Empathy and Apathy in Manjula Padmnabhan’s Light’s Out

Abstract

Human response in understanding and perceiving someone’s emotions show variations. These variations are observed either in form of compassion or cold, detached attitude. The psychological term for former is ‘empathy’ and for latter is ‘apathy’. Empathy and apathy form the basis of human social behaviour. This paper aims at studying empathy and apathy in Manjula Padmnabhan’s play Lights Out and its affect on the victim of the play.