Against the Current: Sita and Her Foils in - Bad Request

oasts that his citizens admire him undertaking such a difficult vow, Surpanakha suspects
he cares too much about his public image for his own good.
Both Surpanakha’s doubts about Rama and her admiration for Sita grow. In
addition to being struck by Sita’s beauty, Surpanakha also admires how diligently she
performs her housework and praises her toil, in keeping with Ranganayakamma’s
Marxist stance. Surpanakha proposes to Rama that she befriend Sita and help out around
the house so that eventually Sita will let her become a co-wife, but Rama rejects the plan
because it might weaken his control over Sita. Then Surpanakha then offers him her love
outside of marriage and Rama weighs the advantages but decides that a mistress could
damage his reputation and declines the offer.
The end of Ranganayakamma’s story foreshadows what Sita will soon learn: that
Rama is in thrall to public opinion. When Surpanakha asks whether she was wrong in
thinking that Rama felt desire for her, Rama (who is bound to tell the truth) admits to
deep attraction but blames his vow for his inaction and offers Lakshmana to her instead.
When Surpanakha appears to accept, Rama projects his resentment, jealousy, and sexual
frustration onto her by commanding Lakshmana to mutilate her because her “loose
morals” pose a danger to society. Lakshmana does so.
In terrible pain, Surpanakha warns him that everyone who sees her face will read
his true character there: her scarred face bears testimony to his cruelty. As the story ends,
she hears forest sages singing praise of Rama, suggesting that while public Rama may
seem dutiful and praiseworthy, private Rama displays jealousy, desire, and cruelty toward
women. Both Surpanakha and Sita see Rama as valuing his public image more than
compassionate deeds.
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