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VOL. 7, ISSUE 6 (2021)
Ezekiel’s play The Sleepwalkers: A sarcastic take on progressive India
Authors
Dr. Seemant
Abstract
Nissim Ezekiel’s one-act play, The
Sleepwalkers, serves as a poignant and farcical critique of the Indian
urban elite’s blind infatuation with American culture during the post-colonial
era. This paper examines the play’s thematic preoccupations with cultural
hegemony, sycophancy, and the loss of authentic national identity. By analysing
Ezekiel’s use of absurdist theatrical devices, such as masks, choric chanting,
and caricatured dialogue, the study highlights how the Indian intelligentsia is
depicted as a collective of mindless imitators. Furthermore, the paper delves
into the irony of intellectual commodification, where revered literary figures
and regional pride are eagerly traded for foreign patronage. Ultimately, this
analysis underscores Ezekiel’s sharp satire on the hollowness of a supposedly
progressive, sophisticated society that compromises its intellectual and
cultural integrity in pursuit of superficial American validation.
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Pages:50-52
How to cite this article:
Dr. Seemant "Ezekiel’s play <i>The Sleepwalkers</i>: A sarcastic take on progressive India". International Journal of English Research, Vol 7, Issue 6, 2021, Pages 50-52
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