Mythology in "Fire"

Essay # 46218

Film > Analysis, Criticism, Etc.
Gender and Sexuality > Homosexuality

Mythology in "Fire"

An analysis of the mythological themes in Deepa Mehta's film, "Fire".

2,059 words () | 8 sources | MLA | 2003 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how, often, in traditional societies, the mythology comes to reflect the culture and works to establish certain social conventions. It examines how the attempt to raise awareness of injustice through the reinterpretation of mythology is shown in Deepa Mehta's film. "Fire", in which Mehta attempts to parallel her alternative storyline to traditional Hindu myths in order to demonstrate the purity of the love between the two, female, main characters in a male-dominant society that will not accept their love. It shows how Mehta uses the traditional Hindu myths that are embedded in Indian culture to teach the societal values that she believes to be true, even if these ideals are not the traditionally accepted values of modern culture.

From the Paper:

"In the film, the protagonist Radha is the barren wife of Ashok, who because of his wife's inability to have children, practices celibacy in training to become a swami. Radha represents the "traditional" Indian woman, duty bound and disregarding of her individuality in favor of attending to the needs of the family. She runs the family take-out business and is also the primary caregiver to Ashok's mother, Bhiji, who is mute and paralyzed from a stroke. The other protagonist, Sita is the newest member of the household, as the wife through an arranged marriage to Jatin, Ashok's younger brother. Sita quickly becomes dissatisfied with Jatin, as it becomes apparent that he is still in love with his Chinese-Indian girlfriend and that he will not give up the affair."