Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Reading Notes: Sita Sings the Blues Online Film, Part A


Sita Sings the Blues, link to the online video
  • King Dasharatha has three wives and four sons. Sita, daughter of Janaka, is Rama's wife. Queen Kaikeyi makes Dasharatha send Rama into exile. He dies of grief after Rama leaves
  • Despite Rama's warnings about the rakshasas in the forest, Sita goes into exile with him. The phonograph plays a song while they go into the forest where they live happily while Rama slays rakshasas
  • Surpanakha is Ravana's sister. Angry at Rama, Surpanakha tells Ravana about Sita. Maricha tells Ravana to leave Sita alone but Ravana commands Maricha to become a golden deer to distract Rama so he can grab Sita
  • Sita is enchanted by the golden deer. Rama suspects a trick, but Sita begs him to pursue the deer
  • Sita sings about her love for Rama, while Ravana sneaks up on their forest hut
  • Ravana abducts Sita in his flying chariot
  • Sita drops her jewelry as a sign; Rama seeks her in the forest
  • Rama and Hanuman become allies. Rama sends Hanuman to look for Sita
  • Sita is held captive in Lanka, and she weeps for Rama. She rejects Ravana's advances
  • Hanuman finds Sita in Lanka while Sita sings the blues. He sets Lanka on fire and then returns to Rama
  • The narrators argue about why Sita did not escape with Hanuman. Meanwhile, Nina goes to India
  • Sita sings with joy while Rama battles the rakshasas and slays Ravana
  • Sita and Rama are reunited, but he rejects her because she lived in another man's house. He sends her away. Sita despairs
  • Sita asks for a funeral pyre. The narrators argue about how to interpret this part of the story
  • Sita sings the blues while she undergoes a test by fire, protected by Agni the fire god
  • Rama asks for Sita's forgiveness
  • The narrators discuss the flying chariot, Pushpaka, that takes Rama and Sita back to Ayodhya
  • Sita sings the blues again: if you want the rainbow, you must have the rain

No comments:

Post a Comment