Amadeus: The Hindu shows its “ability” once again
Chennai Metroplus Theatre Festival is happening. And for obvious reasons, The Hindu has been giving a lot of print space for news items related to it. There was a write-up today on Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus. Or rather, the version of Amadeus which will be screened shortly in Chennai. I know I am not exactly “qualified” to comment, but even by my standards, it was a bad write-up for a play of that magnitude. But if that article did any good, I visited the Hindu website and found a link to Amadeus.
This is what The Hindu Metro Plus has to say on the play: (Am not sure who wrote the synopsis, but seeing as it has been featured in the Hindu, the paper takes responsibility for the content)
Peter Shaffer’s psychological drama “Amadeus” has aroused controversy, ever since its first performance in London. The play deals with the life and times of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Salieri, a Viennese court composer. It probes profound, sometimes disturbing, themes that transcend the personalities of both Mozart and Salieri.
The drama starts with a confession of murder and goes on to explain the action. Although the title suggests Mozart is the protagonist, it is Salieri and not the great composer who occupies centre stage and whose mind we are invited to enter. The dramatic situation is that of a deathbed confession.
In the play, Salieri is the narrator who, at the same time, recounts his own story. We see the action on stage only through his eyes, often clouded with envy, hate and pain. He begins with an invocation and begs the audience to be his confessors.
The words seemed too familiar to me. After all, why shouldn’t it? Now read this analysis of Amadeus written sometime around 1998. For the benefit of people who do not have access to view pdf files, here are excerpts from it:
“Peter Shaffer’s psychological drama “Amadeus” has aroused controversy, ever since its first performance on 2 November, 1979 at National Theatre in London.” (page 3)
“Amadeus probes profound, sometimes disturbing, themes that transcend the personalities of both Mozart and Salieri. It is a play of ideas, in which Shaffer touches upon aspects of psychology,sociology, theology and musicology.” (page 6)
“The drama starts with a confession of murder and then goes on to explain the why and wherefore of this action. “ (page 10)
“Although the title suggests Mozart is the protagonist, it is Salieri and not Mozart who occupies centre stage and whose mind we are invited to enter. The dramatic situation is that of a deathbed confession” (page 10)
“In the play, Salieri is the narrator who, at the same time, recounts his own story. He is at no time objective and we see the action on stage only through his eyes, often clouded with envy, hate and pain. He starts with an invocation and begs the audience to be his confessors” (page 10)
It is perfectly OK to copy-paste an excerpt from a previously published work in the event of inability to write your own synopsis. But while you are at it, shouldn’t there be a link to the previously published work there saying it was borrowed? Ah well, “the secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources” (Einstein)
Update (posted at Aug 17, 2006) I had a word with Shonali who wrote the article linked above. The issue’s settled. Closed.
The content and the language of the Hindu and its sharpness offlate have taken a beating. I just hope they don’t become a Pg. 3 paper like the Times of India.
If you read The Hindu, then you are either a communist or preparing for GRE :)
iru – why would you read Hindu for GRE? athukkuthaan munnadi enga kalathle ellam dictionary nnu onnu irunthuthu…ippo ellam athuu vikkarthu illaya?
And kid, it happens.(No Winston Groom was not the only one who thought of it.)
Nilu,
There are some adhi medhavis’s who claim that Hindu helped them in GRE preparation :P
Ferrari, The Hindu helped me. I got 430/800 ;)!
Nilu, Ferrari: Naan GRE ellam eppavo ezhudhi mudichachu. And yes, it was of great help. Avanga editorials ellam padichadhukku approm the Analytical Writing Section of GRE was a piece of cake.
“If you read The Hindu, then you are either a communist or preparing for GRE :)”
Or there can be “oldies” in the house who wouldn’t buy other paper.
The Hindu has been plagiarsing shit for decades. The perisus who subscribe don’t know the difference. It’s a wankfest of linguaphiles.
Kingsley: If only “perisus” know what plagiarism means.
krithiga, did you try to send this to their readers editor?
I have noticed a few times earlier when some one had mentioned about copying earlier, the Reader’s Editor did respond back with his answers and sort of apology!
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/opinion/200608/kt2006081319210054070.htm
Undesirable Rehash of Article
Dear Mr. Gautaman,
I read your article about the Yasukuni Shrine in The Korea Times. Your article seems to be very educative.
I was very impressed by your piece. But then I found that you have basically copied 60 percent of your old article published in the Hindu four years before. I feel that you should apologize to the readers of The Korea Times for your behavior and should not do this kind of cheap behavior in the future. Here is a link to the article published in an Indian paper The Hindu h t t p : / / w w w . h a r t f o r d – hwp.com/archives/55a/570.htm.
Park Myung-cha
Seoul
08-13-2006 19:21
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/opinion/200608/kt2006081619403454070.htm
More Exchanges on Rehashed Article
Dear Ms. Park,
What I wrote in The Hindu four years ago was a 300-word piece. What I have now written in The Korea Times is 1100-word article.
What is common is about 200 words, and these talk about pure facts. Admittedly, the words used to describe these facts are similar in both the stories.
But the writer is one and the same, but the readership is ENTIRELY DIFFERENT, also separated by a long gap of four years.
I do not feel that there could be anything wrong in reproducing a small part of the article after four years, as this is allowed even in the same newspaper. And, I was only reproducing it in a different newspaper and in a different country.
What is most important is that I have used facts to only build an argument: Koizumi should not visit Yasukuni. This argument forms the major part of my article, and not the reproduced portion, which, I am sure, has appeared in many, many other publications all over the world. Sometimes, I have seen my own words being reproduced.
I do hope you understand this. But I am happy you read The Hindu or did you see it on the web?
Gautaman Bhaskaran
* * *
Dear Mr. Bhaskaran,
I feel it’s a weak argument that you can fit one article of yours word by word to write another longer article. Moreover, if you think that the copied portion talks only about pure facts, then I am surprised that could you just not write those facts again in different words. If you were unable to do so and just copied the previous one, there is a doubt on your journalistic credentials. I can think about consequences in India, if a `senior journalist’ does like this.
Now coming back to another point, that you can produce the same article to entirely different readership. I agree with you that you can do that since it is your piece of writing. However, I consider it cheating if you don’t inform the readers about the issue of reproduction. I feel that you have taken the benefit of this `entirely different readership’ to get one article published twice without informing readers.
Now if you say that it is allowed in newspapers to copy your 200 words to another piece. I challenge you to find another 200 words that are being copied and published in The Hindu, your own newspaper. If you cannot find out in two days, I am going to write a letter to The Hindu Editor. I am very perturbed that people like you do not accept the fact that you did something wrong. I did not get a single word that sounds like you are sorry for your behavior.
I Hoped that you would be more honest.
Park Myung-cha
08-16-2006 19:40
What did Muthalaly have to say for herself? She’s related to N.Ram’s wife, which is why she’s even in The Hindu.