Question 1 response
1.Choose two characters from theRamayanaand discuss at them in terms of what sorts of lessons readers can learn from them. Try to boil your discussion of each down into a single sentence “moral,” and then explain, using examples from the work, how you came to that conclusion. Do these seem to you to be useful morals in our own time? Explain why or why not using specific examples from your life and/or our own culture.
The two characters that are being discussed are siblings Bharat and Lakshman.These two demonstrate the two principles in the Indian culture.Bharat displayed the negative side of life while Lakshman displayed the good or peaceful side of life.
Looking at theRamayanastory we are able to identify that Bharat seeks power through any means possible.Bharat begins his life as the peerless prince of virtue, worthy of his father’s name (329).He honors his father’s wishes as child and moves in with his future in-laws in order to reinforce the peace between the two families (330).This of course, is only the beginning of his life and he has not been manipulated.He learns the necessity of conviction and power from his stay with theKaikeyas Kingdom (330).This is seen when as King Kaikeyas speaks of the need of strength and power.It would be later in his quest for power that he would reunite with his mother, Kaikeyi.Kaileyi tells Bharat that he will have the thrown provided that he listens to her (338).It is his acceptance of his mother’s proposal that shows Bharat’s true ambitions of the thrown.These are simple examples of the moral character of Bharat.His overall character could be best described as that of an undermining power hungry opportunist.He also represents the concept of karma with his eventual removal from the thrown.
The contrast to Bharat though is his younger brother Lakshman who represents everything that is meant by the and good will. Lakshman is supportive of his brother the Younger Rama (337).His journey to Ayodhay with Rama shows the beginning of this supportive role as he is identified as the gallant Lakshman (327).Lakshman, dauntless in his duties is presented his wife with the recognition of his moral character by both man and God (330).Lakshman’s convictions for support to his family earn him the identifications of generous at heart and companions that became friends (338).There is no question that throughout theRamayanaof Lakshman’smoral standards.Lakshman defines himself as the essence of his father Rama, good hearted nature and respected by all.
These two characters are also seen in today’s society.The opportunists are those that we normally associate with criminals.The good hearted are those that we normally associate with as those that contribute to the constant assistance of others.The fundamentals of the Ramayana are as prevalent today as the day that it was written.Thought the message is relevant, the delivery means for today’s children would need updating.The methods in which children learn these concepts are grasped from a different perspective. Children today require coercion in order to look beyond a computer, tablet, gaming system or phone just to maintain their health.The promise of attending events like the Super Bowl are the only way a number of children receive the support they need from their parents in order to fight the obesity battle of the United States.
Works Cited
Valmiki."Ramayana".Trans. Romesh C. Dutt.1899.World Literature Anthology Through the Renaissance.Ed. William Overton and Linda Silva.Vol. 1. Charles Town, WV: APUS E- Press, 2011. 3-125. Web. 16 January 2013
Question 2 response
Think about theRamayanain comparison to the two Greek epics from which we read excerpts, and put forth an argument about what seemed similar and what seemed different. Explain your responses, citing specific passages and quotations from the epics as support.
While the Ramayana’s more climactic and tragic portions were not included in the written text, such as the abduction of Sita by Ravan; the liberation of Kishkindha by Rama; the travels of Hanuman the monkey-man; the battle with Ravan’s forces which ended in the death of Ravan (all of which were included in the CG version on Hulu for free; I implore you to check it out) (Ramayana: The Epic); the expulsion andlater, death of Sita was included in neither (I assume the latter disregarded this part because it was probably geared toward children) (Palay); regardless, I still gained an appreciation for this remarkable piece of discourse.<o:p</o:p>
One major piece of symbolism was the way deference was displayed toward those of higher station.In the Greek epics, the touching or kissing of knees was the mannerism chosen.Odysseus in a conversation with Minerva (yet not knowing who he was speaking with), said “My friend, […] you are the first person whom I have met with in this country; I salute you, therefore, and beg you to be will disposed towards me. Protect these my goods, and myself too, for I embrace your knees and pray to you as though you were a god.”<o:p</o:p>
In the Ramayana, however, knees are supplanted for feet.An example of this sort is witnessed during Rama’s final conversation before he is banished from Ayodhya at the behest of Queen Kaikeyi; “Duteously the righteous Rama touched the ancient monarch’s feet, Touched the feet of Queen Kaikeyi with a son’s obeisance meet.”<o:p</o:p>
Women were central to all three storylines.In the Iliad, Helen is the prize sought.However, the Odyssey and Ramayana are more similar than the latter because Penelope and Sita remain faithful to their husbands while suitors are pursuing them.As Penelope said to her hand-maiden, Eurynome, <o:p</o:p>
“I know, Eurynome, […] that you mean well, but do not try and persuade me to wash and to anoint myself, for heaven robbed me of all my beauty on the day my husband sailed; nevertheless, tell Autonoe and Hippodamia that I want them. They must be with me when I am in the cloister; I am not going among the men alone; it would not be proper for me to do so;” so too did Sita reject Ravan (Ramayana:The Epic)<o:p</o:p>
<o:p</o:p>
Whereas Penelope had many suitors (Homer 5), Sita only had the Demon-king, Ravan (Ramayana: The Epic).By suitors in the case of Sita, I am referring to after she was wedded to Rama, and not the contest to win her, of course.Conversely Helen was liberated in the great sacking of the city of Troy; in a similar manner, Sita too was liberated from Ravan’s stronghold of Lanka (Ramayana:The Epic).Loyalty was not only displayed by the betrothed in the Odyssey and the Ramayana.Where Telamachus sought to restore his father to the throne (Homer 16), so too did the brothers of Rama (Valmiki 359-65).<o:p</o:p>
<o:p</o:p>
In all three tales, the heroes must traverse a great ocean to resolve their respective plights.Odysseus travels the sea to return home and Rama must travel to rescue Sita.This part may be reaching slightly, but the Iliad and Ramayana also involved the building of something to bring about the downfall of an adversary.For Troy, this was the Trojan Horse (Homer 25); in the Ramayana, this was the bridge built by Hanuman’s people (Ramayana:The Epic).<o:p</o:p>
<o:p</o:p>
Heroes in all three epics encountered gods, whereas in the latter tales they also encountered great sea beasts that stood in their way.For Odysseus, two notable characters of this nature were Scylla and Charybdis (Homer 59).In the Ramayana, when Hanuman is crossing the sea, a great sea sea serpent proclaimed that the only way Hanuman would cross is by entering her mouth (Ramayana:The Epic).As a Westerner, I took this to be a very flowery way of saying that he would be her next meal.However, Hanuman, whom had prior grown to massive proportions, simply shrunk and jumped into the serpent mouth and back out again.She thusly bids him safe passage (Ramayana:The Epic).Not as daunting a task as the one that Odysseus was to face as noted earlier but very amusing!Finally, I see a parallel between Helen and Kaikeyi as well.Through the action of the former, Troy was razed (Homer 17); Ayodhya could have been cast asunder as well due to the action of the latter (Valmiki 340-41), if not for the solidarity of Dasa-ratha’s sons.<o:p</o:p>
Works Cited:<o:p</o:p>
1.Desai, Chetan, dir.Ramayana: The Epic. Dir. ChetanDesai, and RitturajTripathii. 2010. Web. 6 Feb 2013. <
2.Palay, Nina. "The Epic Sita."The Sitayana.N.p..Web. 6 Feb 2013. <
3.Homer, ."The Iliad." Trans. ArrayWorld Literature Anthology: Through the Renaissance. Samuel Butler. Charles Town, WV: American Public University Electronic press, 2011. 65. Web. 6 Feb. 2013. <
Instructions
100-200 word response to each discussion leader's main post Please divide your post into paragraphs for easier reading, and make sure to reference, paraphrase, or quote specific passages from the text to support and illustrate what you say (and cite the passages using MLA citation format)