The Ramayana
World Civilization 101
May 13, 2011
The Ramayana deals with many cultural values reflective of the author and his community.
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In a five to seven page paper discuss the underlying values you see. What might be said about the intersection of religion and political rule? What can be said about gender relations and role models for husbands and wives? Is the end of the story reality based?
Ater reading the Ramayana I noticed the theme was loyalty. It would seem loyalty to Dharma (duty) at any measure. The problem is that loyalty here is expressed as black and white. No grey areas that would encourage a change in position. No attribute from an imperfect person can be considered truly one way. Loyalties can change. Rama had unmatched loyalty to his parents and his homeland of Ayodhya. At one point Rama even treated his loyalty to Sita as black and white. There was no other woman for him. This was his choice. In ancient India, a loyal and devoted son was the height of attraction to women – even if the loyalty was not geared toward the woman. Rama showed unwavering loyalty to his homeland never giving a second thought to a grey area or even question if the thing he was loyal to was correct. In the final chapters a dhobi (launderer) began to slander Sita’s name, it was Sita who was banished. Why? Dhobi law condoned wife beating if she took shelter in another man’s home, regardless if she was unfaithful or not. Rama showed loyalty to dhobi rights and immediately took action – against Sita and not the slanderer, thus proving Rama’s disloyalty to Sita. The story gives indication that Rama knew that Sita was never unfaithful to him but his desire to be the epitome of dutiful, forced him to choose between loyalty to Ayodhya or to Sita when in fact no choice needed to be made.
Regarding the intersection of religion and political rule, the Ramayana has expressed that one cannot do without the other. The fact that
May 13, 2011
The Ramayana deals with many cultural values reflective of the author and his community.
________________________________________
In a five to seven page paper discuss the underlying values you see. What might be said about the intersection of religion and political rule? What can be said about gender relations and role models for husbands and wives? Is the end of the story reality based?
Ater reading the Ramayana I noticed the theme was loyalty. It would seem loyalty to Dharma (duty) at any measure. The problem is that loyalty here is expressed as black and white. No grey areas that would encourage a change in position. No attribute from an imperfect person can be considered truly one way. Loyalties can change. Rama had unmatched loyalty to his parents and his homeland of Ayodhya. At one point Rama even treated his loyalty to Sita as black and white. There was no other woman for him. This was his choice. In ancient India, a loyal and devoted son was the height of attraction to women – even if the loyalty was not geared toward the woman. Rama showed unwavering loyalty to his homeland never giving a second thought to a grey area or even question if the thing he was loyal to was correct. In the final chapters a dhobi (launderer) began to slander Sita’s name, it was Sita who was banished. Why? Dhobi law condoned wife beating if she took shelter in another man’s home, regardless if she was unfaithful or not. Rama showed loyalty to dhobi rights and immediately took action – against Sita and not the slanderer, thus proving Rama’s disloyalty to Sita. The story gives indication that Rama knew that Sita was never unfaithful to him but his desire to be the epitome of dutiful, forced him to choose between loyalty to Ayodhya or to Sita when in fact no choice needed to be made.
Regarding the intersection of religion and political rule, the Ramayana has expressed that one cannot do without the other. The fact that