Sugriva's Story:This section begins with a bit of a description: "Whereupon this best of monkeys told Rama how it had come to pass that Vali, his elder brother, should have behaved so badly.' I liked this method of preface and intend to use it in storytelling at some point this semester. This chapter also shows how there can be multiple sides to every story.
Sugriva and Vali: Good characterization of Rama:
"To his foes resistless Rama is a lightning from above,
To his friends a tree of shelter, soul of tenderness and love,
"Dearer than his love of glory is his love to heal and bless,
Dearer than the crown and empire is his hermit's holy dress
Vali's wife attempts to dissuade him fighting with his brother but in his pride he fails to listen.
Vali's Death: "Like the sun and moon in conflict" sets the stage well for two evenly-matched yet different foes, epicizes the conflict. Rama only wins by a covert poisoned dart. Kinda sneaky/dishonorable.
King Sugriva: To me, Sugriva crying over the death of his brother (with which he was directly involved) was reminiscent of Gamora's tears over her adoptive father Thanos after stabbing him in the recent Infinity War movie. It gives characters more depth to show the emotional fallout of their actions. Succession is immediate: no power vacuum here.
The Rainy Season: Trapped and impatient in the forest outside the city, Rama experiences a bout of seasonal depression, lamenting over the loss of Sita and fantasizing about their reunion. This fantasy in particular illustrates how deeply he feels her loss.
The Armies: The king forgot his promises to Rama after getting what he wanted, but of course when threatened sends four armies out in the four cardinal directions. I love the romanticized notion that all of the corners of the earth will be searched if they but look north, south, east, and west.
Sampati: The monkeys wait at the ocean looking at the limitless expanse and mourning their failure when (trope) a helpful neighbor overhears and gives them what they need to continue their quest.
Sampati and Jatayu: The intro to this was super interesting because though he talks about the inconceivable scope of the general universe, he goes on to talk about how a tiny, insignificant amount was the world to him. It's a tale of closeness and sacrifice.Resplendent.
Hanuman's Leap: "The boon of choosing his own death." I also found this interesting, as one wouldn't typically associate a positive gift with the negative concept of death.To preface Hanuman's extraordinary deed a brief history of his extraordinary background was provided which both generates anticipation and gives credibility. Moral of the story: mind and body are needed to accomplish big things, COMMIT. Impetus.
Hanuman in Lanka: How cool setting-wise that Hanuman compares the city of Lanka to the shape of a woman. Sita's characterizing devotion helps in the search for her. Embraced each other.
The Ashoka Grove: Alliteration: peerless princess, loved and lost, saintly Sita, cruel..crossed.
Sita and Ravana: The artwork depicting Ravana with a donkey head due to his stubbornness had me considering giving characters animal aspects to represent integral traits in future stories. Ugh she cries again oof.
Hanuman and Sita: Ring was a nice touch. Grr she could escape now but for modesty.
Hanuman Captured: Overdoing something is what causes it to fail (moral?). If he hadn't vindictively gone around setting things on fire he could have already been on his merry way.
Hanuman and Ravana: The Pirate's Code! Parlay!
The Burning of Lanka: "saved by her own virtue" even the villains adhere to a strict code of conduct, interestingly enough. They're not complete anarchists.
Ravana's Court: Holds council for what to do next. Meanwhile the protagonists set up camp and plan.
Vibhishana: Impious
Vali's Death: "Like the sun and moon in conflict" sets the stage well for two evenly-matched yet different foes, epicizes the conflict. Rama only wins by a covert poisoned dart. Kinda sneaky/dishonorable.
King Sugriva: To me, Sugriva crying over the death of his brother (with which he was directly involved) was reminiscent of Gamora's tears over her adoptive father Thanos after stabbing him in the recent Infinity War movie. It gives characters more depth to show the emotional fallout of their actions. Succession is immediate: no power vacuum here.
The Rainy Season: Trapped and impatient in the forest outside the city, Rama experiences a bout of seasonal depression, lamenting over the loss of Sita and fantasizing about their reunion. This fantasy in particular illustrates how deeply he feels her loss.
The Armies: The king forgot his promises to Rama after getting what he wanted, but of course when threatened sends four armies out in the four cardinal directions. I love the romanticized notion that all of the corners of the earth will be searched if they but look north, south, east, and west.
Sampati: The monkeys wait at the ocean looking at the limitless expanse and mourning their failure when (trope) a helpful neighbor overhears and gives them what they need to continue their quest.
Sampati and Jatayu: The intro to this was super interesting because though he talks about the inconceivable scope of the general universe, he goes on to talk about how a tiny, insignificant amount was the world to him. It's a tale of closeness and sacrifice.Resplendent.
Hanuman's Leap: "The boon of choosing his own death." I also found this interesting, as one wouldn't typically associate a positive gift with the negative concept of death.To preface Hanuman's extraordinary deed a brief history of his extraordinary background was provided which both generates anticipation and gives credibility. Moral of the story: mind and body are needed to accomplish big things, COMMIT. Impetus.
Hanuman in Lanka: How cool setting-wise that Hanuman compares the city of Lanka to the shape of a woman. Sita's characterizing devotion helps in the search for her. Embraced each other.
The Ashoka Grove: Alliteration: peerless princess, loved and lost, saintly Sita, cruel..crossed.
Sita and Ravana: The artwork depicting Ravana with a donkey head due to his stubbornness had me considering giving characters animal aspects to represent integral traits in future stories. Ugh she cries again oof.
Hanuman and Sita: Ring was a nice touch. Grr she could escape now but for modesty.
Hanuman Captured: Overdoing something is what causes it to fail (moral?). If he hadn't vindictively gone around setting things on fire he could have already been on his merry way.
Hanuman and Ravana: The Pirate's Code! Parlay!
The Burning of Lanka: "saved by her own virtue" even the villains adhere to a strict code of conduct, interestingly enough. They're not complete anarchists.
Ravana's Court: Holds council for what to do next. Meanwhile the protagonists set up camp and plan.
Vibhishana: Impious
Bibliography:
Ramayana:
- M. Dutt. http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/search/label/PDE%20Ramayana%3A%20MNDutt
- R. Dutt. http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/search/label/PDE%20Ramayana%3A%20Dutt
- Gould. http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/search/label/PDE%20Ramayana%3A%20Gould
- Griffith. http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/search/label/PDE%20Ramayana%3A%20Griffith
- Hodgson. http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/search/label/PDE%20Ramayana%3A%20Hodgson
- Mackenzie. http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/search/label/PDE%20Ramayana%3A%20Mackenzie
- Nivedita. http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/search/label/PDE%20Ramayana%3A%20Nivedita
- Oman. http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/search/label/PDE%20Ramayana%3A%20Oman
- Richardson. http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/search/label/PDE%20Ramayana%3A%20
- Ryder http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/search/label/PDE%20Ramayana%3A%20Ryder
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| Image Info: The title screen on the Metropolitan Museum of Art's webpage on the Ramayana. Source: https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2010/epic-india |
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