Satirical Realism and Classical Dramatic Structure: A Dual-Framework Analysis of Shrilal Shukla's Raag Darbari

This paper argues that Shrilal Shukla's Raag Darbari (1968) represents a uniquely Indian literary form—a "postcolonial satirical tragedy"—that successfully combines realistic social analysis with a classical dramatic structure. By examining the novel through the complementary lenses of Indian literary realism and Aristotelian dramatic theory, we can understand how it achieves both potent political critique and sophisticated literary artistry. The novel functions simultaneously as social documentation, offering a satirical exposure of the rural corruption and failing moral values that characterized the post-Independence era, and as an aesthetic artifact that employs classical principles to create structural coherence. As a work of Indian realism, Raag Darbari critiques the collapse of nationalist idealism and the disintegration of the Nehruvian vision. Through its protagonist, Rangnath—an educated urbanite whose idyllic vision is crushed by harsh reality—the novel captures the helplessness of the individual facing a corrupt system. Concurrently, the narrative adheres to an Aristotelian framework. Rangnath's journey mirrors that of a tragic hero, culminating in a moment of anagnorisis: a critical discovery of his own powerlessness. The novel skillfully modifies Aristotelian principles, substituting tragic pity with a "satirical catharsis" achieved through bitter laughter. This application of a Western framework to a postcolonial text creates what Homi Bhabha terms a "third space," where different traditions creatively synthesize. Ultimately, this dual approach enables Shukla to bear witness to a collective crisis while achieving aesthetic sophistication, making Raag Darbari a cornerstone work of postcolonial satirical realism.