Difference between revisions of "Merchant of Varang"
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| − | Merchant of Varang | + | Merchant of Varang is a short, comedic Realm play written by [[Ledaal Shinjo]] presenting musings and thoughts on the nature of men and women under restrictive caste structures. |
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'''Location''' | '''Location''' | ||
| − | The story takes place in the the city state of Kriss, member of the league of Varang city-states, in a modern time period. Anyone intimately familiar with the | + | The story takes place in the the city state of [[Kriss]], member of the league of [[Varang]] city-states, in a modern time period. Anyone intimately familiar with [[Life Amongst the Varang]] will recognize references to the dress and courtly customs of the Varangi lifted from the prose, and the script contains notes on costuming to match illustrations from that travel guide. |
'''Plot''' | '''Plot''' | ||
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Merchant ostensibly is about a man of the Vardhaki architect-caste who has squandered the wealth of his line. He enlists an associate of the shipping-merchant-caste of Marakkars to help finance the dowry to his marriage, eventually settling on a scheme to borrow from a hated moneylender. The Vanika caste bankers are looked down upon for sharing the destiny of beggars, and only a few castes are allowed to speak to them directly; the Vardhaki is not one of them, and needs his friend to intercede on his behalf. The negotiation goes poorly if comedically, and the moneylender forgoes usurious fees in exchange for a promise of a pound of flesh if they renege on the contract to return his loan. | Merchant ostensibly is about a man of the Vardhaki architect-caste who has squandered the wealth of his line. He enlists an associate of the shipping-merchant-caste of Marakkars to help finance the dowry to his marriage, eventually settling on a scheme to borrow from a hated moneylender. The Vanika caste bankers are looked down upon for sharing the destiny of beggars, and only a few castes are allowed to speak to them directly; the Vardhaki is not one of them, and needs his friend to intercede on his behalf. The negotiation goes poorly if comedically, and the moneylender forgoes usurious fees in exchange for a promise of a pound of flesh if they renege on the contract to return his loan. | ||
| − | The middle of the play concerns the courtship of the Vardhaki's intended and other events. Minor characters abound, including a matchmaker of the Kundazin smitten with a dancer from a caste he cannot marry, a bodyguard who whistles tunes badly, and so forth. Although the architect's marriage is secured a storm purports to have destroyed the merchant's fleet of trading | + | The middle of the play concerns the courtship of the Vardhaki's intended and other events. Minor characters abound, including a matchmaker of the Kundazin smitten with a dancer from a caste he cannot marry, a bodyguard who whistles tunes badly, and so forth. Although the architect's marriage is secured a storm purports to have destroyed the merchant's fleet of trading vessels. For his insults the moneylender takes him before the courts to demand the honoring of their contract. |
| − | The final act is a long single scene in court before the Pandit of Kriss. As all of the barristers have been bribed not to take the case, the architect's wife disguises herself as one and takes her husband's | + | The final act is a long single scene in court before the Pandit of Kriss. As all of the barristers have been bribed not to take the case, the architect's wife disguises herself as one and takes her husband's defense. The moneylender is victorious in convincing the ruling Pandit of his case, but the wife uses the precise wording of the contract to place him in an impossible situation; he has right to the architect's flesh but not his blood, and spilling even a drop would be a great transgression. Trapped by his own words, the moneylender is forced to forfeit his claim. |
'''Themes''' | '''Themes''' | ||
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Recurring throughout the play is a refrain from near every individual straining against the bonds of their destined caste, often played for humour. The moneylender is wealthy beyond tradition for his caste and angered at the justified scorn from his betters; the matchmaker wishes for love for himself when it is his duty to only find it for others; the architect is more concerned with the politics of his match than his designs for the Temple; the wife surprises with her knowledge of law; and so on. All are shown as being competent at their ordained tasks yet they all yearn for the life of another caste. | Recurring throughout the play is a refrain from near every individual straining against the bonds of their destined caste, often played for humour. The moneylender is wealthy beyond tradition for his caste and angered at the justified scorn from his betters; the matchmaker wishes for love for himself when it is his duty to only find it for others; the architect is more concerned with the politics of his match than his designs for the Temple; the wife surprises with her knowledge of law; and so on. All are shown as being competent at their ordained tasks yet they all yearn for the life of another caste. | ||
| − | [[Category:Literature]] [[Category:Music & Theater]] | + | [[Category:Literature]] [[Category:Music & Theater]] [[Category:Plays by Ledaal Shinjo]] |
Latest revision as of 20:23, 18 February 2020
Merchant of Varang is a short, comedic Realm play written by Ledaal Shinjo presenting musings and thoughts on the nature of men and women under restrictive caste structures.
Location
The story takes place in the the city state of Kriss, member of the league of Varang city-states, in a modern time period. Anyone intimately familiar with Life Amongst the Varang will recognize references to the dress and courtly customs of the Varangi lifted from the prose, and the script contains notes on costuming to match illustrations from that travel guide.
Plot
Merchant ostensibly is about a man of the Vardhaki architect-caste who has squandered the wealth of his line. He enlists an associate of the shipping-merchant-caste of Marakkars to help finance the dowry to his marriage, eventually settling on a scheme to borrow from a hated moneylender. The Vanika caste bankers are looked down upon for sharing the destiny of beggars, and only a few castes are allowed to speak to them directly; the Vardhaki is not one of them, and needs his friend to intercede on his behalf. The negotiation goes poorly if comedically, and the moneylender forgoes usurious fees in exchange for a promise of a pound of flesh if they renege on the contract to return his loan.
The middle of the play concerns the courtship of the Vardhaki's intended and other events. Minor characters abound, including a matchmaker of the Kundazin smitten with a dancer from a caste he cannot marry, a bodyguard who whistles tunes badly, and so forth. Although the architect's marriage is secured a storm purports to have destroyed the merchant's fleet of trading vessels. For his insults the moneylender takes him before the courts to demand the honoring of their contract.
The final act is a long single scene in court before the Pandit of Kriss. As all of the barristers have been bribed not to take the case, the architect's wife disguises herself as one and takes her husband's defense. The moneylender is victorious in convincing the ruling Pandit of his case, but the wife uses the precise wording of the contract to place him in an impossible situation; he has right to the architect's flesh but not his blood, and spilling even a drop would be a great transgression. Trapped by his own words, the moneylender is forced to forfeit his claim.
Themes
Recurring throughout the play is a refrain from near every individual straining against the bonds of their destined caste, often played for humour. The moneylender is wealthy beyond tradition for his caste and angered at the justified scorn from his betters; the matchmaker wishes for love for himself when it is his duty to only find it for others; the architect is more concerned with the politics of his match than his designs for the Temple; the wife surprises with her knowledge of law; and so on. All are shown as being competent at their ordained tasks yet they all yearn for the life of another caste.
