| What is it about world literature that seems to | | | | Ravana (He of the Terrifying Roar) was given to him |
| evoke the same feelings of sublimate, history and a | | | | by Lord Shiva. Similarly, Lucifer who is considered (as |
| sense of timeless appeal? In their intricacy, plot | | | | per Christian literature and legends) as having been an |
| movements and connection with the ancient | | | | archangel with powers in heaven is thrown out of |
| scriptures, all world literature, transcends to great | | | | heaven when he rebels against God. Milton presented |
| literature not only in their time but for time | | | | Lucifer as a rebel, though a very interesting one. |
| immemorial. Interestingly, it is the characters in such | | | | When Lucifer mouths, "All is not lost; the' |
| masterpieces which remain etched in the minds of | | | | unconquerable Will, / and study of revenge, immortal |
| the readers especially because they are usually a | | | | hate, / and courage never to submit or yield... " he is |
| beautiful confluence of the simple, complex and even | | | | terrific in his indomitable courage as he is supreme in |
| intricate. Every culture, religion and civilization has its | | | | confidence. It is perhaps this beauty of the |
| own nuances which are often reflected in the | | | | characters that lend a splendid visage to what has |
| literature of the times. Some of course reflect | | | | emerged as two massive and intriguing characters in |
| thoughts and emotions that stand true for | | | | world literature. |
| generations to come and are often identified under | | | | Legend has it that Ravana along with his brother, |
| the precarious proclamation of classics that remain a | | | | Kumbakarna were actually reincarnations of Jaya and |
| part of our history gloriously embedded into our | | | | Vijaya, who had served as gatekeepers at the |
| present. All this and so much more, to say that | | | | abode of Vishnu. But being cursed they were born in |
| literature around the world is often found comparable | | | | Earth, as enemies to the lord. (which would in turn |
| and indeed similar too in ways more than one. | | | | shorten their chakra of 7 rebirths) |
| Any one who is familiar with Hindu mythology and | | | | Though Ravana is mostly the face of evil and a |
| related literature will maintain that the 'Ramayana', the | | | | representation of the triumph of good over evil, he is |
| tale of Rama is unlike the Mahabharata ( another | | | | not left with that. As is the hall mark of all great |
| Hindu literary piece) probably less a tale of intricacies | | | | literature, the character is developed and reaches its |
| and more a piece on Hindu mythology and its various | | | | zenith to present an intriguing tale of a person who |
| facets. Ramayana in fact documents the beliefs and | | | | though eveil is blessed with the best qualities a man |
| traditions propagated by the Hindu sages of yore and | | | | can have! A philosopher and a pundit, Ravana was |
| present them in an allegorical form woven into the | | | | guided by of his father, to acquire the vast |
| delicacy of the narrative. The interpretation of the | | | | knowledge of the scriptures. Interestingly, Ravana |
| philosophical and the devotional characters of Rama, | | | | has also been accredited with creating the first |
| Lakshman, Bharat, Sita, Hanuman not withstanding it | | | | grammar of Sanskrit language as well as compiling |
| is the character of and Ravana, who is incidentally | | | | and editing the Krishnayajurved! His scholarly virtues, |
| the villain of the piece which is often a contradiction | | | | expert as a Veena player, and stories of how he |
| in itself. Delicately handled and oh so well executed | | | | presided as the chief purohit of the Puja for Ram to |
| the character of Ravana with his ten heads and | | | | start a battle which eventually killed him are the stuff |
| roaring laugh mesmerizes as it fascinates and | | | | of legends today. |
| somewhere down the line he resonates another | | | | Strangely and in a similar vein, Milton presents Lucifer |
| great character from literature too! | | | | with utmost sympathy, perhaps unknowingly, as |
| As in Indian Hindu literature, English literature ( as | | | | stated in 'The Marriage of Heaven and Hell' by Blake |
| different from Indian English writings) have a bevy of | | | | who says that Milton was 'of the Devil's party |
| such beauties steeped in Christian Mythology. Starting | | | | without knowing it." However Milton's Lucifer though |
| at the beginning with 'Beowulf', Milton and his 'Paradise | | | | ruler of hell is not only intelligent and ruthless but |
| Lost' are works that immediately come to the mind. | | | | utterly charming too! Almost as evidence of this |
| The above mentioned names are of course as is | | | | when Lucifer at a later stage enters the Garden of |
| easily identified mentioned in the special context again | | | | Eden, he is successful in tempting Eve, to eat fruit |
| of a certain special character so very identifiable with | | | | from the forbidden tree. And of course like Ravana, |
| Ravana from Hindu mythology. Yes you guessed it | | | | he is enfant terrible, the master of all he surveys (in |
| right we are talking about Lucifer and Ravana! I have | | | | this case hell) and the King of the Earth with 90 |
| always wondered how similar the two are.. though | | | | legions under his command. |
| the twain never meet and all that.. In their | | | | Much in the traces of the Shakespearian hero who |
| presentation of course both characters largely differ. | | | | lands from his mighty position with that oh one flaw! |
| Yet one cannot but notice the inherent beauty that | | | | may be Lucifer and Ravana did too yet in their own |
| both possess. | | | | magnificent ways they soar and how. It is perhaps in |
| While Ravana is the angry, rebellious, out to out do | | | | this uncharacteristic humaneness of the demons and |
| everyone (himself included demon with ten hands, he | | | | the love for all things grey, as opposed to black and |
| is the ardent Shiv Bhakt too. A man of tremendous | | | | white that makes literature so fascinating a medium, |
| virtues, part Brahmin- part Kshatriya, Ravana is huge | | | | traces of which can be found in many such parallels |
| simply with his potential as a character. The name | | | | drawn across the world and yet to be done! |