The document discusses the portrayal of Sita in the Indian epic Ramayana and how her character has been interpreted and politicized over time. It explores Sita's submissive role within a patriarchal framework and how she represents the experiences of many Indian women who face gender-based restrictions and expectations. The poem "Lakshman" by Toru Dutt presents a more human depiction of Sita as an anxious woman, in contrast to her idealized portrayal in the Ramayana. Feminist perspectives have both celebrated Sita's resilience and criticized her as a symbol of female subservience.

1. Prepared by : Avani Jani
M.A Sem: 3
Paper : 201: Indian English Literature – Pre-
Independence
Roll no: 3
Enrollment no: 4069206420220014
Submitted to: Department of English, MKBU

2. ● Toru Dutt
● ‘Lakshman’ Summary
● Sita
● Ramayana as Political Agenda
● “Can the Subaltern Speak?”
● The Women ‘Sita’
Road map of the Presentation
● Conclusion

3. Toru Dutt
Toru Dutt (1856–1877) hailed from a Christianized Calcutta family of high
standing and wrote in English and French. In her late teens she travelled and
studied in both England and France together with her sister and father. As does
‘The Royal Ascetic and the Hind’, her work often carried an explicit Christian
message. However, at the same time, her poetry is charged with respect for and
interest in the ancient languages and literary traditions of India.
On return from her travels in Europe, a few years before her death from
tuberculosis at the age of 21, Dutt began an intensive course of study in the
ancient Indian language of Sanskrit, while at the same time adapting her new
knowledge to retell the tales of the Puranas and Mahabharata in English, using
traditional English poetic forms. In this poem, she adopts unrhymed iambic
pentameter, not unlike Milton in Paradise Lost. Like him, she is essentially
reworking ancient religious legends and stories for modern times, but she is
also traversing cultural continents in the process.
‘The Royal Ascetic and the Hind’ is taken from Dutt’s posthumously published
Ancient Ballads and Legends of Hindustan (1882), one of the very first volumes
of Indian poetry in English to be published, and the first such work by a woman. (Oxford)
(Archive and University of Toronto

4. Meenakshi T. summarises the poem ‘Lakshman’ with this point-
Toru Dutt captures the responses of Sita at a crucial time in her life when her husband is sensed
to be in danger in the forest. This poem focuses on a small segment of exchange of dialogue
between Sita and Lakshman. most of the times Sita bombarding Lakshman with the allegations
on Lakshman. Toru Dutt’s Lakshman captures this moment of failure in all the three characters of
Ramayana.
Sita accuses Lakshman for his delay in going out to save Rama. Sita’s mind changes and she
accuses Lakshman of being disloyal to his brother” she accuses Lakshman by telling him that he
wanted to marry his brother’s wife. Lakshman’s character shines all the more brightly in the face
of sita’s accusations against him.
Lashman’s calm composure even in the deepest mental agony only shows the strength of his
character. He knows that he has a mission in life- that of serving his brother. The charges Sita
levels against Lakshman are humiliating and degrading. Nevertheless, Lakshman stands noble
and sublime. Perhaps, this is what has made Toru Dutt to title the poem “Lakshman” than titling it
“Sita” though she plays the role of a protagonist in the poem. (T, MEENAKSHI.)

5. ‘Sita’
● Sita is the only woman who captures the attention of readers and
audience in the Indian epic poem Ramayana. Sita’s biological
parents are not known. But the mother of Sita is a God. King
Janaka raises her as a human with love and care, yet in the end,
he conforms to the prevailing patriarchal tradition by offering her
in marriage following the swayamvara. This underscores the
strong influence of patriarchal norms, where a daughter's
marriage is decided by her father.
● “There can be no better textbook of morals [than ’s Ramayana. ] which can be safely placed in the hands of
youth to inspire them to higher and nobler ideals of conduct and character” (Srinivasa Iyengar)
● Driven by this understanding of Ramayana. and its main characters, Hindus, traditionally, revere Sita as the
role model of womanhood. But feminists of today feel that upholding Sita as a role model is tantamount to
endorsing male supremacy and female subservience. Indeed, some feminists have even argued that “Sita
Syndrome” breeds domestic violence in India.
● Indian feminists have often criticized Sita “as an overly-submissive wife who committed suicide for an
ultimately untrusting husband” (Sweetman)
● Understanding these narratives offers valuable insight not only into the specific region in which they are told,
but also the formation and nature of the political, social, and religious dimensions of that place’s inhabitants.

6. ● Ved Mehta raises question in ‘The Mosque and the Temple’ - “ To what
extent has the Ramayana shaped the relationship between conservative Hindu
nationalism as represented by the nationalist party, and gender politics and
structures in the post-colonial period?” (Mehta)
● Narratives and characters from both (Ramayana and Mahabharata) are
used by politicians in speeches to emphasise political or moral points.
(Bajpai et al.)
● Another significant focus of study is women’s rights and quality of life in
postcolonial India, and the way that prevailing traditional and patriarchal
views (particularly those espoused by Hindu nationalists and framed by
the Ramayana) continue to shape the experiences of women.
● Sita has always been dominant personality as she never disobeyed her
husband eg. in Aranyakand, Ram tells sita- a ‘pativrata’ beautiful lady
sita to disappear in the fire until he kill all the demons. And sita obeys
Ram. (Tulasīdāsa )
● .
● While searching for ‘Indian Women’ the google is showing pictures of working
women. And while searching for ‘Bhartiya Nari’ google is showing women in saree.
One can differenciate that What ‘Bharat’ wants it’s nari to be and what ‘India’ wants
Ramayana as Political Agenda

8. ● GRK Murty feels proud of sita when Sita raises questions - Why do you, like a common
man speaking to a common woman, speak to me, such unkind and unbecoming words,
which are so jarring to the ear, ...I was helpless when I came into contact with the person
of Ravana; I did not act of my own free will on that occasion. My fate is to be blamed for
that. That which is under my control, my heart, abides in you. What could I do, helpless
as I was, with regard to my limbs, which had fallen under the sway of another? If I could
not be fully known to you, in spite of our love for each other having simultaneously grown
and despite our having lived together, I am undone for good, thanks to such ignorance”
(“Valmiki Ramayana”) when Ram doubts her character. GRK Murty writes”What a subtle
style of questioning her husband’s wisdom!” (Murty )
● Counter arguing this pride of GRK Murty, In the essay “Can the Subaltern Speak?”
Spivak examines the role of women particularly in colonial Indian society as silent
actors. She argues that there is a key distinction between the terms ‘speak’ and
‘talk’. Women may physically talk and be vocally expressive but, but according they
cannot be heard as active social voices with independent agency (Spivak)
.
“Can the Subaltern Speak?”

9. Sita as a common Woman
● Meenakshi T. sees Sita as a common woman in the poem ‘Lakshman’ as she argues- This
poem focuses on a small segment of exchange of dialogue between Sita and Lakshman and
Toru Dutt through her diction brings out the latent fears and anxieties of Sita which in a way
contradicts the goddess Sita against the humane Sita.
● She stays back within the lakshmanrekha.
(“માતા પિતા - પિકરી ને આ સમજણ ચોક્કસ આિજો | Pu Gyanvatsal Swami
|Motivational Speech”)

10. ● Sita gets deeper and deeper into the circles of patriarchy. The lakshmanrekha,
the supreme metaphor for women’s restricted movement.
● According to the diasporic perspective the mythological figure of Sita projects
an ambivalent function of a subservient wife and a powerful symbol emanating
resistance to maintain her obedience till the end. (Vogt-William)
● when Sita does not get convinced by Lakshman about the safety of her husband,
she fails to send Lakshman out for Ram, her anxiety changes to doubt which gets
expressed through the allegations on Lakshman
● Sita’s character in the poem ‘Lakshman’ may not be strictly in keeping with her
portrayal in the Ramayana, but it is in accordance with human nature, and shows
the working of a woman’s mind. In the poem she does not appear as an idealized
queen, but as a woman, who behaves as a woman in her condition ought to be.
She acts impulsively and easily falls in the trap laid down for her by Ravana, the
tricky and mighty king of Lanka.

11. Conclusion :
● Sita is a character in the Ramayana who, in many ways, represents the
experiences of many Indian women. Indian patriarchy often expects women to
exhibit submissive behavior while subjecting them to questioning and male
degradation. Women across India face restrictions under the guise of safety, often
confined to their homes. The authorities, in the name of religion, can stifle the
voices of women. Sita's story serves as a poignant reflection of the challenges and
constraints that many Indian women endure.

12. References :
Archive, Internet, and Robarts University of Toronto. “Life and letters of Toru Dutt.” Internet Archive, London, New York [etc.] H. Milford, Oxford
university press, 9 March 2019, https://archive.org/details/lifelettersoftor00duttuoft/page/n17/mode/2up.
Bajpai, Kanti P., et al., editors. India's Grand Strategy: History, Theory, Cases. Routledge, 2014. Accessed https://www.amazon.in/Indias-Grand-
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13. Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty. “Can the Subaltern Speak?” Northern Arizona University,
https://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~sj6/Spivak%20CanTheSubalternSpeak.pdf.
Srinivasa Iyengar, Kodaganallur R., editor. Asian Variations in Ramayana: Papers Presented at the International Seminar on 'Variations in Ramayana in
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