Q1: Prologue: importance in foreshadowing themes/elements of the play
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Director caught in rhythm of actress’s song—forget their decision to do the play Sakuntala.
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Parallel between Sakuntala and king and actress and director.
Creates underlying plot line.
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Theme of forgetfulness coming from idea of being so entranced in someone. Sakuntala is so entranced in thinking about king, she becomes cursed, and king for gets about their discussion/meetings
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“summer love” –entranced. Summer associated with love and entrancement
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“weave flower earrings” –makes Jasmin think of summer, spring, something growing. Rebirth, growth.
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“Fragile petals”—like their marriage. Like love— feelings they don’t understand. When Sakuntala is in love, she seems to be weak, dying, suffering.
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“wild bees” like her friends, buzzing around her.
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Kissing (wild bees) –king about to kiss her. Bees and flowers—pollination. Metaphor for sex and procreation

Q2. Stops at her forest. Monk persuades him to stay.
Hunting antelope. Description of antelope is very vivid and lovely: Mesmerized by the beauty.
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Lines 51-58, p. 879. “graceful turn of the neck”
“watch how he leaps” –admiration. Use words to help the audience imagine what’s happening. Visual.
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Deer seems innocent—innocence of nature. Play unfolds in a hermitage. Description shows grace.
Idolizes grace and innocence.
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Chariot—royalty, power, someone who is chasing the deer. Unable to catch it. Like guy chasing a girl.
Chase—third party observer—entertaining.
Audience might have similar reaction.
When the monk says the king should “rescue victims”— the king stops hunt immediately. Recognizes his duty:
Supposed to protect, not harm.
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Hermitage—pay respect to the great sage. Sage—
Kanva.
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Hermitage—not the king’s realm of power. Spiritual realm of the sages (Brahmin caste vs. warrior caste).
Instead his chief duties are to protect hermits and ascetics.

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In return for protect hermitage: they bless him with the promise of the son. Foreshadows having a son.
Q3: Concern about legitimate desire=concern about their being the same caste (p. 882, line 195).
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Learns a few pages later that Sakuntala is indeed daughter of warrior-turned-sage: right caste.
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But he knows it emotionally earlier than that—top of page 883. “inner feelings are truth’s only measure”
(act I, line 200)