Reference no: EM13573242

The name of the paper is the Ramayana. Ramayana is well-known and beloved in India. It teaches lessons of dharma which include proper morality and doing one's duty. Rama and Sita are held up as moral exemplars who completely fulfill ideal roles (husband, wife, ruler, warrior, etc.). Ramayana also teaches the lesson of keeping one's promise, and being careful what you promise!

Write a 1-2 page essay in response to the Ramayana. Your essay should be double-spaced, spell-checked, and proof-read. Address the following questions:

1. Discuss how Rama and Sita exemplify ideal behavior (dharma) in the story. How do crisis moments reveal their true character? What are the ideal qualities of character that the Ramayana teaches? Think of modern examples of heroic persons, male and female. Why do you consider these modern people heroic? Do they share the same qualities found in the Ramayana, or do you think ideas about admirable conduct are different in your culture? Explain.

2. Rama is an incarnation of the god Vishnu, sent to Ayodhya for a specific purpose - to destroy the evil Ravana. Kooni, the meddling maid, set in motion a set of circumstances that threw the kingdom into chaos, prevented Rama's coronation, got him banished to the forest, and led to the death of the king. Yet, Rama's banishment was precisely what allowed him to fulfill his given purpose of destroying Ravana. How do you view Kooni, who is portrayed as evil, yet whose action set Rama on the path to fulfilling his purpose? Should she be condemned or praised? You might compare the character Kooni with Judas Iscariot in the story of Jesus.

3. Ramayana is told to children in India to teach proper behavior. Compare it to a story told to children in your culture, perhaps one you remember from your childhood, that has a similar purpose of teaching proper conduct. How are the moral lessons of the stories similar or different? What lessons from the Ramayana would you want your children to learn?

4. Extra Credit: Which syllable should be stressed when pronouncing the word "Ramayana"?