SOAS Research Online

Abstract

Despite the important pioneer work of H.R.H. Prince Damrong Rajanubhab and H.H. Prince Dhani Nivat, Kromamun Bidyalabh Bridhyakorn, no fully detailed descriptive study of the Thai versions of dramatic poems deriving from the Malay-Javanese Panji cycle has been made. The aim of this thesis is to provide such a descriptive study based chiefly on the printed texts of the two major poems in the Thai tradition, Dalang and Inao, and with reference to surviving manuscript items which have been available to the author in Bangkok and London. Thai translations of certain Malay texts belonging to the Panji tradition have also been taken into account. The thesis consists of eight chapters and five appendixes. The Chapters. Chapter 1 deals with the origin of the Thai versions according to traditional evidence and presents historical evidence on their development. Chapter 2 relates the history of the texts with comparative references to manuscripts and printed texts. In Chapter 3, the overall structure of the complex poems Dalang and Inao is analysed, and the fundamental variations are set out and related to the Malay versions as known in Thailand. Chapters 4 and 5 present the content of the poems in terms of setting and major aspects of treatment. Poetic techniques are examined in Chapters 6 and 7. Chapter 6 presents an analysis of the versification, and Chapter 7 examines poetic diction. Chapter 8 contains a concluding general statement on the subject of court drama. The Appendixes. Appendix 1 sets out the lexical variants, not involving structural rhyme, between the Somdet Phra Racha Pitula manuscript and the printed text of Dalang. Appendix 2 sets out the lexical variants involving structural rhyme between the above two texts. Appendix 3 provides comparative tables of lexical variants existing between the India Office Library manuscript and the printed text of Inao. Appendix 4 lists the epithets used in the Dalang and Inao printed texts. Appendix 5 is a glossary of Malay-Javanese terms used in the poems.