Viswanatha Satyanarayana was a Telugu literate. Born in 1895 he was a neoclassicist. He started his career as a romantic poet of unbridled imaginative capability. He soon turned to his magnum opus, the epic Ramayana kalpavriksham, and also wrote two classic novels. His greatest contribution to Telugu theatre lies in his presentation of the tragic vision.

Of his fourteen plays, Nartanasala i.e. `Dancing Hall` is the best. This was a tragedy based on Shakespearean lines. It encompasses the story of Kichaka, who was a king of rare qualities but his desires were the reason for his fall. Anarkali during 1924-5 is a lyrical tragedy. The mythological Venaraju during 1933-4 deals with Vena`s ant traditionalist attitudes of which he became a victim. Trisulam or `Trident` in 1937 powerfully dramatizes the history of Bij jala`s conflict with Basaveswara, wherein the relative importance of religion and political authority is discussed. Satyanarayana also wrote two short tragedies, Kavya Harishchandramu i.e. `Epic Harishchandra` and Veda Harishchandramu i.e. `Vedic Harishchandra`. Some of his social dramas include Talliknipilla i.e. `Motherless Child` in 1935, Antha natakame i.e. `All Is Drama` in 1951, etc. Some more can be mentioned as Pravahamu i.e. `Current` in 1957, Lopala-bayata i.e. `Inside, Outside` in 1963, Satyagrahamu i.e. `Truthful Anger` in 1964. All of them are treating relationships between men and women satirically. Viswanatha Satyanarayana died in 1976.

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