Posted:
Folks,
Relax, this is not yet another long post!😉 There was nothing worth commenting on today, except for that one rivetting scene between an Alexander pretending to be sozzled and the three petrified royal women.
I found that scene extremely interesting, for two reasons.
One, it didn't seem to me, comparing Alexander's speech later at the jashn with his strongly slurred enunciation while he is speaking to the royal ladies, that he was really as drunk as he seemed to be, or indeed drunk at all. His gait was unsteady in the room, but when he was striding on his way to Barsine's room later, that unsteadiness was not in evidence, and he was shown constantly sipping from his goblet till then. He was always a heavy drinker, as were all Macedonians, but he would surely have been able to hold his liquor on such an occasion, which was not a riotous drinking session with his companions.
The inference I drew from this was that Alexander was not sozzled, or even high, but was deliberately pretending to so in order to unsettle the ladies, especially Barsine, who was his real target, for he knows that she is hiding some secret, and surmises that it could affect his plans.
Every sentence he utters, every move he makes, his body language, the sudden raucous laughter, all point to that. The other two cope after a fashion, especially Drypetis, who flatters him lavishly, but Barsine is silent and sullen.
When a relatively soft approach - and I say relatively because Alexander never allows the subtle miasma of tension to subside- does not work with her, he slips into overt bullying - Jawab do! and sarcasm about her lack of manners - though he does not push it too far.
He surmises, I can't guess how, that her smiling when the Persian bazaar caught fire had something to do with her sojourn in India. And he leaves that point hanging in the air, like a sword of Damocles over her head for the next occasion when he proposes to grill her about Bharat.
Rohit was simply superb during the whole scene. The body language, the voice, the speech, all put together would have unsettled anyone with nerves of steel, and this trio is already on edge.
Subtle degrading of Alexander's character ?: The related point, which is not clear as yet, is whether the CVs are beginning, as part of their consistent plan to demonise Alexander , to paint him as someone who did not treat the royal ladies well. This is contrary to every single account about this matter that I have ever read, and which the CVs must have read too, but when have facts bothered them when they opt for fiction? 😡
Another point that reinforces this inference of mine about the CVs' tale on Alexander and women is the way in which they show him ogling the belly dancers. Now Alexander has always been described as a man, especially when he was very young, who was deliberate in his avoidance of female company or feminine attractions, believing that these distractions would weaken his focus on military glory. The sole woman with whom he was said to have been involved at this stage was the other Barsine, the widow of one of Darius' Greek generals, Memnon. She was Alexander's mistress for several years, from his siege of Halicarnassus till he met and fell in love with Roxanne during his campaign in Bactria, near Afghanistan. This Barsine is said to have borne him a son, Heracles (Hercules) who was murdered, like Alexander IV, during the succession wars between the Macedonian generals after the death of Alexander.
The inquisitor: To revert, Alexander has no clear notion of what Barsine is hiding, or what is afoot. He is as yet only probing, on a fishing expedition. He is probably planning to turn the screw tighter during the jashn, whence his impatience to get Barsine there. Note that it is only her name that he mentions to Hephaestion, and he is so impatient that he sets out himself to fetch her.
It doesn't seem to me to be the impatience of a potential lover, but that of the eager inquisitor. At least that was what I felt. Which, I am afraid, does not bode well for the much anticipated Alexander-Barsine romance, since Roxanne seems to have gone the way of Sisygambis😭 in that she has probably been axed as well.
So we ended up with the scenario I had expected and feared, a straight on, melodramatic confrontation between Alexander and Puru, in which Puru will most likely get the upper hand. I am not sure there will be a duel, for the Shah will hardly fight one on one with an unknown Persian, as he would take Puru to be. I wonder what sort of explanation Barsine will give.
In any case, Barsine cannot be spirited away by Puru at this point of time. It remains to be seen if he retreats with the intention of trying again, or simply retreats.
Shyamala Aunty
Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
