This blog is a response of my classroom activity about post structuralism in paper of criticism
Here is an activity : http://dilipbarad.blogspot.in/2015/03/deconstruction-and-derrida.html
● My interpretation of Deconstruction:
Deconstruction could not be understood by anyone properly because Darrida himself denies to define it. Darrida strongly believe that to define something is to make boundaries around it. Deconstruction can be taken as a process of inquiring the origin and construction of the text. Deconstruction do not destroy the construction of any text but questions it's 'origin of origin', so one can get the idea of the existence of that text.
Deconstruction gives an idea of free play of words and not believe in dictionary meaning, as dictionary gives only another word for one word.
Deconstruction as a process happens to its own, by reading the text or watching the movie our mind gets such symbols and signs and mind works on that, and when it feels or identifies something not appropriate it attacks the work with arguments and questions the problem. It is like blasting the text and what survive is the origin of text.
It is a theory which can be applied in many ways and one can only try to complete it, because it's a kind of a process which never ends, what you have deconstructed can be deconstruct by another person and it's never ending chain.
●As a post structuralist critic here is my interpretation of seven vows in Hindu marriage :
1) Groom:
You will offer me food and be helpful in every way. I will cherish you and provide welfare and happiness for you and our children.
Bride:
I am responsible for the home and all household responsibilities.
2) Groom:
Together we will protect our house and children.
Bride:
I will be by your side as your courage and strength. I will rejoice in your happiness. In return, you will love me solely.
3) Groom:
May we grow wealthy and prosperous and strive for the education of our children. May our children live long.
Bride:
I will love you solely for the rest of my life, as you are my husband. Every other man in my life will be secondary. I vow to remain chaste.
4) Groom:
You have brought sacredness into my life, and have completed me. May we be blessed with noble and obedient children.
Bride:
I will shower you with joy, from head to toe. I will strive to please you in every way I can.
5) Groom: You are my best friend, and staunchest well-wisher. You have come into my life, enriching it. God bless you.
Bride:
I promise to love and cherish you for as long as I live. Your happiness is my happiness, and your sorrow is my sorrow. I will trust and honor you, and will strive to fulfill all your wishes.
6) Groom:
May you be filled with joy and peace.
Bride:
I will always be by your side.
7) Groom:
We are now husband and wife, and are one. You are mine and I am yours for eternity.
Bride:
As God is witness, I am now your wife. We will love, honor and cherish each other forever.
All the seven vows are as old as the concept of marriage. But it has not followed truly from the ancient time as we have an example of our mythological characters, which mostly concidered as perfect 'man' Lord Rama in "Ramayana" and Lord Krishna in "Mahabharata" but on the other side Sita and Rukmani has followed it well. But now, in modern time women are aware of their importance and role in society. so one can deconstruct these rules of marriage system.
1. As post structuralist critic first tries to take text differently, these seven vows are clearly suggests the idea of patriarchy. As man is first and most of important work and power in society is on the side of man and what woman have to do is keeping her husband happy.
2. Secondly the critic finds the similar words for interpretation. As in first four vows by groom he has mentioned children as the most important part of marriage. in vows such statement like "I will always be your side" and "love solely" has repeated twice by the side of wife and it suggests that the trust that should be in the concept of marriage is not there. And bride is repeatedly convincing her groom that she will make him happy in every sense she could as long as she is alive.
3. There is not such equality in the vows of bride and groom. As groom is privileged over bride to do the things on his perception while bride has to think about only her groom first. It has not unity.
4. In the third vow of bride she clearly says that every man for her is secondary, this can be problematic as her family members has not such values as she have to give to his husband and the problem is that, the same vow has not taken by man. The other thing is she Vow to remain chaste, as she should be virginal and what about husband ? That is the question. A word "remain chaste" has multiplicity of meaning.
5. In very first vow one can feel the conditional satement that if you provide me happiness I will will cherish you and provide welfare. Same in first four vows about children suggests that from very ancient time for woman marriage is all about having children and household responsibility and take his husband as God(a hypothesis).
I would like to conclude by saying that all vows have very cultural and religious view but it has very bad depiction of women, the vows has put limits to the role and capabilities of her.
Thank you.
● My interpretation of Deconstruction:
Deconstruction could not be understood by anyone properly because Darrida himself denies to define it. Darrida strongly believe that to define something is to make boundaries around it. Deconstruction can be taken as a process of inquiring the origin and construction of the text. Deconstruction do not destroy the construction of any text but questions it's 'origin of origin', so one can get the idea of the existence of that text.
Deconstruction gives an idea of free play of words and not believe in dictionary meaning, as dictionary gives only another word for one word.
Deconstruction as a process happens to its own, by reading the text or watching the movie our mind gets such symbols and signs and mind works on that, and when it feels or identifies something not appropriate it attacks the work with arguments and questions the problem. It is like blasting the text and what survive is the origin of text.
It is a theory which can be applied in many ways and one can only try to complete it, because it's a kind of a process which never ends, what you have deconstructed can be deconstruct by another person and it's never ending chain.
●As a post structuralist critic here is my interpretation of seven vows in Hindu marriage :
The Seven Vows:
1) Groom:
You will offer me food and be helpful in every way. I will cherish you and provide welfare and happiness for you and our children.
Bride:
I am responsible for the home and all household responsibilities.
2) Groom:
Together we will protect our house and children.
Bride:
I will be by your side as your courage and strength. I will rejoice in your happiness. In return, you will love me solely.
3) Groom:
May we grow wealthy and prosperous and strive for the education of our children. May our children live long.
Bride:
I will love you solely for the rest of my life, as you are my husband. Every other man in my life will be secondary. I vow to remain chaste.
4) Groom:
You have brought sacredness into my life, and have completed me. May we be blessed with noble and obedient children.
Bride:
I will shower you with joy, from head to toe. I will strive to please you in every way I can.
5) Groom: You are my best friend, and staunchest well-wisher. You have come into my life, enriching it. God bless you.
Bride:
I promise to love and cherish you for as long as I live. Your happiness is my happiness, and your sorrow is my sorrow. I will trust and honor you, and will strive to fulfill all your wishes.
6) Groom:
May you be filled with joy and peace.
Bride:
I will always be by your side.
7) Groom:
We are now husband and wife, and are one. You are mine and I am yours for eternity.
Bride:
As God is witness, I am now your wife. We will love, honor and cherish each other forever.
All the seven vows are as old as the concept of marriage. But it has not followed truly from the ancient time as we have an example of our mythological characters, which mostly concidered as perfect 'man' Lord Rama in "Ramayana" and Lord Krishna in "Mahabharata" but on the other side Sita and Rukmani has followed it well. But now, in modern time women are aware of their importance and role in society. so one can deconstruct these rules of marriage system.
1. As post structuralist critic first tries to take text differently, these seven vows are clearly suggests the idea of patriarchy. As man is first and most of important work and power in society is on the side of man and what woman have to do is keeping her husband happy.
2. Secondly the critic finds the similar words for interpretation. As in first four vows by groom he has mentioned children as the most important part of marriage. in vows such statement like "I will always be your side" and "love solely" has repeated twice by the side of wife and it suggests that the trust that should be in the concept of marriage is not there. And bride is repeatedly convincing her groom that she will make him happy in every sense she could as long as she is alive.
3. There is not such equality in the vows of bride and groom. As groom is privileged over bride to do the things on his perception while bride has to think about only her groom first. It has not unity.
4. In the third vow of bride she clearly says that every man for her is secondary, this can be problematic as her family members has not such values as she have to give to his husband and the problem is that, the same vow has not taken by man. The other thing is she Vow to remain chaste, as she should be virginal and what about husband ? That is the question. A word "remain chaste" has multiplicity of meaning.
5. In very first vow one can feel the conditional satement that if you provide me happiness I will will cherish you and provide welfare. Same in first four vows about children suggests that from very ancient time for woman marriage is all about having children and household responsibility and take his husband as God(a hypothesis).
I would like to conclude by saying that all vows have very cultural and religious view but it has very bad depiction of women, the vows has put limits to the role and capabilities of her.
Thank you.
