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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why does Dasaratha say he wants to step down?

2. Why doesn’t the river Godavari tell Rama where Sita is?

3. What is Viswamitra unable to complete, because of Ravana?

4. Who offers Sita food?

5. How does Rama shake off the people who follow him?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Bharata’s meeting with Guha.

2. What was Ravana’s role in the birth of Rama?

3. Why does Dasaratha decide that he wants to see Rama made king, and what do his advisors say?

4. How does Hanuman characterize the story of Rama and Sita to Jambavan?

5. How does Rama finally motivate Sugriva to start searching for Sita?

6. When had Kaikeyi almost used her two wishes previously?

7. What is Sita’s response when she hears about Rama’s exile?

8. How is Bharata convinced to leave Rama in the forest, and accept the throne of Ayodhya himself?

9. What kind of relationship do Sita and Ravana have, from their first meeting?

10. Describe the origin of the city of Lanka.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an evaluative review of the Ramayana. What is this book’s place in culture? What are its uses? What are its limitations?

Essay Topic 2

Debate the proposition that the Ramayana is too old to be relevant in modern times.

Essay Topic 3

Research the history of the Ramayana’s development as a poem. What cultural conditions led to the creation of the poem? To what kinds of cultural questions was the Ramayana an attempted answer?

(see the answer keys)

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