the living and nonliving things in the hermit’s forest. He could see green groves, fully-grown grains, lovely birds, and blossoming flowers that show his future that he is going to meet such a wonderful and pleasant natured lovable girl who would be his wife in future. He admired nature and could understand that they wanted to convey him something important. Therefore, he got down from his chariot and started walking towards the hermitage. He did so because he did not want to disturb the lovely song of the nature, which he could here from blossoming flowers. In that wonderful garden, he could meet three girls. One among them was Sakuntala whose soft, tender, and beautiful nature admired him. He could see the whole beauty of the groves in her. Every plant in this act had grown to symbolize something. As it was a forest, the poet could find his symbols in the allusion of plant life.
Sakuntala told Anusuya to loosen her bark dress. She taught Priyamveda had fastened it tight. However, the fact was that the bark dress became tight fit for her as her charms were budding. It symbolized that it is time for her to become bride. When she blamed Priyamveda for this, Priyamveda told Sakuntala that she had to blame her budding charm for this. Dushyant could not accept that the beautiful girl Sakuntala was wearing a bark dress, which prevented him to see her beauty. He compared that bark dress to pale yellow colored withered leaf.
Mango tree and jasmine vine were used to symbolize Dushyant and Sakuntala, respectively. The union of mango tree and jasmine vine foretold the union of Dushyant and Sakuntala in near future. The mango tree that spreads its branches all over and proves its strength through its fruits is to symbolize Dushyant who spreads his kingdom all over and stand majestically. Likewise, the fresh jasmine vine is to symbolize the youthful Sakuntala and her softness. The jasmine vine creeps around stems of mango tree as if she could find mango tree as her husband. This shows that Sakuntala too will find her lover soon. When Sakuntala was staring at the mango tree and jasmine vine, Priyamveda told Anusuya that Sakuntala was thinking about her lover. The spring creeper was covered with buds. As per rule of nature, the spring creeper had to blossom in spring; however, it was ready to blossom in the summer that was the symbol of forth-coming happiness as rightly said by Kanva, Sakuntala’s father. He already told that the flowering vine reminded him to find a perfect pair for Sakuntala. Like spring creeper, Sakuntala’s budding charms show that she is going to meet her life partner and will get happiness. Every flowering vine in the garden foretold the future of Sakuntala that her life is going to blossom.
Suddenly, a bee started disturbing Sakuntala. It followed her wherever she goes. This shows that this beautiful flower-like Sakuntala will be visited by a male bee. All flowers, groves, buds, creepers, and trees were glowing in a way as if they were about to tell her that she is going to meet her lover. Every symbol induced her charming buds to blossom that added more beauty to her. Even the grass and amaranth twig were used as symbols. When Priyamveda and Anusuya were about to leave that place to their cottage, Sakuntala’s heart did not let her to go. At that time, she told that the sharp edges of grass hurt her foot, which was smooth and soft early. The sharp edges of the grass here symbolized the pain of love that hurt her heart and did not allow her to leave from there. She told that her dress was caught in an amaranth twig that symbolizes that she herself was caught in love.
The hermitage was fully covered with green plants and colorful flowers that showed those hermits were leading their life associated with nature. On his way to hermitage, Dushyant could understand that the nature was conveying the forth-coming happiness. Fresh and youthful flowers in that grove were presented to portray the beauty of Sakuntala and foretold that she is going to meet her lover in near future. Budding creepers symbolized the budding charms of Sakuntala. Even Sakuntala could understand the nature, which made her to run towards mango tree as if it was waiting for her to convey something. The trees moved their branches as if they were welcoming the bridegroom of their beloved and lovely Sakuntala. Every flower blossomed to reveal presence of the sweet smelling and youthful Sakuntala there. Sakuntala had the same feeling when she saw the mango tree and jasmine wine. The allusion of plant life symbolized the something special to Sakuntala about her happy future. The pleasant nature and beautiful Sakuntala never failed to amaze him. In Sakuntala, Act I, groves, flowers, buds, creepers, trees, water plants, etc. symbolized the blossoming love between Dushyant and Sakuntala. Dushyant could understand that Sakuntala would be his lover. She was a beautiful girl who stayed with the hermit. He compared this to beautiful lotus that lives with the water plants. Green groves, fully-grown grains, lovely birds, and blossoming flowers showed them that their forth-coming happiness and their fullest life. Everything around them was to symbolize their blossoming love.
Works Cited
Overton, William, and Linda Silvia. World Literature Anthology: Through the Renaissance. Vol. 2. N.p.: Apus ePress, 2011. Print.
