Ramayana Revised

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Ramayana
Ramayana is epic literature from India. In the Indian culture, Ramayana is considered as a poem that gives spiritual direction, psychological understanding, wisdom and a beautiful tale. Ramayana is a story about Rama whose wife is taken away by the devil (Narayan 5). The literature influences the Indian culture as it provides the perception of dharma to give good directions, influences the lives of Indians, and explores human experiences. The epic focuses more on the obligation of relationships. It describes the expected ideal husband, wife, brother and perfect king and servant. For instance, Sita is an ideal wife to Rama as she believes in him despite the challenges King Ravana puts them through. Rama is the main character in the poem. He was married to Sita and later banished into the forest, and King Ravana had his wife kidnapped. The narrator of the poem speaks in the third person. Rama’s life is used as the point of view throughout the storyline. The author also used literary devices such as metaphor. For instance, Dasaratha says, “Viswamitra, your coming is important like a birth of a child to the childless…” (Narayan 15). Dasaratha uses metaphor to explain the importance of the arrival of Viswamitra.
On the other hand, Sita Sings the Blues is a revisited and reworded play of Ramayana. The play aims at serving modern generation and culture. Both works of literature are myths that are important in dealing with life experiences in different ages.

However, Sita Sings the Blues focuses on the affection that Sita had for Rama. The author, Nina Paley does not focus on the exile of Rama and its effect on the village as it is in Ramayana. However, she describes the impact the exile had on Sita.
Therefore, Ramayana was done to play a more significant role in the Indian culture. For example, it was supposed to convince the Indians that believing in Dharma could help people do good. Paley fails to express the cultural value of the storyline in Sita Sings the Blues. Instead, Paley uses the play to explain gender roles.
Works Cited
Narayan, R. K. The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. New ed.
London: Penguin Classics :, 2006. Print.
Paley, Nina. Sita Sings the Blues. 2008. Film