Week 10: Famous Last Words

Hopefully this is my hump week of the semester. (Is that a thing? I think in college life "hump week" is a useful concept. Also maybe "hump month." Sometimes things just really don't lighten up for several weeks. Or all semester.) Post-spring break, I'm finding it difficult to stay focus and work on class stuff when I have the time to do it. As my approaching-paper-deadlines stress gradually increases, it's not helping that I, erm, haven't really been doing that much research for them even if I have the spare time. If this is the only week (well, I guess the last week) I have this issue, it would be great.

I'm enjoying this course, of course, and reading Divakaruni's novel. It's getting a bit depressing, though, so I'm looking forward to moving on to Breaking the Bow (how often do you get to read science fiction for class??!!). I'm still holding out hope that I can forge on ahead a bit and finish the course early. While I like the subject material and assignments, it will also be nice to have one less thing to worry about towards the end of the semester.

The second story of the Storybook...not my best. I liked the character the first took on, but the second seems dry to me. I think a major part of it was not being familiar with the story as much as with Sita's, not having seen all of the nuance that people read into/take out of it. Also, I was trying to squeeze in a lot of cultural information at the same time, because with this festival there was actually a lot of detailed info online.

The pookalam flower carpets for Onam are my favorite festival tradition so far. 

(Wikipedia)

Hopefully the third story will go better. I think I'll have to use a comic book or graphic novel from the library as a main source, so that should be fun! I haven't yet ventured out to see what's on reserve for the Epics class -- I really prefer reading longer novels and such -- but I should definitely take at least some advantage of the resources pooled there. :)

Week 10 Reading Diary, cont.: Palace of Illusions

reading: Part F of The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (2008)

The end is drawing nigh, which is a bit frightening, remembering roughly what happens to everyone by the conclusion of the Mahabharata. I tend to prefer books without a great deal of violence and death...so this was a poor choice in those respects. I'm not looking forward to the next sets of chapters.

It was interesting, though, to suddenly be introduced to a host of new characters and reintroduced to some old ones. Kunti and Sikhandi are back, as are the sons of the Pandavas. I was particularly intrigued by the story of Hidimbi, Bhima's first wife, which I didn't remember from the epic. So many of these characters would be fascinating as the protagonists of their own novels! After all, they've all been doing their own things while the Pandavas are embroiled with their political and family dramas.

Hidimbi and the Pandavas

 (Wikimedia Commons)

Another interesting aspect coming up is Indian philosophies. A kind of current running in the background of this novel is Draupadi's stubborn independence, while admirable for her position as a woman in her culture in that time, also leads her to some decisions with far-reaching, lethal consequences. If she would just let go of her anger and fear, she'd be happier and also have avoided some of the incidents that lead to the path the story takes. In this last section of reading, these themes were spelled out to her by others more explicitly than they had been in the past.

Week 10: Review

I backed up my work for this class (for the first time this semester...I'm really bad about that) and realized that I have more assignments left this weekend than I thought. Oops. Can't forget about all the commenting!

My favorite announcement this week was the Bronte sisters power dolls video. I'd actually run across this video last year while looking for a Charlotte Bronte action figure (my friend had given me a Jane Austen one for my birthday, but Charlotte Bronte is my true favorite author) and was disappointed that this is the closest anyone's come to making dolls for the Brontes. Still, this video is even funnier than I remembered. :)

The Jane Austen action figure is cool, but not as cool as Charlotte Bronte.

(source: Archie McPhee)

Week 10 Storytelling: Marriage Counseling

Dr. Counselor: Well, I can’t say I’ve ever seen a case as unique as yours before. So…five husbands and one wife? I’ll try to help you out, but of course the usual marriage counseling strategies are aimed at monogamous couples. It’s going to take some creativity to adapt them. I’m up for the challenge if you’re willing to put up with some experimentation on my part.

Yudhishthira: Of course, doctor. I’m sure you’ll be able to help us.

Dr. Counselor: So can you describe what issues you seem to be having in your marriage? Jealousy, perhaps?

Arjun: Well, that’s a leading question! No, we’ve long passed any jealousy problems. Being married for over twenty years, we’ve found ways to work it out.

Dr. Counselor: So why did you all come in today?

Pandava brothers: Well…

Dr. Counselor: Yes?

Draupadi: [sighs] It’s because of me. They all get along fine. I’m the thorn in everyone’s side!

Bhima: Dear one, that’s not true! It’s just that this exile has been hard on all of us, and tensions are rising the longer we stay in the forest all together.

Nakula and Sahadeva: [mumbling] Because someone’s being a whiny b*#!@.

Dr. Counselor: Ahhh, I think I’m beginning to see the root of the issue. You’re not so different from other marriages after all –

Arjun: Yes, it seems to be the standard of woman to nag her husband about what can’t be helped!!!

Dr. Counselor: Now, now, let’s not raise our voices or point fingers. Communication is a two-way street. Brothers, what are your side of things?

Bhima: Draupadi is the perfect wife! I’m so sorry we got her into this situation. I don’t mind doing everything she wants. She deserves it, to so selflessly go into exile with us and give up so much!

Nakula: Except she then complains about everything! It’s all nag, nag, nag, “look at what a mess you’ve made of things,” “how could Yudhishthira be so stupid,” “you lost my lovely palace,” “how could husbands do this to their wife” –

Sahadeva: All she does is whine about how we need to seek vengeance! Which is totally our plan, but we have to finish our exile first and then worry about all that. The time will come, she just needs to learn patience.

Yudhishthira: It’s not all that bad. Draupadi is right – I really screwed up, and it affected all of us very negatively. Just, after so long, I feel like we’re growing distant rather than closer in our relationships with her.

Arjun: [mumbles] Yeah, I would rather be in the palaces of my other wives sometimes, but instead I’m always stuck with her.

Dr. Counselor: Draupadi, what’s your side of this?

Draupadi: I don’t think my husbands realize just how much this exile has affected me. That palace was home, it was the only place where I’d ever felt truly comfortable and in control. To lose that was devastating! And then the humiliation of the games with those Kauravas – a woman’s honor demands vengeance in such a case, and I can’t let my husbands forget their duty to serve it!

Dr. Counselor: O-kay, I think we have enough to work with here. There’s some hidden tensions here I’d like to parse out further, but those can wait for later. Like I said, the communication issues are quite clear. Let’s start by discussing how to address those, shall we?

attempted disrobing of Draupadi following Yudhishthira's loss of the game

Author's Note: Reading through Divakaruni's novel The Palace of Illusions, I was struck by Draupadi's attitudes and behavior during the Pandavas' exile. She's not a very supportive companion; rather, in her rage with the situation, she's berating her husbands about seeking revenge and making a lot of complaints and demands. She's never really had a loving relationship with the five brothers in this book, but I hate how bad it's getting at this point. I thought up the idea of marriage counseling, because I think part of the problem is that she's being blinded by her feelings, but also part of the problem is that she and the brothers aren't communicating well enough on their issues and relationships. I want them to work things out rather than just place all the blame on Draupadi's behavior.

Bibliography:

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, The Palace of Illusions (2008)

illustration from a Mughal period Persian Mahabharata (Wikimedia Commons) 

Tech Tip: Embedded YouTube

I added a video to my introduction post. I realized I'd never mentioned my main hobby, contra dancing, so what better way to introduce it than with a video? It's pretty hard to explain adequately otherwise.

Week 10 Reading Diary, cont.: Palace of Illusions

reading: Part E of The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (2008)

I'm starting to really dislike Draupadi. As a complex character, she's up there in development; as a likeable person, she's not so great. Her pride, anger, and whininess get pretty annoying in the last chapters. She makes several mistakes as a queen that will have major consequences, because she can't always control her emotions and inclinations when it's better for the situation for her to behave better. It gets a little confusing for me to see her true character at this point, because in hindsight she recognizes where she should have done things differently and is describing events as they unfold from this retrospective-but-present-tense voice.

I also don't understand her whole thing with Karna. She saw his portrait before her swayamvar and apparently fell in love with him, though she never verbalizes her attraction to him in quite this way. But it's been how many decades since she got married, and she's still bothered by this?? I realize how important the Pandavas' relationships with Karna are (and how these relate to Draupadi and the course of events), but I don't think Draupadi's feeling so drawn to him for no discernible reason is the strongest base for how things play out due to their bungled interactions.

It's interesting, though, to see how Divakaruni portrays Draupadi in exile as different than Sita in exile. The Ramayana pictures Sita as the perfect wife, uncomplainingly going along with her husband in what turns out to be a fairly nice stay in the forest (until Ravana's sister shows up). Draupadi in this book, however, is whiny, trying to goad her husbands on to vengeance (for her own hurt pride's sake) by complaining the whole twelve years they're exiled. This could've been a great time for the family to bind together and build up their relationships, but instead, Draupadi's behavior comes closer to making them all miserable.

the Pandavas brothers and Draupadi go into exile

(Wikimedia Commons)

Week 10 Reading Diary: Palace of Illusions

reading: Part D of The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (2008)

I'm halfway through Divakaruni's novel now. Overall, I'm enjoying it, though knowing what's coming it's more of an appreciation of how the characters develop and the story is explored rather than an oh-gosh-isn't-this-just-fun feeling. There's this dark undercurrent coming through beneath the narrative that I don't really want to see fully unveiled.

Part D covers a lot of ground in not a lot of pages. The Pandavas' fantastic palace is built, Draupadi has her five sons, and at least ten years go by. I think this period could probably have a novel of its own about all the court intrigues and drama going on, a la The Tudors and similar shows about the royal and wealthy that are currently popular. Unfortunately, there's not space for all that here, not to mention it would be a significant departure into sideplots off of the main epic frame.

Still, it's weird how little attention is given to some parts of this time. It looks like the episode of Arjun being exiled for walking in on Draupadi and her husband of the year is completely left out, and while Draupadi mentions having sons and them later being raised by Arjun's favorite wife, she largely ignores that she has children. There's so much going on in the source material that could be developed into fully fleshed-out stories, but I guess those would relate more to an entire series of novels rather than just this one.

Krishna orders Mayasura to build Pandavas' palace

(Wikimedia Commons)