1. The Mothers of the Mahabharata
As I mentioned in one of my previous blog posts, I have always been particularly interested in Gandhari's story. This is largely because I always find it interesting to think about what actions become re-defined as "reasonable" when done in the name of protecting children. I have also been pleasantly surprised by how large a role mothers have played in the versions of the Mahabharata that I have read/watched. I think that in stories, too often. mothers act simply to give birth to the hero, and then play no further role. The fact that mothers have a huge impact on the development of their children is given no heed. I think it would be interesting to dive even further into the stories of the mothers of the Mahabharata- delving deeper into their thoughts and what motivates them.
Link: Ink and Post
2. The Food of the Mahabharata
This idea came largely from a hobby that I have recently been delving into. Over winter break, I got really into making Moroccan food. My pantry has since become stuffed with preserved lemons, ageing butter, and spice concoctions. I have really gotten into expanding my palate and trying new things. Therefore, when I saw a "food" post in the "Readings and Resources" page, I was instantly intrigued. What new flavors might I find within the pages of the Mahabharata? Could the stories from the Mahabharata be told from the perspectives of a chef?
Link: Readings and Resources
3. The Villains of the Mahabharata
Much like I discussed in my author's note for the interpretation of "Goblin City," I have always wondered about the motivations behind villains of stories. Too often, I have found that the "bad guy" in a tale is far to flat to be believable. I think it is so much more interesting when I can understand what is driving a character. While I think it is hard to point to one traditional "villain" within that Mahabharata, there are certainly characters who do acts that I would describe as villainous in nature. What made them choose do do such things?
Link: Medium
4. Free Will vs Determinism in the Mahabharata
Then there is the age-old question- did they even have the luxury of choosing? How does it change the audience's perception of a character and their actions if the story is told through a deterministic lens vs one of free will? Here, I think it would be most interesting to take a couple of notable scenes from within the Mahabharata and do two retellings of them, one as if the character has free will, and another as if the character does not.
Link: Boloji
No comments:
Post a Comment