Theme of Anti-essentialism in Tom Stoppard'sIndian Ink

Abstract

This present work is an analysis of Tom Stoppard'sIndian Inkthrough the perspective of anti-essential cultural identities. This work basically focuses on the representation of British and Indian characters inthe play and concentrates on the changing or shifting nature of their cultural identities in different time and contexts. Hence, the study analyses the changes in the articulation of these identities and relationships both in colonial and post-colonial periods.The observation of the development of these characters from the first scene to the last scene of the play gives the audience a vital significance that they cannot be defined in the particular features or qualities that we ascribe to a particular cultural identity. The present study, thus, attempts to argue that the playIndian Inkis based on the theme of anti-essentialism by putting question mark on the essentialist aspect of cultural identity of the characters presented in the play.