Social criticism is a mode of approach that expresses the harmful conditions and defects of the social structure. Social criticism interprets the text in the context of various social issues existing in the current scenario. History, culture and tradition play a predominant role in this criticism. Although history and culture are extremely complex and immensely partial, an individual cannot deny them and is forced to rely on them. There is a constant conflict between the individual and society, but the individual fights hard against the society that is still part of it, which is a great irony. “Art is not created in a vacuum,” says critic Wilbur Scott. The exploration of the relationship between the artist and society is best expressed through this social esteem. This article provides a sample story of sociological criticism based on Girish Karnad's two famous works, Hayavadana and Nagamandala. These works are rich in symbols that pave the way for considering a work of fiction as a social text. Around the time Karnad began writing his plays, Kannada literature was greatly influenced by the renaissance of Western literature. Karnad's work draws on historical and mythological sources to address contemporary themes of the existentialist crisis of modern life through characters locked in psychological and philosophical conflicts. Girish Karnad's famous works are Tughlaq, Hayavadana, Nagamandala, Yayati, Fire and Rain, Dreams of Tipu Sultan, Bali, A Bunch of Broken Pictures, Flowers: A Dramatic Monologue and Wedding Album. His works have universal appeal, effectiveness, thrill and entertainment with socio-cultural questions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayIt is really worth looking back at the history of sociology. Sociology did not develop until the 1800s. it developed in Europe following the industrial revolution which caused social disasters such as housing shortages, crime, and lack of jobs. Auguste Comte was the father and founder of sociology and believed that sociologists should be concerned with two problems: order and change. There are two main ideas, one is social statics which says that the overall structure of society remains unchanged. Another is social dynamics which reveals the fact that elements within society change to enable social development. One of the first important sociologists is Herbert Spencer who coined the phrase “survival of the fittest” which opposed social reform efforts because it would disrupt the natural selection process of evolution. It also implements the idea that the best traits of society would survive over time. The name Karl Marx is unavoidable when considering sociological issues. He is a firm believer in the concept that the structure of society is influenced by the way its economy is organised. Max Weber focused on groups within a society rather than society as a whole. He suggested “putting yourself in someone's shoes to study the meanings behind and the action of the individual. Social perspectives examine patterns of disorder, change, integration, and stability. Permanent social conflict is caused by competition over interests and values, over power, over who gets what, and the changes that occur as power shifts. The role of culture is immense in society. Culture is a shared product of human groups in both material and non-material forms. Material culture is the physical object such as books, clothes, utensils which is exactly contrasted with the non-material culture which isabstract creation such as language, beliefs, stereotypes and ideas. Cultural differences found between and within society create cultural diversity. Values ​​determine the character of society and the type of culture it has. Various norms also teach rules and behaviors to people to instruct them to act in specific situations. Society orders rules of behavior are very important and their violation would jeopardize the fundamental stability of the system. All the daily events and interactions from birth to death that make up a person's life are constructed within the walls of society. Sociology can also be seen as a social science as it studies human behavior, institutions or functions of human society in a scientific way. Other social sciences are anthropology, psychology, economics, political science and history. There are three main fundamental sociological lenses: social conflict, structural functionalism, and symbolic interpretation. It explicitly means that society is made up of power struggles, interconnected systems and shared meanings. Status is a social position that a person holds within a society. Status also means prestige and part of social identity that helps the individual's relationship with others. Status continues to change over time and occupies an individual's life until death. An individual is not only determined by status but also classified on the basis of class, religion, family background, gender and ethnicity. The common problems of every society in different countries revolve around sexism, racism, inequality and tradition. History, biology and media have a huge impact on society. Social interaction investigates the structure of groups, organizations and societies and how people interact in these contexts. The ranking system in any particular environment based on authority is called hierarchy which is a key factor of society. If an individual's behavior is different from social norms then it becomes a deviance and is not accepted in society. Karnad has rightly highlighted this factor and its consequences in his works Hayavadana and Nagamandala. Social criticism of literature has been widely practiced rather than recognized as theory. The main purpose of criticism is to encourage positive outcomes and bring balance to our lives, providing basis for comparison and bringing truth, honesty and intimacy. When criticism is given constructively, it promotes learning and becomes a form of advice to help an individual grow better. The benefits that will be received from criticism will help individuals to have a good relationship with others, to be a more productive person, to be happier with themselves and to better understand differences of opinion. An individual should develop a sense of self-worth and acceptance to face the world with courage. Literature, however mystical or fantastic in content, is animated by a profound social concern. Hayavadana is Karnad's third play written in 1971, when traditional popular forms of urban drama were born. The meaning of Hayavadana is based on Thomas Mann's short story The Transposed heads, which Karnad wanted to produce as a film but with the advice of his friend B.V.Karnath wrote it as a play. It is also based on the version of the story in Vetal Panchavimsati. Karnad follows the style of borrowing original stories and develops it further with artistic imagination and tries to offer solutions to various unsolved problems in the original story. The Hayavadana subplot is purely Karnad's creation which completely supports the main plot. Hayavadana talks about truthvital aspect of human existence through various socio-cultural and metaphysical aspects. The device for making inanimate objects animate is one of the striking features of Hayavadana. Hayavadana in other words is a search for the integrity and totality of man in the existence of a complex society. Hayavadana has made efforts to recreate the spirit without diluting the contemporary appeal. The characters of Transposed Heads Sridaman, his wife Sita and his beloved friend Nanda and the characters of Prince Dhavala, his wife Mandasundari and his friend Svetapata owe much to the creation of Devadatta, Padmini and Kapila in Hayavadana. This play expresses the fact that the real problem begins when it actually seems to end. Hayavadana turns out to be a journey back to the myths and legends of the Hindu religion. It also reflects the cultural system and its continuous changes that affect society. The theory of love and friendship flows through continuous bewilderments in the work. This game emerges to find answers to unanswered things. Despite the various limitations placed by society, there is a vigorous affirmation of individual choices to live life in their own way. There is a perpetual battle between biological desires and social expectations. The practice of sati is put under scrutiny regarding the real value to demonstrate the chastity of a woman or a pure escapism of a woman to overcome the harsh realities of the tradition of ancient times. Therefore, Hayavadana cannot be contained in a singular thematic basis, rather embedded in broader universal concerns. It also exposes the truth that though an individual is born into a particular religion, he does not follow all its rituals and superstitions due to the knowledge acquired from other external sources. It combines the components of love, identity and sexuality with popular culture and imagination. Hayavadana received the Bharatiya Natya Sangha's Kamala Devi award for best play in 1972. Girish Karnad wrote Nagamanadala in 1988. Nagamandala is not only known for its self-justification but is also a form of therapeutic device. Even in this comedy the theme of alienation and duality of the characters is inevitable. Karnad created this drama in a priestly sense. Nagamandala is the story of a woman who uses pseudo magical powers to win over her husband. The king cobra is an animal image that is the significant element and basis of the story. The king cobra, otherwise known as a nagamandala, is a symbol of a woman's carnal pleasure and sensual desires. This play clearly depicts the dual nature of the woman who transforms into a devoted and docile wife in the morning and takes on the role of a sex doll at night to satisfy her husband. It is obvious that in society only the woman is always questioned when it comes to aspects of virginity and sexuality, while the man is not. The challenge that women accept in society is constant and bold. The conflict between the real and ideal self is well depicted through Karnad's ideas in the play. Although the incidents in the play are complex overall, the end is simple and sudden. Karnad's language in the play is very rich and there is no room to interpret the play differently without distorting the original plot and meaning. The relentless pursuit of completeness culminates in presenting a "complete woman" in Nagamandala. It provides a striking contrast between man and serpent where a man is devoid of humanity while a mere serpent achieves superiority over a man. Karnad uses inanimate objects, especially flames that have the ability to talk to each other in female voices, is quite amazing. Inanimate objects mirror animate reality. These flames are not just flames butcompany representatives. It also deals with the loose morals practiced in society and humans' doubts and questions about the religious values ​​that have been preached and practiced for years. Nagamandala comes alive with enormous symbols, dark meanings and implicit and explicit lessons that captivate the audience scene after scene. The man and the woman are questioned about their intimate relationships and about the sacramental marriage for which only the woman is held accountable. The village justice system and the process of deification in Indian society are revealed through the play. Magical folk tales are used as backdrops to express the complexity of social and individual relationships and human life in general. Girish Karnad's significant achievement lies in the use of symbols and portrayal of fruitful experiments of the new renaissance in the history of Indian drama. Nagamandala is considered to be the most creative work which earned him the Sahitya Akadamy award of the state of Karnataka. The meaning and aspects of social criticism are extremely broad and broad. Marxist criticism is influenced by sociological criticism which aims to criticize the economic and political elements of art. This criticism is an all-encompassing term because the psychological approach, gender theories, myths and rituals are an inevitable part of it. It is also crucial to know the author's life when analyzing a particular text. The race, nation and social group to which an author belongs influence his or her work of art. External factors and external sources act as a guide in writing literature. The idea for different genres would come from family, history, personal experiences and one's own creativity. Most writers such as George Orwell and Charles Dickens dramatized the actual experience of their lives through their work. From a sociological perspective, many writers have articulated disillusionment with society and human nature. Society acts as a center to which every individual is connected as a component. This center enhances the movement of action of individuals, but at the same time limits it. An individual will never be able to change if the system does not undergo a transformation. Society offers ample opportunities for progress to the people, but at the same time suffocates the freedom of the individual. When society fails in its purpose it can no longer be the center. The writer whose works contain social discussions hopes to achieve more than simply entertaining readers. Many writers take it upon themselves to make their audience aware of certain facts. Age, political scenario and cultural issues can sometimes dominate the entire plot and become the central theme around which all the actions revolve. Many social fictions present the truth about situations without injecting the author's personal beliefs and emotions. Typically writers of social fiction present their characters as simple, ordinary individuals caught up in the web of larger world issues. Observe how broader societal issues influence an individual's goals, motivations, attitudes, behavior, and destiny. The social critic should not be radically detached and become a total stranger to society, rather, he or she should be objective and uphold universal principles when analyzing a text. A true social critic must act as a mediator between social concerns on the one hand and the feelings and thoughts of individuals on the other. Philosophers, political theorists and social critics are not born but are created by society because of their opinions and their interest in moral life which was sustenance and inspiration. It is a reflection not only of society but.