A STUDY ON MINOR CHARACTERS IN

KALIDASA’S ABHIJNANSAKUNTALAM AND

SHAKESPEARE’S HAMLET
NAVEEN K. MEHTA 

Abstract: A drama represents scenes which are based on people’s actions

and interactions, characters play a central role in this regard and hence
deserve our close attention for research study. Plays have to have Plot,
Character, Thought, Diction and Spectacle. Characters are the mediators who
commit the actions that make up the plot, thus one cannot have a play
without them. The characters in drama can be divided into major characters
and minor characters, depending on how important they are for the plot.
Major characters usually have a lot to say and appear frequently throughout
the play, while minor characters have less presence or appear only
marginally. The present study aims to study minor characters in the
Kalidasa’s Abhijnansakuntalam and Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Keywords: drama, major, minor, plot, story, character

INTRODUCTION
Both Kalidasa 1 and Shakespeare are world famous dramatists.
Kalidasa has not written any tragic play but Shakespeare is more
popular on account of his tragedies like Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth –
just to name a few of them. Adya Rangacharya 2 rightly remarks that
“the more we study Kalidasa the more we find that drama as an art is
entirely changing into his hands.” In India, "Kalidasa is the
Shakespeare of India" is a very common phrase. It means Kalidasa
enjoys the same position and status in Sanskrit and world literature as
Shakespeare across the globe.


Naveen K Mehta ( )
Department of Communication Skills, Mahakal Institute of Technology, Ujjain (MP),
India
e-mail: : [email protected]
1
Kālidāsa was a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer, widely regarded as the greatest
poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language. His place in Sanskrit literature is akin to
that of Shakespeare in English. His plays and poetry are primarily based on Hindu
mythology and philosophy.
2
Adya Rangacharya (1947 / 1988). Drama in Sanskrit Literature. Bombay: Popular
Prakashan, p.117.
A STUDY ON MINOR CHARACTERS

Out of all of Kalidasa’s works his most popular and arguably

greatest play was Abhijnanasakuntalam 3 (The Recognition of
Shakuntala 4 ), one that continues to be performed across India and the
world to this day.
In the Abhijnansakuntalam, we have Kanav, Vidushaka, Anasuya,
Priyamvada and Gautami as minor characters but they perform their
respective roles with utmost sincerity and responsibility.
KANVA
The tone of the play is set by the virtue and piety of Dushyanta 5 while
the underlying message is seen through Śakuntalā 6 , a woman who is
purified by patience and fidelity and is ultimately rewarded with virtue
and love. 7 It is revealed that in Abhijnansakuntalam, the characters
suffer both the forms of suffering but they do not lose their mental
balance and summon themselves before vicious circle of suffering.
Śakuntalā attains a high level of maturity through suffering and
achieves ‘the felicity of equilibrium’ 8 . Kanva 9 , the foster father of
Shakuntala appears more than a real and practical one. He counsels
Shakuntala time to time.
Kanva plays an important part in the fourth act of the drama. He is
so deeply attached to her daughter, that he is moved to tears on the
occasion of his separation from his daughter. The sage Kanva was
sighing in grief:
My lonely sorrow will not go,
for seeds you scattered here
before the cottage door, will grow;
and I shall see them, dear.
(Act IV, 21)

3
Abhijnana-Shakuntalam is a drama composed in seven acts by Kalidasa. It is one of
the best not only in Sanskrit literature, but in the literature of the world.
4
David Smith (2005). The Birth of Kumara by Kalidasa. New York: New York
University Press.
5
Dushyanta was a great king in classical Indian literature and mythology. He is the
husband of Shakuntala and the father of the Emperor Bhara.
6
Shakuntala is the mother of Emperor Bharata and the wife of Dushyanta.
7
G.L. Anderson (1966). The Genius of the Oriental Theater: The Complete Texts of
Ten Great Plays from the Traditional Indian and Japanese Drama. New York: The
New American Library, p.17.
8
H.G. Wells (1963). The Classical Drama of India. Bombay: Asia Publishing House,
p.32.
9
Kanva was a renowned sage and father of adopted daughter Śakuntalā.

91
 Naveen K. Mehta

Kanva does not create any obstacles between Dushyanta and

Shakuntala. Moreover, he sends Rishikumaras along with Shakuntala,
when she proceeds to meet the king. Kanva is happy that Shakuntala
has chosen a husband of her own will and feels free from all sorts of
anxiety. It seems that Kanva knows very well the importance of
Kanyadan.
VIDUSHAKA
Vidushaka is the only character who helps to introduce the hero and is
the only medium between hero and the other characters on the one
hand and between the hero and audience on the other. He introduces
not only the characters but the scenes and the situations as well. In
the Abhijnansakuntalam, Madhavya acts as a Vidushaka. He appears to
be a true friend of king Dushyanta. In the Act VI of the drama, he
consoles king Dushyanta, saying that fate is ever powerful.
In the Act V, the Vidushaka's simplicity also allows him to be seized
and detained by Hamsapadika who has a very important purpose; for
had he been present when Shakuntala was brought in and repudiated,
he would have recognized her, as his memory was not cursed.
Similarly, in the next act, Vidushaka is a ready instrument in the hands
of Matali who is enabled to rouse Dushyanta from his lethargy, only by
pretending an attack on the Vidushaka.
ANASUYA AND PRIYAMVADA
Anasuya and Priyamvada are depicted as the best friends of Shakuntala
and have sisterly affection towards Shakuntala. Priyamvada shows a
disposition, youthful and vivacious while Anasuya is rather serious.
Both the girls are quick enough to find that Sakuntala has fallen deeply
in love. Priyamvada and Anasuya also well aware about the mental
state of love-lorn Shakuntala hence in Act II, it appears that they
consider and perceive her state to be liked that of persons afflicted with
love such as it heard of in stories. They also gave an excellent idea to
Shakuntala to write a love letter to the King and wanted to conceal it in
flowers that can be delivered into his hands under the pretext of
flowers so that she can foster and strengthen her relationship with her.
When sage Durvasa 10 cursed Sakuntala on ignoring his pious
presence, it was Priyamvada who pleaded Sakuntala’s absent

10
Durvasa is an ancient sage. He is supposed to be the only sage whose penance goes
up whenever he curses somebody. He is known for his short temper.

92
A STUDY ON MINOR CHARACTERS

mindedness and obtained from the sage forgiveness and asked for
showing mercy in so far that the curse would cease to have an effect on
the production of some token of recognition. In Act IV when Sakuntala
was all set to leave depart from hermitage to King Dushyanta palace,
both of her friends wept bitterly and felt deserted.
Moreover, both Priyamvada and Anasuya are so dutiful, docile and
loyal that they say nothing about sage Durvasas’ curse to any one: they
do not communicate it even to Sakuntala as they thought it was not
advisable to worry her with it especially as some token of recognition
could easily be produced when the time is ripped.
GAUTAMI
The minor Character of Gautami has also been portrayed as hermit
mother of Shakuntala. Gautami raised Shakuntala with great love and
affection. She was having full care and concern for Shakuntala’s well
being. Gautami wept bitterly when Shakuntala prepared for her
departure to visit king Dushyanta’s palace but at the thought of reunion
of Shakuntala and Dushyanta, she was somewhat content. She also
accompanied Shakuntala when later visited palace of King Dushyanta
and pleaded him to recognize and accept Shakuntala as his wife.
In the Act IV of the drama, Gautami wept bitterly when Shakuntala
prepared for her departure to visit king Dushyanta’s palace. But on the
other hand, she appeared to be content by the fact that as a hermit
mother, she would accompany Shakuntala in her itinerary. Her heart is
throbbing with sweet and happy emotions that her daughter Shakuntala
would be uniting with her beloved husband.
In the Act V, when Shakuntala was not able to find the ring in her
finger as a token of reorganization, it was Gautami who rightly
concluded that it fell off, but Dusyanta believed she was entrapping
him. It shows that being a mother; she was the first person to identify
her daughter’s carelessness to lose her valuable ring.

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, we have Horatio, Polonius, Laertes,

Marcellus, Barnardo, Francisco, Osrick, Fortinbras, Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern as minor characters.
HORATIO
Horatio may be a minor role in the great Shakespeare play Hamlet,
however his role is of great importance to not only the readers of the
play but also to the good Prince Hamlet.

93
Naveen K. Mehta

Horatio as a friend has a special place in Hamlet’s heart. Hamlet

tells him that his soul has chosen him as a favourite:
Since my dear soul was mistress of her choice
And could of men distinguish her election.
She hath sealed thee for herself.
(Act III, Scene II, 59-61)

In Act III, Scene II, Hamlet characterizes Horatio as a man of

endurance and as a man who is not a slave of passion and goes on to
tell him that he wears him in his “heart’s core”, in his heart of heart.
Horatio was the one to tell Hamlet about the vision of his father that
the men had seen the night before. Horatio also discourages Hamlet
from following the ghost as he is more concerned with Hamlet’s well
being and wants nothing catastrophic to happen due to Hamlet’s
interest with a ghost.
Horatio is highly devoted to his master Hamlet. Therefore, Hamlet
before he dies entrusts Horatio with the task of reporting correctly the
course of his life and death.
OSRICK, MARCELLUS, BARNARDO AND FRANCISCO
Osrick is a minor character in the play. He is a courtier whose main
function is to advance the plot by delivering Claudius' message
proposing Hamlet's fencing match with Laertes.
The three soldiers as Marcellus, Barnardo and Francisco are also
shown as minor characters. They are seen at the beginning of the play
and are instrumental along with Horatio, in alerting Hamlet to the
presence of the Ghost. They also provide us with a lot of the
background information necessary for an understanding of the events
that are to follow.
FORTINBRAS
Fortinbras is the Prince of Norway. Fortinbras is an unseen but has
important influence in the play.
In the beginning of the play Fortinbras seems a threat to the
kingdom of Denmark, which he appears intent on claiming. Unlike
Hamlet, Fortinbras appears to be a man of action, determined to fight
over even unimportant things.
ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were school fellows of Hamlet and were
brought up together with the Prince Hamlet.

94
A STUDY ON MINOR CHARACTERS

But they do not have the sentiments and friendship for Hamlet like
Priyamvada and Anasuya.
King Claudius uses them to spy on Hamlet for him. King Claudius
calls them as friends:
Friends both go join you with some further aid
(Act IV, Scene I)

Hamlet considers them as his foes. It is clearly observed in following

lines:
There letters sealed and my two schoolfellows whom I will trust as
I will adders fanged
(Act III, Scene IV)

Hamlet was greatly annoyed and hurt by the envious and strange
behaviour of his past time school mates.
POLONIUS
Polonius is a counsellor to the King who is most eager to help the King
and Queen discover the cause of Hamlet's ill-temper, by arranging
various plots and schemes to test Hamlet's reactions. He also contrives
the meeting between the Queen and Hamlet and offers to spy on them
in the Queen's chamber. This last scheme of his, of course, leads to his
death.
LAERTES
Laertes is the son of Polonius. When Laertes arrives from France, it is
disclosed that Polonius has very little faith in his son, as he orders his
servants to go to France and spy on him and make sure Laertes is
doing alright. When Polonius is mistakenly murdered by Hamlet, then
Laertes came back to Denmark to seek revenge for his father’s
murderer, Laertes knew what he had lost in his life when his father had
been killed:
And so have I a noble father lost
(Act IV, Scene VII)

The sad demise of his father and sister made him realize that he was
becoming a man but in the end, it also enabled him to die as a man.

95
Naveen K. Mehta

CONCLUDING REMARKS
Thus, it is noted that whatever may be nature of characters, major or
minor, they have universal appeal. They strengthen the plot and story.
Minor characters just like major characters have personality of their
own and have a distinct set of principles and beliefs. They do lots of
things in the plays - they reveal information, give us background, and
set the tempo.
Truly speaking, in both the dramas, minor characters play major
roles in shaping and developing the central theme. They are
everywhere in the dramas and are cute, funny, smart, live, intelligent
and everything in between. Without the contributions of the minor
characters, both the plays would lose their flavor. With the added
element of the minor characters the plays’ high points are made more
intense, the suspense grips tighter, and the love remains longer.
REFERENCES:
Anderson, G.L. (1966). The Genius of the Oriental Theater: The Complete Texts of
Ten Great Plays from the Traditional Indian and Japanese Drama. New York: The
New American Library.
Kalidasa (edited by M.R. Kale) (1920). The Abhijnanasakuntalam. Bombay: Gopal
Narayan and Co.
Rangacharya, A. (1947). Drama in Sanskrit Literature. Bombay: Popular Prakashan.
Shakespeare (1999). Hamlet. London: Cambridge University Press.
Smith, David (2005). The Birth of Kumara by Kalidasa. New York: New York
University Press.
Wells, H. G. (1963). The Classical Drama of India. Bombay: Asia Publishing House.

96