Class and Caste Conflicts and the Subaltern Voice: Reading Karna in T.P. Kailasam’s The Curse

 

Hello Everyone !

This Blog is a part of Thinking Activity assigned by Megha Trivedi Ma'am, on text 'The curse or karna' by T. P. Kailasam, so in this we will going to discuss two question and here the first is, 

Write a critical note on the class conflict and caste conflict in The Curse.

Introduction :

T.P. Kailasam’s The Curse dramatizes the tragic life of Karna, one of the most complex figures of the Mahabharata. Unlike Vyasa’s epic where Karna’s glory is overshadowed by his defeat, Kailasam reshapes the narrative to foreground Karna as a tragic hero caught between fate, caste prejudice, and class power structures. The play exposes not just the mythological struggle of Karna but also the social hierarchies of caste and class oppression in Indian society. Through Karna’s humiliation and his exclusion from power and recognition, Kailasam presents a sharp critique of a society where birth, not merit, dictates destiny.

1. The Curse as a Symbol of Caste Prejudice

• The title itself, The Curse, refers to Karna’s lifelong battle with fate and rejection.

• Though gifted with immense skill, Karna is denied recognition as a true kshatriya because of his supposed birth as a suta-putra (son of a charioteer).

• His abilities are cursed by social prejudice: society refuses to see him beyond his birth identity.

• The Brahmin Parashurama curses him when Karna’s identity as a charioteer’s son is revealed—showing how caste lines dictate not just social but even spiritual recognition.

2. Class Conflict: The Royal vs. the Marginalized

• In the royal assembly, Karna challenges the Pandavas in archery, but his right to compete is rejected due to his “low birth.”

• Class hierarchy in the Kuru court functions as an exclusionary mechanism: the royals and nobility monopolize opportunities, while Karna, despite his skill, is left as an outsider.

• Duryodhana’s decision to crown Karna as King of Anga symbolizes rebellion against this rigid class order. Yet, this act is seen as a political manipulation rather than genuine recognition of talent.

3. Karna’s Alienation: Merit vs. Birth

• Karna embodies the contradiction between individual merit and social recognition.

• Though his abilities equal or even surpass Arjuna’s, the ruling class disallows his participation in contests of skill.

• Kailasam uses this alienation to critique Indian society’s historical tendency to suppress merit in favor of inherited privilege.

• Karna becomes a metaphor for all marginalized individuals denied progress due to social and caste restrictions.

4. The Role of Caste in Karna’s Downfall

• Caste prejudice is the root of Karna’s humiliation and eventual downfall.

• Draupadi’s rejection of Karna during the swayamvara (“I will not wed a charioteer’s son”) is the most visible instance of caste-based insult.

• His desire for legitimacy and recognition forces him into allegiance with Duryodhana, who alone gives him acceptance, though for selfish reasons.

• Thus, caste determines both his social exclusion and political alignment.

5. Class Conflict as Political Tool

• Duryodhana uses Karna’s exclusion to question the Pandavas’ monopoly on virtue and kingship.

• Karna becomes a political pawn in the larger conflict between the Kauravas and Pandavas.

• His marginalized identity is exploited for class rivalry, showing how ruling classes manipulate caste divisions for their own gain.

• Kailasam thus critiques not only caste-based exclusion but also the instrumental use of class conflict in sustaining power.

6. Universal Relevance of Caste and Class Conflict

• The play does not remain bound to mythology—it mirrors contemporary Indian society under colonial and postcolonial realities.

• Kailasam exposes the deep wounds of caste discrimination, reminding the audience that even a man as great as Karna is denied dignity.

• It resonates with modern struggles against caste and class inequality, making the play both historical and timeless.

And through this video you can get more information:

Conclusion

In The Curse, T.P. Kailasam portrays Karna not merely as a tragic hero but as the embodiment of caste and class conflict in Indian society. His skills and virtues are consistently overshadowed by social prejudice and systemic exclusion. While the royal class uses caste to maintain its privileges, Karna’s struggle becomes a symbol of merit crushed under birth-based hierarchies. The play thus stands as both a mythic tragedy and a social critique, reflecting the injustices of caste and class that continue to haunt Indian society

Karna – The Voice of the Subaltern

Introduction :

In postcolonial studies, the concept of the subaltern has become central to understanding voices silenced by history, caste, and class. Popularized by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak and the Subaltern Studies collective, the subaltern refers to those excluded from the structures of power, representation, and agency. Spivak’s provocative question—“Can the Subaltern Speak?”—suggests that marginalized groups often lack access to platforms of speech and are instead spoken for, co-opted, or erased. T.P. Kailasam’s play The Curse or Karna reimagines the tragic Mahābhārata hero as precisely such a figure: a warrior of unmatched ability whose greatness is consistently denied recognition because of his socially perceived low birth. By reshaping Karna’s mythic story, Kailasam positions him as the voice of the subaltern—a character who articulates, through silence, dignity, and suffering, the pain of those marginalized by caste and class structures.

Critical Analysis

1. Who is the Subaltern?

The term subaltern broadly designates groups excluded from hegemonic power—political, cultural, and social. Karna fits this category with striking precision. Born to Kunti and the Sun god, but abandoned at birth and raised by a charioteer’s family, Karna’s social identity is forever marked by stigma: suta-putra. His heroism, martial skill, and generosity could have made him one of the most celebrated figures of his time, yet his identity condemns him to the margins. Kailasam dramatizes this subalternity by repeatedly showing Karna in positions of humiliation and rejection—whether at the royal tournament where he is denied the right to compete or at Draupadi’s swayamvara where his very presence is deemed unworthy. Thus, Karna is not only marginalized by individuals but systematically excluded from the power structures of his society.

2. Birth and Social Marginalization

Karna’s life begins with an act of concealment: Kunti’s abandonment of her newborn son. This initial deception creates an identity that becomes a prison. Instead of being recognized as a prince, he grows up as a charioteer’s child, internalizing both the pride of his talents and the shame of social exclusion. Kailasam’s The Curse makes this irony central: Karna’s real royal bloodline is known only to a few, while society judges him by the surface of caste. The rejection at the royal tournament illustrates how birth alone decides access to power, while merit and skill are ignored. His tragedy, therefore, is not personal failure but structural marginalization—a fate shared by many who are born outside the dominant social order.

3. Denial of Voice and Representation

One of the defining features of subalternity is the denial of voice. Karna speaks often and eloquently—defending his right to compete, challenging Arjuna, affirming his worth. Yet his words are dismissed, not for lack of logic, but because of who he is. Draupadi’s rejection during her swayamvara is not directed at Karna’s character but at his social label as a suta-putra. Here, Spivak’s insight resonates: “The subaltern cannot speak”—for even when the subaltern speaks, the hegemonic structures erase, delegitimize, or distort that voice. In Kailasam’s play, Karna’s arguments for equality and dignity fall on deaf ears, reinforcing the reality that speech without recognition is no speech at all.

4. Dependency on Patronage

Another hallmark of subaltern existence is dependency on elite patronage. Karna’s life is defined by his relationship with Duryodhana, who crowns him King of Anga. On the surface, this appears as empowerment, but Kailasam reveals its hollowness: Karna’s status is contingent, granted as a political strategy rather than as acknowledgment of his worth. This dependency underlines how marginalized voices are often absorbed by ruling elites for their own agendas. Karna, despite becoming king, remains outside the circle of true legitimacy; he is always “Duryodhana’s Karna,” not Karna the self-made hero. His subalternity thus persists even in apparent power, showing how systemic exclusion operates beneath the façade of patronage.

5. Subaltern as Tragic Hero

What distinguishes Karna from other marginalized figures is his tragic self-awareness. He knows that he is denied justice not because of lack of merit but because of his birth. Kailasam makes this consciousness his defining trait: Karna recognizes the injustice but also the impossibility of escaping it. When Kunti reveals his true identity, Karna refuses to abandon Duryodhana. This refusal is not merely loyalty; it reflects the psychological burden of subalternity. He has lived so long in marginality that reintegration into elite society feels impossible. His tragedy lies in this double bind: he belongs neither fully to the marginalized nor to the elite, trapped in a liminal space that defines his existence.

6. Karna as Metaphor for the Oppressed

Karna’s story, particularly in Kailasam’s rendering, becomes a metaphor for the oppressed in Indian society. He embodies the plight of Dalits and other marginalized communities denied dignity and opportunity because of birth. By dramatizing his repeated exclusions, Kailasam critiques caste-based hierarchies and speaks to the broader social injustices of modern India. Karna becomes not only a mythic character but a symbol of all those whose merit is suppressed by systemic structures of inequality. His suffering resonates as collective suffering, transforming his voice into a universal articulation of resistance.

7. Karna’s Silent Protest

Despite being silenced, Karna refuses to surrender his dignity. His loyalty, generosity, and unwavering sense of self become his protest. Even when stripped of recognition, he maintains his identity and continues to fight with courage. This silence—refusing to renounce his marginal identity, refusing to betray his benefactor, and refusing to abandon his code of honour—becomes his form of rebellion. In Spivak’s terms, the subaltern cannot “speak” in dominant discourse, but Karna speaks through his dignified silence and moral endurance. His tragedy lies in being unheard, but his greatness lies in turning silence into resistance.

Conclusion :

T.P. Kailasam’s The Curse reframes Karna as more than a mythological warrior: he becomes the voice of the subaltern, embodying the pain, dignity, and silencing of marginalized identities. His birth denies him legitimacy, his merit is ignored, and his voice is erased by caste and class hierarchies. Yet through endurance, loyalty, and stoic silence, Karna emerges as a tragic figure whose suffering resonates far beyond mythology. He becomes a metaphor for all oppressed groups who struggle for recognition but are denied agency by systemic structures of power. In Karna’s tragedy, Kailasam inscribes a timeless question central to subaltern studies: Can the subaltern ever truly speak, or will their voice always be cursed into silence

References :

    Chattopadhyay, S., & Sarkar, B. (2005). Introduction: The subaltern and the popular. Postcolonial Studies, 8(4), 357–363. https://doi.org/10.1080/13688790500375066

    The Divine Tales. (2021, October 17). क्यों था कर्ण महाभारत युद्ध का सबसे ज्यादा छला गया पात्र? | Deceptions in the Life of Karna [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved October 4, 2025, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8k9eYfggZY