Something You Probably Didn’t Know About World Literature — The Ramayana

and direction to the telling of the story that helps bards to remember each of the components of the story’s cycle. The moral focus of the Ramayana is on dharma, one of the major tenets of Hinduism. Dharma includes within it the English language concepts of duty, law, correct or appropriate behavior. It also includes behaving appropriately and fulfilling one’s duties within the structure of one’s family, one’s neighborhood, and one’s relationship with god. The Ramayana acts as a primer for teaching the lessons of living correctly by always fulfilling one’s duties, living by society’s laws, and always behaving appropriately according to one’s station in life.

The lessons of dharma are most clearly delineated in the Ramayana’s moments of moral dilemma. Often following one’s duty requires acting against one’s wishes or desires, and doing what is right rather than what is easy. Through their choices and actions Rama and his wife Sita offer examples of what men, women, boys and girls are meant to aspire to in their own behavior. Characters such as King Dasaratha and Rama’s brother Lakshmana also offer similar lessons, while the demon king Ravana shows what will befall those who refuse to follow dharma in their actions. The monkey general Hanuman most often behaves correctly, however, his animal nature sometimes gets the best of him. When it does, he pays the price for his impatience and lack of restraint.

Rama is the hero of the poem, whose focus is the epic telling of Rama’s quest. Notice that the story of Rama contains the Epic Hero Cycle, which places it within the epic poetry tradition.