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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. How does Sugriva say he learned the layout of the earth?

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

3. What does Agni do for Indra after Indra seduces Gautama’s wife?

4. What does the poet say is the hardest thing of all to do?

5. What brings Valmiki out of the anthill?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the Ramayana explain where it has its origin as a poem?

2. What gift does Indra make to Sita?

3. Describe the origin of the city of Lanka.

4. How is the idea of stealing Sita first presented to Ravana?

5. Describe Rama and Lakshmana’s training by Viswamitra.

6. How does Sita allow herself to be abducted?

7. Describe the history of Five-Apsarasa Lake.

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

9. Describe Sita’s origins, and how she comes to be Rama’s wife.

10. How does Ravana defeat Jatayu and escape with Sita?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When is the Ramayana most itself? What is its characteristic passage, or moment? What makes that moment or passage the most representative of the book as a whole? Are there any places where the book seems to depart from its typical self, as if to become a different book?

Essay Topic 2

Use this book as a meditation on the value of a five-star rating system. Is a five-star system sufficient to a book like this? Would you need to have sub-topics for the rating system, for plot, characterization, language, etc? What other sub-topics would you need? What value or importance gets lost in a five-star scale? Design a scale that would be better for this book.

Essay Topic 3

Evaluate your own reading of the Ramayana—did you resist it, or were you compelled by the story? What does your reading tell you about yourself and your interests? Use specific examples from the book to describe yourself as a reader.

(see the answer keys)

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