Hard Times: For These Time by Charles Dickens

 Hello readers,

This blog task is a part of Thinking activity task of Hard Times by Charles Dickens. 

Teacher's Blog

You can refer this blog for background reading. In this blog I am going to reflect my understanding of the Hindi play adaptation of the Hard Times directed by Kiran Deep Sharma. Moreover, comparative analysis of Hard Times and Tamasha is explored in it.

1) Review of the Hindi play based on 'Hard Times' 

Hard Times is a novel written by Charles Dickens during the Victorian Era. It was first published in serial form under the title “Hard Times: For These Times” in the periodical “Household Words” during 1854. The novel is a bitter indictment of industrialization, with its dehumanizing effects on workers and communities in mid-19th-century England.

Direction and costume design:- - Kiran Deep Sharma

Adaptation and editing - V.K. Sharma, Kiran Deep Sharma Lyrics V.K. Sharma

Music direction - Kashish Sharma

Voice training and flute - Esra Seher Jung

Cast:-

• Aarti Vasan - Jane and Josephine
• Aakash Hingorani - Josiah Bounderby, clown
• Abhishekh - Childers, Jupe, doctor. Chitra clown, Mrs. Pegler -
• Isha Mrs. Gradgrind, Mrs. Sparsit -
• Jyotsana - Louisa
• Kajori - Rachel
• KiranDeep Sharma - singer
• Kunal - Tom, clown
• Lakshya Goel - Stephen, narrator, stuntman Prakash Mr. Sleary, James Harthouse.
• Pulkit - butler, clown
• Santosh - Dilkhush, circus crowd
• Saif Bitzer, stuntman Sajid Anwer Mr. Choakumchild, Kidder, Stephen's wife
• Shubham - Sissy
• Sudipto Banerjee - Mr. Gradgrind
• V.K. Sharma - narrator
• ( This information is taken from discription of video)

This is play whereas Dickens writes novel,  so it is interesting to watch play adaptation of novel. 

Indian Dramatilogy has elements of Sutradhar and Nat, who introduced events and connect audience with the performance. In the play there is also Sutradhar even they introduced chorus. They very well connected idea of Horse and Imagination in it. Initially Sutradhar says about the novels to the audience and Nat. In the initial conversation, both talk about the story and fiction.

To reply to his question about the moral element of the story, Sutradhar says that each story teaches us something, but if the aim of the story is not to teach, our imagination lets us pick good things from it. In the same part Nat admits that he hasn't read the novel as he is only concerned with his dialogues. (Comic relief )  

The first line of the Novel is,

"Now what I want is facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but facts."

By this line central idea of the novel explained well. The novel is set in Coketown and there are so many scenes like street, factory, home, Forest, but as we all know the play is performed on the stage. The other change is that there are songs in the beginning, middle and at the end. By this song we come to know about the narration which we have in the novel.

The play also has three parts like novels.

1. Sowing
2. Reaping
3. Garnering

Starting and the end of the poem contains songs which describe narration very well. 

Importance of Point of View:  Dickens and Director used limited omniscient voice for putting hanger and making play intresting. It's tone is like wry mocking and sugar coated peels, audience first had laugh and then realised the satire. 

Song of the play : 

This presents the reality of industrial and materialistic life. 

कमाल की कहानी यह हेतो बड़ी पुरानी जी।

पर गौर से जो देखेंगे तो साफ नजर आयेगी सच्चाई इसमें आजकी।

छू न जाए छाव अगर आप को ये आजाकी तो जो चाहे वो कहेना जी।

तो चार्ल्स डिकेन्स की तरह हम भी क्यों न करे कल्पना कॉकटाउन जैसे शहर की।

रंग जहां की नदी के निर्मल पानी का भी हो चुका ही बैंगनी,

ये मशीनी कारखानों का जमाना यूं समझो कि आज का है।

मैटेरियलिज्म पेर अपने अच्छी तरह जमा चुका है।

हर व्यापारी नेता को ये खेल समझ में आ चुका है।

आए हो इस दुनिया में तो कम करो कुछ ऐसा,

हाथो हाथ माल बीके, अच्छे खासे दाम मिले,

ताकि और ज्यादा हो मुनाफा।

Emotions, imagination या compassion से कभी, पेट किसका भरता है क्या?

इनके बदले डॉलर या फिर पाउंड किसी को मिलता है क्या?

इसीलिए तो नजर में इनकी करना और सहानुभूति या किसी से हमदर्दी चीजें हैं बेकार की?

पर गौर से जो देखेंगे तो साफ नजर आयेगी सच्चाई इसमें आजकी।

The final song is at the end of the play about the general outcome of the play.

अमीर हो गरीब हो चाहे, है आखिर इंसान।

बेल नही हम जो करे भाग भाग के काम, रात-दिन सुबह-शाम।

इसीलिए हम करे जगन, Tension थोड़ी हो कम।

कुछ तो मोज-मस्ती हो, या कोई ऐसा खेल-तमाशा।

सोच पुरानी बदले जो, नई सोच से करे शुरुआत।

किसकी है ये जिम्मेदारी, कौन करेगा 

कल्पना के घोड़े पर बैठे मिलकर साथ सब

दुनियाभर की सैर करे,

और दुसरो की गलतीओ से के सबक…

हर पेचीदा सवालों के जवाब ढूंढे हस्ते-हस्ते

ताकि सबकी जिंदगी में कुछ तो पड़े फरक।

2. Discuss the theme of 'Utilitarianism' with illustrations from the novel.

In ethical philosophy, utilitarianism is a family of normative ethical theories that prescribe actions that maximize happiness and well-being for all affected individuals. (Wikipedia)

"For whatsoever a man soweth, 

That shall he also rap."

(St. Paul) 

Looking at Hard Times, there is extreme utilitarianism and it leads to far-fetched nagativity. For example, Mr. Bounderby planed for his own profit and ease in doing business. Connecting it with present scenario, BSNL, Air India, and other companies are there for service not for profit. Similarly, in the novel exploitation of slave on the purpose of utilitarianism is there. 

Moreover, Characters like Thomas Gradgrind and Josiah Bounderby embody a strict utilitarian mindset, prioritizing facts and logic over emotions and imagination. At the end Dickens shows how imagination wins over Facts. 

3. Discuss the views of F.R. Leavis and J.B. Priestley on 'Hard Times'. With whom do you agree? Why?

J. B. Priestley criticizes Charles Dickens' novel "Hard Times" and argues that it has been praised by some for its alignment with certain political-economic ideologies. However, Priestley believes this praise is misguided and that "Hard Times" is one of Dickens' weakest works. He thinks that the novel's social and political commentary is unclear and that it falls short of the high literary standards set by Dickens in his later novels.

In Priestley's view, "Hard Times" contains exaggerated and melodramatic elements, with characters that come across as caricatures rather than fully developed individuals. While Dickens' unique poetic and grotesque style is evident in some places, it is not consistent throughout the novel. Priestley contends that Dickens lacked sufficient knowledge about industrial England to provide an accurate portrayal of it. His depiction of Coketown, an industrial setting in the novel, is seen as superficial and created for propagandistic purposes rather than as a result of a deep understanding of the region.

Overall, Priestley argues that "Hard Times" is not a masterpiece and should not be elevated solely because it supports certain viewpoints. He believes that Dickens' lack of familiarity with the subject matter and reliance on stereotypes and exaggerations weaken the novel's artistic and social critique.

I agree with J.B.Priestley because his counter arguments are well executed. On the other hand in Victorian times workers need voice and sympathy and Dickens gives him voice. So, in a way F.R. Leavis and J.B.Priestley both are right at their place.

4. Comparative study of 'Hard Times' and Hindi film 'Tamasha'.

"Tamasha" is a Bollywood film directed by Imtiaz Ali, while "Hard Times" is a novel by Charles Dickens. While these two works belong to different genres and time periods, there are some thematic and structural elements that can be compared.

Let us briefly take look at storyline.

Tamasha goes a step ahead, leaving behind these seminal questions to dwell on something even more significant: finding your true, inner self that has been lost to a robotic work life, to discover and embrace the clown lurking behind the automaton in you. In that sense.

The focus is on Ved, a product manager who needs to break free. Those around him, even family members, are rather inconsequential or are caricaturised (boss Vivek Mushran) and over-the-top (storyteller Piyush Mishra) or just shoved in as a pointless layer to the narrative (the singing auto driver). (Article)

 In "Tamasha" and "Hard Times" explore the theme of identity. In "Tamasha," the protagonist, played by Ranbir Kapoor, struggles to find his true self in a conformist society. In "Hard Times," characters like Louisa Gradgrind and Tom Gradgrind face identity crises due to their rigid upbringing and societal expectations. They are round character which develops with storyline.

Moreover, Dickens' "Hard Times" is a social critique of industrialized society and the dehumanizing effects of utilitarianism. "Tamasha" also critiques societal norms and the pressure to conform to them. Both works feature complex characters who undergo personal transformations. In "Tamasha," the protagonist evolves from a conformist corporate worker to someone who embraces his true passions. In "Hard Times," characters like Louisa and Sissy Jupe experience personal growth and change.

 "Tamasha" is set in contemporary times, primarily in urban environments. "Hard Times" is set in the 19th century in the fictional industrial town of Coketown. "Tamasha" is a visual and auditory medium with music and cinematography playing a vital role in storytelling. "Hard Times" is a written narrative that relies on Dickens' distinctive prose style to convey its themes and messages."Tamasha" is a product of contemporary Indian cinema and addresses modern societal issues, while "Hard Times" reflects the social and economic concerns of Victorian England.

Words : 1587

Images: 3

Video: 1 

Work Cited: 

Barad, Dilip. Hard Times: Charles Dickens, 1 Jan. 1970, blog.dilipbarad.com/2021/02/hard-times-charles-dickens.html. 

J. B. Priestley on Why Hard Times Is a Bad Novel, victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/priestley1.html. Accessed 8 Oct. 2023. 

“Tamasha Dwells on Finding the Inner Self.” The Hindu, 28 Nov. 2015, www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/tamasha-review-ponderous-and-protracted/article7923663.ece/amp/. 

“‘hard Times’ - a Musical Play in Hindi.” YouTube, 17 Aug. 2016, youtu.be/-Ts3XTdJ9_8?si=ah-WwTt9n5M5pnsD.