The painting is really focusing on the scene when the evil Ravana is trying to capture Rama beautiful wife, Sita. I chose this illustration because this was the image that attracted me the most. Looking at this painting that focuses on how Ravana transforms into someone else reminds me of The Odyssey, comparing Ravana to Athena, She also had the ability of a shifter. In this illustration the artist forces is audience to observe Sita and Ravana actions. Ravana is drawn in the position as a beggar. You can get a sense as if his trying to convey Sita to trust him. Then Sita is basically expressing her rejection from him. The action on how people are drawn or are shown are very important because it affects how the audiences thinks and portraying there opinions. Looking at Sita’s hands and arms, as well as position depicts her rejection towards the Ravana. One her arms are out towards him and palms are facing him, meaning no. And second her head is turned to the other direction, turning away from him. Sita’s beauty is very much portrayed in this illustration. Her beautify is emphasized in the poem and it’s the reason why Ravana is obsessed with her. The artist draws her looking very attractive, but whats interesting is how he clothed her. She is wearing a long skirt that’s hiding her legs with a see through top exposing her breast. The forest is shown in the background making it be very peaceful but your not attentive to that. Your attention is how invasive Ravana is with Sita.
Reading this scene in the poem is not how i was imaging it in my mind. The transformation or Ravana is how I image him to look, illustrated to look kind and similar type. From the poem I had the image of Sita not being rejecting.”I am a sanyasi. I cannot enter your home. To accept your gracious offering you must leave your home.” She didn’t not get any feeling of bring harmed. I seen her as she took pity of the Ravana who was in disguised. The image doesn’t portray how he was able to fool Rita in to capturing her. And also looking the throne with carpet that’s surrounding her in this image is was quite told in the story. I assumed that the throne he drew represents the home of her’s.