1. What kind of story is the Ramayana most similar to? Why?

a. A fairy tale
b. A science fiction novel
c. A horror story
d. A romantic comedy
2. What is the Ramayana about? Why?
a. Dharma
b. War
c. Women
d. Race
3. Attribute the following quotations from the film (King Dasharatha
Ram (Rama) Laksman (Laksmana) Bharata Vishwamitra Sita
Hanuman Sugriva Ravana Indrajit Kaikeyi)
a. “Bharata, what your mother has done is not in question here.
Remember, the great Emperor Dasharatha has commanded us: you to
rule the Kingdom, and I to live in these forests for 14 years. It is our
duty to abide by our father's wishes whether we like it or not.”
b. Brother, it is she! [drags Manthara into the room] It is this evil hag
who has sown the seed of madness in our mother's heart!
c. “Kausalya might have suggested it to the King. You know you are the
King's favourite Queen, and Kausalya hates you for that! She's just
jealous of your youth and beauty!”
d. “What have you done?! You depraved heartless woman! What
perverse tongue poisoned your mind?!”
e. “A husband's duty is his wife's too. Your fate is equally mine.”
f. “Why won’t you go help him? You wish him dead?”
g. “You know it was a cowardly act to carry off Princess Sita, totally
contrary to Dharma! This will surely end in your destruction, and in
the destruction of your race! Restore Sita to the Prince, and seek his
forgiveness!”
4. Resemblances to other Indian scriptures: How are the following scenes
similar to what is described in Vedic, Upanishadic, or Buddhist scriptures?
Also look at similarities to the Gita.
a. Lakshmana: “It is not like a true warrior, a true kshatriya, to be moved
by such emotion!” Rama: “My brother, when we set out on this
expedition, I too was full of anger and bitterness. But on our journey
to Lanka, I have come to see that all of us have received the precious
gift of life from the Gods, and that it is more important to be a good
human being than to be just a good Kshatriya. Have we not, all of us,
sprung from the same source?”
b. Rama’s usage of mantras to kill Ravana
c. Rama’s exile from the kingdom in the forest
d. Sita: “Thank you all. But when I think of those people who died for me,
I feel sad. I will meditate, and pray from now on, and beg their
 forgiveness.” Sugriva: “You don't need to do that. All you need to do is
live in peace with Rama, to make their death a glorious sacrifice.”
e. Ravana’s kidnapping of Sita
f. Lakshmana (Rama’s brother): “It is your dharma as a Kshatriya!”
g. Rama’s courtship of Sita by a display of strength
5. Rama
a. Did you feel sympathy with Rama? Why not?
6. Women
a. In Hindu countries today, Sita is still revered as an example of the
ideal woman. Why would that be?
b. In the classical version of this story, Sita is banished by Rama three
times because Rama suspects that she’s secretly slept with Ravana.
Although we don’t get this information in the film, what are some of
the ways women are portrayed?
i. Note: examples of women except for Sita:
1. Queen Kaikeyi, mother of Bharata
2. Shurpanakha, sister of Ravana
3. Manthara, advisor to Kaikeyi
7. Ogres
a. Where does Ravana have his fortress? What’s the difference between
his minions and Rama’s?
b. What kind of person is Ravana compared to Rama?
c. When you know that despite the Aryan invasion, South India
remained populated by the descendants of the Indus Civilization, how
would you read Rama’s conquest of Ravana’s minions?