Nirat Khun Chang Khun Phaen : Form Sepha literature to Nirat literature

Abstract

Nirat Khun Chang Khun Phaen is a Nirat literature written by Chan
Khamwilai. It is an adaptation of the original Sepha literature titled Khun
Chang Khun Phaen. Composed of 5,087 stanzas, Nirat Khun Chang Khun
Phaen is the longest Nirat literature ever written. It also received the first-prize
award for the best Thai poetry from the Bangkok Bank Company Limited in
1968. Nirat Khun Chang Khun Phaen stands out for its unique combination
of the traditional Nirat prosody:centering the plot around journeys, aesthetic
appreciation of nature and lamenting; and its poetic novelties:featuring the use
of first-person narrative and the method of past storytelling. In other respects,
a number of similarities exist between Nirat Khun Chang Khun Phaen and
its Sepha counterpart. For instance: abbreviation of events and event details
to improve the pace and harmony of the storytelling; inclusion of aesthetic
appreciation of nature and lamenting in accordance to the convention of Nirat
literature; alteration of details to fit the storytelling style; and the use of parodic
gestures in Nirat Khun Chang Khun Phaen to enhance audience engagement.