The Ramayana and Sita Sings the Blues
The Ramayana and Sita Sings The Blues
Art is a form of expression that lives on for centuries but changes in interpretation over time. What may be relevant in this time period may make no sense to the upcoming generations. Nina Paley’s film "Sita Sings the Blues" brings two cultures, traditions, values and time periods together to convey her message and bring relevance of her art across many cultures and generations. The Ramayana by Valmiki on the other hand is a very traditional epic which depicts the ideal of every relation, one ideal example being the wife of Rama, Sita. Idealistically, a wife in Indian culture is to stick to her husband no matter how harshly she is treated by him, she should be calm in every situation and should be the one to try and hold a household together. In modern society this is a concept which is not logical to this generation and certainly would not be accepted and tolerated because of the evolution of women rights. This essay will discuss the traditional interpretation of the centuries old poem, The Ramayana, and later correlate it with Paley’s, modernized retelling of the same story. Paley, in her movie openly lays the fate of Sita; she reasons that happiness is not just found in being in a marriage with children but rather with an understanding between two parties. If two people cannot work things out they move on as Paley did in her personal story. This is a concept which is a great contradiction to the "female dharma" which is explained in the Ramayana as the ideal of women.
The Ramayana is a religious text revolving around the conception of Dharma. Dharma in Hinduism is specified behavior that is to be in accordance to the ideal. Therefore, Rama and Sita serve as the symbol for ideal man and woman in traditional Indian society. Sita, in Ramayana expresses Dharma by being a strong, brave, faithful and very devoted wife to Rama. Rama as well represents loyalty, obedience and love, making him an ideal husband, son, and
Art is a form of expression that lives on for centuries but changes in interpretation over time. What may be relevant in this time period may make no sense to the upcoming generations. Nina Paley’s film "Sita Sings the Blues" brings two cultures, traditions, values and time periods together to convey her message and bring relevance of her art across many cultures and generations. The Ramayana by Valmiki on the other hand is a very traditional epic which depicts the ideal of every relation, one ideal example being the wife of Rama, Sita. Idealistically, a wife in Indian culture is to stick to her husband no matter how harshly she is treated by him, she should be calm in every situation and should be the one to try and hold a household together. In modern society this is a concept which is not logical to this generation and certainly would not be accepted and tolerated because of the evolution of women rights. This essay will discuss the traditional interpretation of the centuries old poem, The Ramayana, and later correlate it with Paley’s, modernized retelling of the same story. Paley, in her movie openly lays the fate of Sita; she reasons that happiness is not just found in being in a marriage with children but rather with an understanding between two parties. If two people cannot work things out they move on as Paley did in her personal story. This is a concept which is a great contradiction to the "female dharma" which is explained in the Ramayana as the ideal of women.
The Ramayana is a religious text revolving around the conception of Dharma. Dharma in Hinduism is specified behavior that is to be in accordance to the ideal. Therefore, Rama and Sita serve as the symbol for ideal man and woman in traditional Indian society. Sita, in Ramayana expresses Dharma by being a strong, brave, faithful and very devoted wife to Rama. Rama as well represents loyalty, obedience and love, making him an ideal husband, son, and
References: 1. “Ramayana”, Wikipedia, 8 March 2014, 9 March 2014 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramayana 2. Kaul Dhar Aarttee, “Re reading Ramayana Exploring:Sita Sings the Blues” 9 March 2014 http://www.academia.edu/925079/Rereading_Ramayana_Exploring_Sita_in_Sita_Sings_The_Blues 3. Paley, Nina “Lady Sings the Blues” March 9, 2014 http://www.ninapaley.com/Sitayana/Manushi_LadySingstheBlues.html