Jograzielle Hann Gordillo
Noel Krish Zacal,
Afro-Asian Literature
21 July 2017
Chapter 1
Introduction
Rationale and Overview
‘The King’s intention is to record a story of the ancient ages, this tale of Ramakien.’
When you are going to visit Thailand, you will soon find yourself in a culture where
Gods, demons, giants, mythical creatures, and beast was a burst. ‘They are everywhere; they tower over you as they ominously guard doorways, they grin at you from intricate carvings, they bedazzle you from golden silk threads and dance around you from beautifully painted landscapes. These exotic creations are truly Thailand. They are so deeply ingrained in the culture, customs and beliefs of the Thai nation that myth and fact have merged into one epic legend. This deeply evocative tale is a story of magic and wonder, it is the Ramakien.’ (thailandtravelexplorer.com)
Thailand is considered as a Theravada Buddhist society where they believe in Brahman mythology which was derived from the epic ‘Ramakien’. Since the introduction of Ramakien to Thailand, it has become a firm component of it’s culture. Though it is considered as only an adaptation of a strange work from an archaic system of beliefs, it is it is firmly embedded in the cultural history of the country and the people. ‘Ramakien’ was introduced in the southeast asia during the Indianization of the regions including Bali, Java, Cambodia and Thailand. It has been an inspiration for painting and classical drama.
Ramakien is a well-known epic in Thailand, derived from the ancient tale from India, Ramayana. The main story is similar to that of the Ramayana. The major part of the Ramakien revolves around the war between Rama, the rightful king of Ayutthaya, and Totsakan, the evil king of the island of Lanka, who had abducted Rama’s beautiful wife, Sita, and taken her to Lanka. Rama is assisted by several monkey warriors. Totsakan’s allies are various demons.
The Ramakien of Rama I is considered one of the masterpieces of the Thai literature. It is still read, and is taught in the country's schools. The version recognized today was compiled in the Kingdom of Siam under the supervision of King Rama I, the founder of the Chakri dynasty, which still maintains the throne of Thailan The spread and popularity of Ramayana over the centuries may be seen in the number of variations of the story in the region. By the Dhonburi period of Thai history, the Thai version of the Ramayana (The Story of Rama) had been renamed Ramakien (The Glory of Rama) while the same story became known as Ram-Lak in the Lao version. Although older versions of Ramakien are extant, such as a book dated to the Dhonburi period, the most complete version of the Ramakien is the "Rama I version", an epic poem composed by King Rama I in the 18th century.
The well-known Thai epic ‘Ramakien’ is a long one and the character of Rama is complex. In this study, we will analyze the plot and the character of Rama in a multi-character perspective.
Chapter 2
Characterisation in Ramakien
The major characters of the Ramakien represent human life in its different facets, and the Thai people regard them as examples of the human society, and this is the reason for the continuing popularity of the Rama legend in the Thai society.
Characterisation of Rama/Phra Nam
Rama is depicted having a deep green face. He is an incarnation of the god Visbnu. He’s purpose is to defeat the demon race because their power threatens the gods. Pra Ram has the leading role in the Ramakian Epic. He leads the army to Langka to recover his beloved Sida (who is actually also the Avatar of the Goddess Lakshmi, and always accompanies Pra Narai on his Quests and Incarnations).
At the same time, Phra Ram is also shown to be a human being, who, in a fit of great anger on seeing the picture of Thosakan, drawn by Nang Sida, orders her to be put to death, but as he later repents for his hasty action, he merits the grace of Phra lsuan, who plays a commanding role in all critical situations.
Other Characters in Ramakien
Another known character is Sita or Nang Sida. Sita is a daughter of Tosakan’s consort and the incarnation of the goddess Laksbmi. She remains loyal to Rama while held captive by the evil Tosakan.When she grows into an adult, her beauty is so captivating that she struggles to resist the intentions of Tosakan. She manage to prove her love for Phralam. She then becomes the symbol of deep and faithful love. She is beautiful in body and soul.
Next is Lakshman, He is Rama’s loyal younger brother. He is often shown wearing in gold. He accompanies Rama into an exile in the forest. Lakshman is specially attached to Rama and when Rama marries Sita. He marries the younger sister of Sita- Urmila. They had two sons named Angad and Chandraketu. Later, when Rama goes on exile for fourteen years on the insistence of Kaikeyi, Lakshman leaves his wife Urmila and joins Rama. Next is Hanuman, the white monkey who is the son of the wind god. He is totally devoted to Rama but still, he finds time to seduce some beautiful women. Hanumanis probably the best known monkey character in Ramakien. He is featured in several episodes and has become a hero especially for Thai children who recognise him instantly in any artistic representation. In the khon, masked dance drama, Hanuman sports a mask of white colour, wears a diadem, grins with an open mouth and, most important of all, has the symbol of a moon surrounded by stars affixed to the palate of his mouth. Tosakan, The demon king of Longka and have ‘ten necks, heads and arms’. In the Indian version of the Ramayana he is called Ravanna. Ravana was capable of ten things. People showed these things by giving 10 heads for his memories. But Ravana is depicted as having ten heads, although sometimes he is shown with only nine heads because he has sacrificed a head to convince Shiva. Thosakan is depicted as a complex character with human virtues as well as frailties. He is shown to be a great character, noted for his strength, and resourcefulness, and his action in abducting Nang Sida is shrouded in the noble motive of love, for which he is prepared to sacrifice his life. His fall is inevitable, but it evokes sadness and sympathy.
Chapter 3
PLOT ANALYSIS
Exposition
There was a giant king named Tosakan on the Island of Lanka who won a battle against the god Indra. This king sought to rule the entire world. The gods knew that only a mortal man would be able to stop Tosakan and so they send Vishnu down to earth. Vishnu is reincarnated as Prince Rama (Phra Ram), son of King Tosarot of Ayuthaya. Rama and his brother and friend Lakshman become famous heroes. Rama also wins the heart of the beautiful and chaste Princess Sita who becomes his wife. However, a jealous concubine convinces King Tosarot to inherit her son and disinherit Prince Rama, expelling him, his wife and friend from the palace.
Rising Action
During their time in the forest, evil King Tosakan notices Sita’s beauty and tries to lure her away from Rama. He transforms into a deer and kidnaps Sita, locking her away inside his palace. Rama and Lakshman enlist the help of the monkey king Subrik and white general Hanuman to help rescue her. They reach the Island of Lanka where Hanuman then forms a causeway with his body to allow them to reach the island.
Climax
A huge battle ensues with Prince Rama ultimately emerging victorious against King Tosakan. However, Rama questions Sita’s faithfulness and she must undergo a trial of fire to prove her chastity. Everyone returns to Ayuthaya, where Rama again becomes king. Rama is still unsure of Sita’s faithfulness and expels her from the palace.
Falling Action
He orders Lakshman to kill her but Lakshman does not obey. Instead, he chooses to bring her to the jungle where they once lived when they were first expelled. She gives birth to a child. Rama hears about the child and finally recognizes his son.
Denouement
There is a long series of battles in which each demon that fights Phra Ram is eliminated. In the final battle, Thotsakan dies when Phra Ram shoots him with an arrow, while Hanuman crushes a box containing his heart. Nang Sida is thus rescued and they return to Ayuthaya. After living peacefully for a number of years, one day Phra Ram suspects Nang Sida of being unfaithful and orders her execution; but given her merit, she does not die. After a series of misadventures and attempts at reconciliation, Phra Isuan (Shiva) intervenes and reunites the couple, and all live happily ever after.