Dhvani

 Introduction 

In Indian Poetics, scholars had different view points about kavya that is Literature. So they found different schools of thought I.e. Rasa, Alamkara, Dhvani, Riti, Guna Dosa, Vakrokti Aucitya, and so on. 

Discussion on Dhvani 

Dhvanyaloka by Anandvardhana 

Abhinav  Gupta has discussed the theory of Dhvani aptly but it was Anandvardhana who has first time discussed the theory of Dhvani systematically in his work Dhvanyaloka. 

Dhvani 

That kind of poetry wherein the conventional meaning renders itself secondary or the conventional word renders it's meaning secondary and leads to the suggested or implied meaning is designated as Dhvani or suggestive poetry. 

Suggested meaning may be of three kinds: 

An idea 

A figure of speech 

An emotion 

Based on this, Anandvardhana classifies Dhvani into three types: 

1. Vastu Dhvani 

Indirect expression of theme 

Examples: 

The Thought Fox by Ted Hughes 

All the World's Stage by William Shakespeare 

2. Alamkara Dhvani 

Indirect expression with the use of figures of speech

Example: 

The Thought Fox by Ted Hughes (use of metaphor) 

3. Rasa Dhvani 

Indirect expression of emotion or rasa realization 

Example: 

When I have Fear I May Cease to Be by John Keats 

Dhvani, Vakrokti and De familiarization 

In Vakroktijivita Kuntaka denied the independent existence of Dhvani and included it under Vakrokti or Striking mode of speech His concept of Vakrokti is also resembling Dhvani but what makes him different is that he explained in detailed obliquity at six levels.  

Dhvani resembles the concept of de familiarization in Russian Formalism as both talk about presentation of known things into striking, indirect or unfamiliar ways. 

Types of Poetry: 

Based on Dhvani, Anandvardhana classifies poetry into three types: 

1. Uttam Kavya 

A poetry which has thoroughly indirect meaning or highly suggestive. 

Example: 

The Thought Fox by Ted Hughes 

2. Madhyam Kavya 

Partly suggestive poetry- not entirely suggestive but not thoroughly direct expression. 

Example: 

As I Walked Out One Evening by W H Auden 

In this poem one can see the mingling of simple as well as suggestive or indirect or connotative language in one poem. 

3. Adham Kavya 

A poetry which has no indirect expression. Even a person having no deep knowledge of language can easily understand the meaning. 

Example: 

The famous nursery rhyme 

 

Jack and Jill went up the Hill