Literary Analysis of Ramayan of Valmiki - Free Paper

Introduction

Society is characterized by numerous norms, values, and beliefs that usually determine how members' behavior should look. It is also identified in various social classes, including the low class, often referred to as the poor, the middle class, and the upper or top class. There are groups, including male and female populations that comprise a society. All the above social classes and genders depict differences, especially in how society perceives them. The poetry work Ramayan by Valmiki is a description of a social setting and brings in the concepts of social classes and gender imbalance by focusing on the Indian environment (Valmiki). The poetry shows how the male gender is elevated in society and how females are mandated to serve them. There are incidences of the upper class living in better places than the lower class population.

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Research Questions

• What scenarios are the lower class, and gender imbalance?

Gender Imbalance and Women Violence

Although the Hindu psyche is primarily suffused with Ramayan ideals, there is an attempt to pursue an interpretation of the significantly popular epic, which includes an investigation of identity, gender, and feminist concerns, among others that calls thought feminization and attempts to enthrone the values of women (Valmiki). The voice of women in Ramayan is a depiction of the conduct of men towards the female gender and the position that women have in society and their families (Muniapan, p. 105). Sita is presented as a legendary female figure, especially in Indian mythology. She has been perceived as a supreme model of love, purity, compassion, and peace while, at the same, depicting the supreme feminine embodiment. Sita's role is potentially perceived as the way women in society and family settings have to undergo struggles to achieve their identity and establish their space of honor. Women, as presented by the poetry text, are emancipatory, and they try to engage in their liberation efforts from arbitrary beliefs (Kusch). Gender can be perceived as the way to see and represent individuals and situations in terms of sex differences.

Women in Ramayan are shown as desiring to gain what they miss and tend to revolt against male dominance and patriarchy. They demolish tradition and culture and enslave the male ego to change the appearance of society characterized by male dominance. Women are focused and philosophical and ensure they integrate emotional intelligence when striving to secure survival and identity in a social setting. The concept of feminism, in this case, is described as the recognition of both cultural and historical subordination of the female gender. It is ironic for women to be treated as a minority group along with other groups in the same category, although they represent the worldwide majority. Feminism practice also includes a resolution to address the issues that women face. Ramayan presents a society that seems patriarchal, where women struggle to find their space of honor and identity. Sita is presented as the ideal wife who observes and is submissive to her husband (Valmiki). She even follows her husband to exile for 14 years, and she has to undergo several sufferings to prove her chastity during the abduction of her husband. However, she ultimately leaves her husband quietly despite undergoing all the numerous tests. She decides to leave when her husband, Lord Rama, compels her to leave since he has heard the public population in his kingdom cast doubt on Sita's character.

The poetry text drives the point that society perceives the man as an entire world for their women. When a bride was married, especially within a patriarchal family structure, she would be physically moved from her natal family setting to join the matrimonial family. A bride would end up immediately losing her right to maintenance and residence within her natal family. Sita, in the text, is presented as a supreme model of the self-sacrificing, virtuous, and obedient wife. Besides, Sita functions as the shakti of Rama, which includes the energy of inspiring her husband into action and the primary power source as a King.

Women face numerous encounters in society and families that undermine their identity and space. They face abuse from their male gender. It is a common trend across cultures where humans have suffered domestic abuse. The poetry text, Ramayan shows the abuse in the characters Sita and Surpanakhan, who suffered at the hands of business rivals who wanted to prove their masculinity. The story presented men as leaders and rulers in a patriarchal society, while women take the position of serving their husbands (Valmiki). Women are presented as lacking any autonomous interests. Leadership or power is usually transferred from the father to the son to provide for the needs of society members and the entire community.

Ramayan acknowledged that women in India and other societies worldwide have been oppressed over the years. The text narrates both the fire ordeal of Sita and the mutilation of Suparnakhan. The two events towards women form some of the unpleasant experiences among women in society. Rama decides to abandon Sita in the forest when he hears rumors from the general public that depict attempts to fulfill patriarchal dominance. The ruler does not hold the happiness of his wife in high regard. He is presented as an ideal king and not an ideal husband as he is focused on the affairs of leadership and ignores the presence of his wife. The cases of Sita and Suparnakhan represented the marginalization of women who are restricted from enjoying active citizenship. Therefore, Ramayan manages to drive the aspect of exclusion and violence toward women briefly (Gálik, 2018).

The Scenario of the Poor and Lower Class

The society is also characterized by social classes, including the poor among society members. Numerous aspects can be used to measure the poor living standards of society. Differences occur in how people live, their access to basic needs, and the provision of key services that human beings need for survival (Gálik, 320). Inequality in sharing resources in a social setting is common and is witnessed across numerous societies of the world. The concept of inequality between the poor and rich has existed over the years, as seen in how individuals live and their beliefs (Kusch, 45). Discrimination among the poor population in society is shown to cause bitterness.

People can be denied essential services, such as education. Education is a key requirement that should be offered to all persons without discrimination or favor of a given population. All people are entitled to learning, and society should provide room for all people to access education and better quality. Discrimination of the poor may occur in the provision of social amenities, including the paces, infrastructural facilities, or buildings that should be shared and are the convergence points for all communities (Muniapan, 108).

The Ramayan text shows a lack of class utopia to pass the differences and discrimination of poor Indian society (Muniapan, 108). Ayahodha is described as an ideal city where the top class spends their life while the rest of the poor live in poverty and poor places. The description shows aristocratic estates and special privileges for some groups in society while the other members are denied access to such treatments. Over the years, India has witnessed the presence of social classes where the dominant ones, including Varnas, usually restrict minority classes or the poor from access to the resources that would otherwise be enjoyed by all.

The text discusses the moral values in a society and what an ideal society should look like. It explains the evil practices in society and towards certain groups such as the poor. Leaders and those higher positions and ranks in society need to work for all their followers' benefit and good. There needs to be an understanding that all people remain the same when it comes to sharing resources. Oppression and discrimination practices are common in societies, although it is a vice that deserves condemnation (Muniapan, 108). A society should serve as one unit, and people base their interests on the betterment of others' lives.

Moral values and cultural beliefs should be geared towards upholding the general good and not welcoming or advancing evil practices. All people have equal rights and should be treated with respect all the time. The leadership, as shown by King Rama, needs to work towards the interests of all persons. One needs to put personal interests aside and remain committed to the general public's mandates—generally, the poor experience significant suffering as they lack access to crucial resources. The practice needs to be addressed even in other societies worldwide to bring all people into equal measures and treatment.

Conclusion

The literature analysis has offered significant insights, including gender imbalance and its practice in society. Women are the hardest hit when society seems patriarchal, and it is male-dominated. Women are placed as servants and people who should always obey their husbands or the male gender. The notion causes suffering and abuse among women at the hands of men. The next concept discussed and presented in Ramayana is the social class issues where the poor appear to suffer the most due to a lack of crucial resources. The literature helps and finds a solution to the ills of society.

Works Cited

Gálik, M. "Some remarks on the concept of world literature after 2000." Tensions in World Literature, 2018, pp. 147-169, doi:10.1007/978-981-13-0635-8_6.

Kusch, C. Literary analysis: The basics. Routledge, 2016.

Municipal, Balakrishnan A/L. "Transformational leadership style demonstrated by Sri Rama in Valmiki Ramayana." International Journal of Indian Culture and Business Management 1.1-2 (2007): 104-115.

Valmiki. The Ramayan of Válmíki Translated into English Verse by Ralph T.h. Griffith. Benares: E.J. Lazarus and Co, 1895. Print.