Reading Notes: Nivedita Ramayana, Part 2

For these reading notes, I decided to write about two characters that I found to be extremely interesting. These two characters are Rama and Sita. Although in some other reading notes, I wrote specific things that I liked about characters, I never really zoned in on any and analyzed them. Overall, I really liked these characters because they seemed to be in the story the most and therefore had the most development. Something that I think would be fun to read about would be a gender-bend on both of these characters. Their roles are so prominent as the role of a man and a woman in a relationship from ancient times that I think if someone wrote about what happened to them if they were opposite genders, that would be interesting. 

For example, in the end of the Ramayana, Rama sends Sita away simply because he believed that she had not been loyal during her capture with Ravana. Although she had shown all signs of being faithful to her husband, and promised him that she had been, he did not believe her and sent her away. I think it would be interesting to see what would have happened if Rama had been a girl instead, forced to send away her husband. Chances are that she wouldn't have done so, because she would know that her husband was faithful and would show mercy, even if their relationship was unable to go back to the way it once had been. 

Additionally, even though Rama claimed to love Sita, he still sent her to exile, despite spending a good portion of the Ramayana looking for her. I think that this shows, just like with his father, that Rama's love comes with stipulations, rather than complete and utter loyalty like Sita. I also would love to read something from Sita's point of view. In the Ramayana, she is used like a pawn for Rama, because everyone knows that he will do anything to get her back. It would be nice to see that she has her own thoughts and feelings as well, rather than just being, essentially, the significant other of the main character.

Sita in Exile

 Source. Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists: Ramayana by Sister Nivedita. 1914.