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Queen or Pawn: Portrayal of Women in The Indian Epics and a Song of Ice and Fire

Looking at the subject matter from comparative point of view helps create an academic field dealing with the study of literature and cultural experience across linguistic, national and disciplinary boundaries. While comparative outlook is mostly practiced with works of different languages, it may also be performed on works of the same language if the works originate from different nations and cultures among which that language is spoken. This paper wishes to explore the portrayal of women and power dynamics of gender. There certainly are parallels to be seen between the mythological epics of one country and the contemporary fiction of another. Ramayana and Mahabharata follow an androcentric narrative and are unfair in their treatment of the women characters. A Song of Ice and Fire, though belonging to the contemporary time, draws heavily from the literatures of yore and its portrayal of women is misogynist at best. Women of the epics and A Song of Ice and Fire are portrayed to be vile, corrupt and selfish; without much regard to their motivations and justifications. Women of the epics were not allowed to inherit property, or titles. A son would be the sole heir even if the daughter was older than him, capable than him. A woman's role was limited to being a daughter, a sister, a wife and a mother. Even fierce women like Kaikeyi, Draupadi, Kunti are not allowed to be anything more than props in the male dominated society. This anguish and frustration at the system is one of the causes for these women's rebellion against the society that they inhabit. These women learn in early childhood to use any means possible to secure an ironclad future. . They are made aware early on in their lives that no man will ever think of their honour or virtue, unless it was convenient for him.People often blame Kunti for dividing Draupadi amongst her five sons, thus besmirching Draupadi's name for posterity. We forget that Kunti, having passed from one male to another, is protective of her sons and wants to secure the Hastinapur throne for them. She fears that Draupadi would break apart this unity and thus, diminishes her significance and influence from the onset. Kunti, as a mother, is fierce and driven. She is the driving force in her sons' lives. Women in the epics and A song of Ice and Fire are wholly dependent on the males in their lives for happiness and status. A widow like Kunti is considered everyone's property and ill treated by her family. She is aware that only her sons can give her any status in society and is thus, protective about them. Women, especially princesses and queens had to compromise in order to retain their position in the kingdom and family. Gandhari is one such queen who decides to stay with her blind husband even after his Neha Thosar Joglekar