Ramayana

The Ramayana was a more challenging read. I enjoyed the rhyme of the translation, but there was a lot of repetition that made it easy to lose sight of what was being said to begin with. That was one parallel that the Ramayana had with the Iliad - since both are in the epic style, there are many descriptions of the might or valor of the heroes. Both Ram and Achilles represent certain values ideal to their respective cultures. With Ram, he represents the ideal Hindu man. He is intelligent, wise, does whatever is right, listens to his people, and is a good man, ruler, and husband in general. Achilles, on the other hand, is brave, adventurous, and a good warrior as he searches for eternal glory. While he does have the tragic flaw of hubris, he still represents the ideal physical man of the time period the Iliad was written in. The major difference I found in reading both is the tone of the works. The Iliad is very much about Achilles' wrath and the consequences of Achilles' hubris. The Ramayana has a much more didactic tone where it is discussing how because Ram is good and kind and wise, he will overcome the evil Ravan. There are common themes of abduction and war in each, but the Ramayana seems to be a more stark good-and-evil tale intent on conveying the values and lifestyle the reader should follow. This is why it works well as a religious text and reference.