Arrow, 9x9, purple An evening with William Radice
THE POEM OF THE KILLING OF MEGHNAD
A bilingual, dramatized reading of Book VI of Meghnadbadh kabya by Michael Madhusudan Dutt
Translated and read by William Radice
Extracts from the Bengali original read and musical accompaniment by Sydur Rahman Lipon, Shormymala and Delwar Hossain Dilu
Devised and directed by Mukul Ahmed
On Thursday, 23 February 2012 at 6pm at British Council, 5 Fuller Road, Dhaka-1000
Please register your name if you would like to join the session : nahid.idris@britishcouncil.org
2011 was the centenary of the publication in 1861 of Meghnadbadh kabya, Michael Madhusudan Dutt’s masterpiece, and one of the great classics not only of Bengali literature but epic poetry worldwide. In November 2010, Penguin India published William Radice’s translation of the epic, with a long Introduction and extensive notes on Madhusudan’s use of sources both Eastern and Western. Book VI is the climax of the epic, describing the dastardly, sacrilegious slaying by Lakshman, assisted by the traitor Vibhishan, of Ravan’s son Meghnad, defenceless as he performs a pooja to Agni before entering the battle again. Madhusudan’s subversive interpretation of the Ramayana story, with Meghnad portrayed as a tragic hero, and ‘Ram and his rabble’ bringing Lanka and the Rakshasas to their downfall like Troy destroyed by the Greeks, has lost nothing of its power to shock.
This is the first time that William Radice has read out his new translation extensively in public, and the programme will be a unique opportunity to hear Madhusudan’s magnficent poetry given new life and meaning for the 21st century by a poet-translator at the height of his powers.
“Radice is a linguist and a poet. I consider, of all the translators, Radice to be the greatest. He doesn’t only translate the contextual meaning of a passage, rather he has expertly merged the meaning of the Bangla language into English composition. In his Introduction to the Killing of Hector, Michael also talked about this kind of translation…..by reading Radice’s translation of Meghnadbadh kabya, the English speaking community will recognise that although Michael Madhusudan Dutt was a Bengali poet born in Bengal, his outlook was universal.”- Ghulam Murshid, from a review published in Prothom Alo entitled “Radice’s gift to Michael”.
William Radice:
William Radice was born in 1951 and has pursued a double career as a poet and as a scholar and translator of Bengali. Well known for his translations of the poems and stories of Tagore, he has also published nine books of his own poems. He taught Bengali language and literature at SOAS, University of London from 1988 to 2011, and from 1999 to 2002 was Head of the Departments of South and South East Asia. He remains linked to SOAS as a Research Associate. His literary work in recent years has included opera libretti, and his many books include Myths and Legends of India, Teach Yourself Bengali and A Hundred Letters from England. In November 2010 Penguin India published The Poem of the Killing of Meghnad, his translation of Michael Madhusudan Dutt’s Meghnadbadh kabya. In May 2011 they published his new translation of Tagore’s Gitanjali. He has lectured widely in Europe, North America and South Asia, and has been given prizes and honours in both India and Bangladesh. More information at www.williamradice.com
Mukul Ahmed:
Mukul Ahmed is a London based theatre director. He directs both classics and new writings.
Most recently directed a bi-lingual Romeo and Juliet.
Mukul believes that theatre is the alternative democracy in a society and that it’s not a commodity. It allows us to raise questions, protest and provoke - all signs of a functional democratic society. He also believes that innovative theatre supported by the community helps us to understand our responsibilities.
‘Mukul Ahmed's lively and fast-paced version of Romeo and Juliet, which is performed in a mixture of English and Bengali, but in so cunning a fashion you barely notice the joins’. Guardian
Arrow, 9x9, purple RESOURCE CENTRE EVENTS
New books at Resource Centre
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Arrow, 9x9, purple VISITS BY UK INSTITUTES TO BANGLADESH
Queen Mary Scholarship
The School of Law has recently announced a number of scholarships for postgraduate studies (LLM and MSc programmes). These are a combination of full tuition fee waivers and partial bursaries. Details are available on this web link: http://www.law.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding/index.html
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Arrow, 9x9, purple University of London, SOAS
Part of the internationally recognised University of London, SOAS is the only university in the UK specialising in the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. SOAS offers over 350 undergraduate degree combinations and over 100 Masters programmes in subjects such as Law, Politics & International Studies, Economics, International Management, Humanities and Languages. All subjects have a distinctive regional focus and global relevance, taught by a world renowned and specialist faculty. SOAS also has one of the UK's leading foundation and English language departments.
With excellent resources and a student body representing over 130 countries around the world, SOAS is an exceptionally cosmopolitan, diverse and vibrant place to study, right in the heart of London.
Claire Rowlinson, International Officer at SOAS will be visiting British Council Dhaka for Student Counselling on Friday 17th February 1pm-5pm.
For further information, please contact one of our following British Council offices:
British Council Dhaka
5 Fuller Road
Dhaka 1000
Tel: 8618905
E-mail: dhaka.enquiries@bd.britishcouncil.org
British Council Teaching Centre
754b Satmasjid Road, Dhanmondi,
Dhaka 1205
Tel: 911 6171, 911 6545
E-mail: learnenglish@bd.britishcouncil.org
British Council Chittagong
77/A East Nasirabad (Behind Chittagong Shopping Complex)
Tel: (031) 657884-6
E-mail: chittagong.enquiries@bd.britishcouncil.org
British Council Project Office
English Language and School Support
Al-Hamra Shopping City(6th floor)
Zinda Bazar, Sylhet
Tel: (821) 814925
E-mail: sylhet.enquiries@bcsylhet.org
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