Invention and Reinvention of Reality: A Study of the Works of Mulk Raj Anand and Adward Albee

Anand's novels depict social, political and economic problems of early 20th century rural and urban India. He focuses on the untouchability, miseries, child labour, poverty, exploitation by landlords, dowry, and maladjustment in marriage, helplessness of women, class distinction, breaking of joint family system and caste system, which is an entirely indigenous phenomenon in our country but class system has universal dimensions. The play The Play about the Baby by Albee prove to be a step ahead in dealing with the concept of „Life-Lies‟. It unfolds the illusions in order to see the reality behind the blind-fold illusions. The play is about people as possessions, surrogate parents. The same persistency of lies as props can be seen in the theme of this play, but with a difference. Albee is focusing on the idea that “reality is created by our need for it” (qtd. in Gussow 389). Title of this play seems jokey. When Albee mentioned about this play in November 1995 and told that this play was The Play about the Baby, then people asked „but what is the title?‟ Albee was very pleased at this because he always likes the confusion.