Reading Notes: Ramayana, Part A
[Rama (left) in Forest with wife Sita (center) and brother Lakshmana (right)
This week I read the Ramayana! Before I read this retelling of the Ramayana, I only knew the basic details. After reading this though, I finally understood why things were the way they were. The one thing that was difficult for me was keeping track of all the characters. I would have to go back to a previous story and see what the relationship was between Rama and that said character was. But there was great amounts of details! From the setting to the character's feelings, everything was described to its fullest.
If I were to recreate one of the stories from the Ramayana, I would love to focus on one character. Most of the stories had at least five characters at a time. So it would be interesting to see how the story would flow if only some of the characters were included. On the storytelling strategies page, character nicknames/adjectives are discussed. I think this would a great way to simplify and make the story easier to read! The nicknames could hint at their legacy: Sita, the courageous wife. Another thing that I noticed was the layout of the Ramayana. On every page, there were multiple stories. I wonder how focusing on one or two stories would change the overall story. Would it become too short and have less detail or too long and very detailed? Also, it would surprising if there were new twists and turns in the plot. For example, when Rama is exiled to the forest, what if the King's wife banished him for life? Would Rama be the same person if this had been the case? Hinting at the new future of the outcome would be suspenseful as well. Based on my notes, I think simplifying the story without omitting the details is my goal for storytelling.
Bibliography:
Ramayana from Donald A. Mackenzie's Indian Myth and Legend
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