Evening Faces

             Evening faces, as intrigued as I was with the title, I often found the text difficult to follow at times.  However, I love the comparison of the white flower and of the mystery of the lady off a far.  The correlation of a white flower, being quite beautiful but out of place, serves for both the beautiful flower growing on a vine in a poor area as well as a pretty, frail girl of statue living in a rundown area.  At the beginning of story I felt that Genji was royalty, because how he reverences himself within the carriage but I wondered what would bring him to such a region to see an ill nun.  Yet I believe because the loyalty that he must have felt for his nursemaid, which now a nun, is what lures him. "I think I need not ask whose face it is, So bright, this evening face, in the shining dew."  So romantic, love at first sight of a figure so far off leads me to believe that the Genji is lead by the mystery of it all. His curiosity grows as he receives an answer to the mystery woman and his curiosity is continuously fed, as he is drawn to her like a moth to a flame.  "Come a bit nearer, please. Then might you know whose was the evening face so dim in the twilight."  Again evening faces, I believe is used to illustrate the young lady as described by the white flowers so carefully placed in an unusual setting of a depressed area however, showing beauty and elegance, both being out of place is whats intriguing at the same time.  This keeps the attention of the reader, because of the mystery of them both.

T'ao Ch'ien "Life A Mere Shadow"

The King James Version of the Bible, in the book of James, chapter 4 verses 14 says “For what is your life?  It is even a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away”.  The New International Version (1984) says “Man is like a breath; his days are like a fleeting shadow.  The New Living Translation (2007), says “For they are like a breath of air, their days are like a passing shadow”.  Perhaps this is what the poet T'ao Ch'ien meant in his depiction of the poems Substance to Shadow, Substance and Spirit’s Solution.  T’ao Ch’ien was born in Ch’ai-sang in present-day Kiangsi Province.  He lived during the Eastern Chin and Liu Sung dynasties.  Both his father and grandfather served as perfects, however by T’ao Ch’ien’s time the family must have become poorer and despite his preference for a secluded life, he held several posts, in order to support his family.  He was said to have been more philosophic or meditative, than idyllic or a bucolic poet.  Perhaps this is what helps to shape his view on life and death.  My interpretation of his poems Substance to Shadow, Substance and Spirit's Solution is that he was saying, that whether you choose to live your life wise or ignorant, noble or base, that it was just a mere shadow.  Life is here today and gone tomorrow.  No one notices, the departure of a life except for the things that he once used, which is left to catch their eye and move them to grief.  He says that whether you die old or young, death is the same and there is no difference.  So surrender to the cycle of things.  I equate this to mean, stop worrying about life itself and just go with the natural flow of life.  Which I believe that this attitude could possible help preserve the quality of ones life.  Then when it is time to leave this earth, go, go without any unnecessary fuss.

The Tragedy of Sohrab and Rostam

A Duel To The Death!!

 

The Tragedy of Sohrab and Rostam is a beloved legend from the mythology of Zoroastrian, popularized by the 11^th century Persian poet Abolqasem Ferdowsi, in his great epic Shahnameh.  The story is about a powerful Persian hero warrior; name Rostam, who is unaware that he has a son by Princess Tahmine.  The beautiful daughter of the King of Turan was infatuated with Rostam from the moment she saw him.  Princess Tahmine is captivated by Rostam and becomes his lover.  Rostam leaves the princess and becomes oblivious concerning her pregnancy of their son Sohrab.  Sohrab becomes a champion warrior who has inherited his father’s strength and his mothers’ beauty and intelligence.  Sohrab becomes suspicious of his father’s identity, yet after years without true knowledge of each other, Rostam and Sohrab face each other in battle.  The battle is between the Persian and the Turan armies.  Rostam is the sworn loyal protector of Persia, he is their victor and Sohrab is the fierce leader of the Turan armies.  Rostam and Sohrab fight each other in battle and Rostam wrestles Sohrab to the ground.  This duel to the death ends with Sohrab lowering his shield, exposing himself to Rostam’s spear, which pierces his side.   Sohrab recalls his love for his father, as he lay dying at the hand of his own father.  Sohrab reveals his family insignia on his arm.  The tragic story ends in Rostam now realizing that he has killed his own son and now in grief and despair, desires his own death.  This is the tragic episode of the Shahname.  The Champion warrior has killed the person dearer to him than all others, his son.

Lysistrata

Lysistrata the play has been classified as an old comedy.  It was completed in 411 B.C. by Aristophanes, during the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta.  Aristophanes wanted to make people laugh, when Lysistrata was staged.  He also sought out to deliver a message to a Fifth Century audience, that the war between Athens and Sparta was an exercise in stupidity, as well as a senseless waste of people and resources.  Lysistrata play begins with an exposition to save and unite all of Greece, by an organized strike, in which Greek women refuse to have sexual relations with their husbands, in order to end the war.  Lysistrata, a Athenian housewife, has summoned an urgent meeting.  She has invited all the women from the warring regions to assemble at the Akropolis in Athens.  Lysistrata has planned to inspire these women, to present a united front against their husbands.  Lysistrata claims that all hope of ending the war lies with the women and they finally agree to her plan.  The women will refuse sex with the men until a treaty for peace between Athens and Sparta has been signed.  The women have also planned to seize the Akropolis (Treasury), including the temple of Athena.  This will be done to prevent the Athenians from using the money from the treasury for the war. 

The play ends with the women being victorious and Lysistrata emerges from the Akropolis building, as a daring heroine.   She brings out the goddess of peace and gives a reproachful speech.  Lysistrata reminds the warriors on both sides that they lay waste of one another’s cities.  The men see the wisdom of her words and peace is made, and the men and women celebrate together.  I believe the play is well written and its attempt to present the world as a better place when men spend more time loving their wives, than their weapons or war is well received.

Antigone... In the name of Honor!!

Antigone is determined to honor her brother Polyneices with a proper burial and to do what’s right in the eyes of the gods.  In order to carry out this courageous act, Antigone must defy the law that has been set by Creon, who is now ruling.  He has ordered that Polyneices should be left unburied and unmourned, due to his label of being a traitor.  Creon announces that Eteocles behaved honorable in defending the city of Thebes, yet his brother Polyneices was a dishonorable exile.  Both brothers of Antigone, both gone before time, both killed in battle at the hands of each other.   Antigones’ love for her brother is seen in her strong desire to defy the law.  Anyone who buries Polyneices will be punished by death.  What a tremendous burden to bear, death or honor.  This one act of civil disobedience could lead Antigone to a premature death.   “Our own brothers’ burial! Hasn’t Creon graced one with all the rites, disgraced the other?  Eteocles, they say has been given full military honors, rightly so—Creon has laid him in the earth and he goes with glory down among the dead.  But the body of Polynices, who died miserably.  He’s to be left unwept, unburied, a lovely treasure for birds that scan the field and feast their heart’s content” (Antigone, pg 659, line 25-35).  Antigone goes on to commit a small ritual in order to honor her brother and she does this in spite of what tragedy may lie ahead for her.  I believe Antigone shows tremendous courage and love for her brother.  She may be viewed upon as a treacherous woman, but she did it all in the name of honor.

Ramayana

As I continue to read the story of The Ramayana of Valmiki, the more touched I am, by the beautiful depiction of the love that Sita and Rama both share for each other. Sita is so enamored by her love for Rama that it has enabled her to live through the most unpleasant circumstances. Although Sita has been abducted by Ravana, who is a powerful demonic creature, who tries to get Sita to submit to his advances, her love and loyalty to her husband Rama, continues to triumph. Ravana tries to offer Sita power and wealth, in order to win her affection, yet in her presence she constantly reminds Ravana of her own allegiance to her husband Rama. “You cannot win me by offering me power or wealth: for I am inseparable from Rama even as light from the sun. He is the abode of righteousness, of dharma; take me back to him and beg his pardon”. Sita was in utter despair and stricken with grief because of the separation from her husband. “Hence though I am suffering intolerable anguish on account of my separation from my beloved husband, I am unable to give up my life”. What passion and commitment to each other. Rama and Sita’s intense love and their desire to be reunited to each other were so admirable that it almost moved me to tears. This story has truly depicted how love, loyalty, and righteousness prevail in the end.

The Ramayana of Valmiki

Rama proudly believes in Dharma, which is the religious and moral law and code of righteosness, and daiva, which is providence or divine will.  His strong belief in dharma and daiva has caused him to submit to being driven into total banishment from life as he once knew it.  Rama, the once radiant and admonished prince has taken a sudden plunge into the abyiss of the Dandaka forest for fourteen years, under the request of Queen Kaikeyi.  How dreadful this sentence must have been to such a well praised prince.  A prince adorned with praise from his people, now down trodden into a life of shame, all in the name of dharma and daiva, or at least he thinks so.  To be transformed from prince to warrior, he feels is his divine duty.  "This is obviously the divine will  and I must honor it without delay.  My banishment from the kingdom as well as my return are all the fruits of my own doing. Otherwise, how could such an unworthy thought enter the  heart of noble Kaikeyi?"

I think that he has been swindled and tricked out of what rightfully belongs to him.... Such a pity and waist... How does this story end... Is it a happy ending for Rama, because of his allegiance to dharma and daiva or has his decision to honor the queen been clouded.... I must read on

Cal Moss