रत्नावली नाटिका (सम्राट हर्षवर्धन - शास्त्रीय नाटिका रत्न सम्पूर्ण ४ अङ्क सान्वय सटीक)

द्वितीयोऽङ्कः 219 dattá ( as seen in the Cupid-worship in Act I ), has now comp- letely changed ; his heart is now full of duplicity towards his old love for the sake of a new one to whom he has recently been introduced. This change is not at all sudden, but is gradually brought about through an aptly arranged collocation of different episodes and incidents. On the whole, every part of this Act has naturally developed itself from the corresponding incidents in Act I and nothing is here haphazardly done, or put forward as a patch-work for the mere justification of any stray incident. Everything is well-conceived, beautifully arran- ged and skilfully manipulated for the spontaneous develop- ment of the main action. The different characters have been gradually developed to show their individual peculiarities as contrasted with their mere delineation as in Act I. The character of Vásavadattá as developed in Act II, may be compared and contrasted with the characters of the two queens in Kálidása's Málavikágnimitra to which Shri Harsha is much indebted for his Ratnávali and Priyadarshiká. In Kálidásí's drama the chief Queen Dhárini is characterized for her grace, dignity and finally divine magnanimity despite the just cause for her jealousy and anger. But the second Queen Irávati is marked for her passionate impetuosity which leads her to constant eavesdropping and to an outbreak against the King forgetful of his rank and rights. In Ratnávali, Vásavadattá, on the other hand, is represented as a rather jealous though noble and kind-hearted lady whose love for her husband makes her resent too deeply his inconstancy. ──────