RANI IN NAGAMANDALA OF GIRISH KARNAD A CRITICAL STUDY:

Methodology, Concept, Chapterization "Methodology qualitative textual interpretive, no empirical fieldwork to keep within BRAU English thesis word limit. Use of secondary sources - books, journal articles, newspaper reports on chastity ordeals. Analytical tools: close reading, intertextual (folk tale vs play), comparative (Rani vs Padmini, Rani vs Leela Benare), contextual. Concept CLOSED DOOR explained: door literal and metaphorical. Rani's house has small window, locked door. Appanna locks from outside. Key with him. Rani cannot go out. This is physical closed door. Metaphorical closed door made of: pativrata code - "good wife stays inside, serves husband, does not question"; caste code - upper caste wife's body is vessel of family honour; surveillance - village watches who enters house; mythic command - stories Kurudavva tells about faithful wives. Rani's agency is inside door - she does not break lock and run to parents (she could, but does not), instead she makes space inside for desire via Naga. Pattern VOICE GIVEN VOICE TRIED: folk gives voice via Naga lover, Kurudavva stories, Flames narrative; same folk tries her via panchayat ordeal.