Study of Quest of Knowledge and Self-Identity...

Study of Quest of Knowledge and Self-Identity in Arcadia

Author Name : Taruna

ABSTRACT

Quest for knowledge and identity of self have been the most recurrent themes in the modern literature. Many emerging literary figures from all over the world have been contributing in English literature with their distinctive literary expressions. Tom Stoppard was Czech-born British playwright and screenwriter whose work is marked by verbal brilliance, ingenious action, and structural craftsmanship. His Arcadia depicts the line between emotion and reason. This is shown through the relationship between Thomasina and Septimus and the human emotions between the other characters especially Hannah and Bernard. The waltz scene holds the reader in an inherent discussion between science and humanities. Just before tragic death of Thomasina, she dances with Septimus and proves that the universe can confront a tragic end without the association of humanities and love with science and mathematics. The final scene of the play shows that waltz interweaves the present and the past. It interchanges between the rural past and the modern progress in technology to show that the matching of emotions and reasons led to the completion of knowledge. It also depicts that the chaotic behaviour is the result of disagreement of reason and emotion. The victory of emotion at the end of the play proves that human sciences, ranging from music, poetry, drama, paintings etc, have been always in motion and thanks to them one’s humanity is fulfilled. As a science play, it aims to portray the fact that the particular human characteristic can be realized in the backdrop of the artistic vision. The researcher through this paper attempts to depict the Quest of Knowledge and Self- Identity in Tom Stoppard’s Play Arcadia.

Keywords: Quest of Knowledge, verbal brilliance, ingenious action, and structural craftsmanship, reason and emotion.