In the following essay, Alles compares the social and mythological contexts of the Ramayana and The Iliad, arguing that both poems reflect the problem social communities face when persuasion breaks down.

In the following entry, Hess discusses the sexual politics of male domination and female subjugation as expressed in the Ramayana, exploring responses to those doctrines.

In the following essay, originally presented at a conference in 1987, Ramanujan compares several versions or “tellings” of the Ramayana.

In the following essay, Rao reviews a variety of political and ideological criticism, rewritings and readings of the Ramayana.

In the following essay, Desai surveys a number of versions of the Ramayana in order to trace the spread and transmission of the tale between India and Asia.

In the following essay. Raphael argues that the Valmiki Ramayana is a sublime and heroic poem.

In the following essay, Reynolds describes several Buddhist versions of the Ramayana.

In the following essay, Sahai compares Southeast Asian versions of the Ramayana with Valmiki's Indian text.

In the following essay, Dodson explores similarities and differences between the Ramayana and the Iliad and Odyssey.

In the following essay, Kannampilly discusses the widespread influence of the Ramayana in South East Asia.

The Ramayana by the great sage Valmiki, running to about 28,000 verses of thirty-two syllables each and existing in seven volumes, is considered by Indians to be the first great literary work to be produced in India, and Valmiki is described as India's first great poet (aadi kavi). The influence of this work in other writers is to be seen not only through centuries but even in other countries, such as Ceylon, Thailand and Indonesia, where there are modified versions of this great love story. Even wit...