In ancient Eastern society, written novels came to occupy an important place in the culture, following a long tradition of oral stories and short works such as poetry. Additionally, due to the government's strict content policy, many authors and poets feared punishment and thus avoided any political or religious criticism in their work. However, satire offered a way to possibly mask critical intentions while still entertaining audiences of the time. Monkey, a translation of Arthur Waley's Journey to the West, is an excellent example of the emergence of satire in the form of a fictional narrative and provides excellent insight into the lifestyle and traditions of the Ming Dynasty. Another popular oriental play is the Ramayana. Considered a holy scripture, the Ramayana is considered one of the greatest works for its religious teachings and its insight into the Hindu culture and lifestyle of the time, the accounts of which are somewhat ambiguous, as the accounts Oral accounts preceded written accounts. Albertson describes the influence of the Ramayana thus: "To one who knows India, written history offers very little... But its literature, shaped and shaped over the centuries, gives us a far more intimate understanding of the guiding spirit of its peoples” (Alberson 323). Often, literature can be much more revealing of a culture than nonfiction historical accounts because of its carefully constructed themes and characters. Both Monkey and the Ramayana provide entertainment, education, and insight into the cultural period through different uses of satire, conflict, and character development. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayMonkey, written by Wu Cheng-en and translated for Western culture by Arthur Waley, is a fictional account of the wild and humorous journey of a motley crew of individuals towards enlightenment and functions as satire to criticize political and religious structures. As satire, Wu Cheng-en's work is capable of both criticizing and entertaining. The need for satire is in this case a possibility of prosecution, and more generally, as Fairclough sums it up so well: “Men do not like their weaknesses exposed” (Fairclough 183). By using animals as the main characters, such as Monkey, Sandy, Pigsy and Dragon, a barrier is created between deeper themes, real criticism and harmless entertainment. In a way, this lengthens the distance between any hardness, acting as a sort of buffer. Shep describes the character's satire as "by making the rebel an animal, the Chinese can laugh at his antics without feeling guilty, while unconsciously admiring his defiance of the powers that be" (Shep 1). Monkey himself is a very likeable protagonist, he is brave, loyal and particularly humorous, acting as a source of comic relief. In short, the satirical comedy in Monkey helps to dissipate tensions in addition to entertaining the audience. Fairclough describes comedy in a particular way: “Comedy is an imitation of life” (Fairclough 183). Real life is not all drama or action; it's comical most of the time, whether it's acknowledged or not. This is why fictional stories, like Monkey, become so expressive of their times. Pigsy also acts as a great source of comic relief in addition to a sort of barrier against criticism as an animal. De Bary describes him thus: "Wu Cheng-en's supreme comic creation is Pigsy, who symbolizes the crude sensual life inthe absence of religious efforts and mythical ambition. He is doubly comical, because as a reluctant pilgrim he has no vocation for the monastic life and because, despite his monstrous size and strength, he has no ambition other than a hearty meal and good sleep with a woman in his arms" (De Bary 171). Pigsy symbolizes gluttony and laziness, as Monkey symbolizes courage and loyalty, and thanks to his comic nature, readers are given the opportunity to both be entertained and 'learn a lesson from Pigsy: don't be a glutton! In addition to comic satire, Monkey also addresses very real political issues Through the characterization of the Jade Emperor, the ruler of Heaven, readers gain insight. of the nature of the class structure and government of the period, the Ming Dynasty When Monkey enters Heaven, he is given menial and somewhat humiliating jobs, such as a stable worker position, thus reflecting the injustice of. status advancement Landsberger succinctly describes the structure of Heaven as "a bloated bureaucracy, filled with innumerable officials with pompous titles, with a finger in every possible earthly activity" (Landsberger 1). Criticisms of religion also occur, such as when Monkey chastises the Buddhist prisoners, telling them they should have tried to save themselves; they should act. Bantly expresses his views on the often comical nature of this criticism by stating: "The bewildering array of cultural traditions, particularly those of China's three major religious traditions... are so diverse and so boldly intertwined... Thus , any interpretation faces danger. to exaggerate the importance of these cultural and religious elements, only to discover that the author was proposing them in jest” (Bantly 1). Monkey is a satire, and so it is assumed that the reader will be both entertained and taught. Furthermore, the satire of religion also offers an accurate portrayal of the religion of the time. Bradeen and Johnson explain that "this depiction accurately represents the religious experience experienced by everyday Chinese and provides a healthy antidote to the common perception of Chinese religious traditions as distinct, sometimes competing, often contradictory teachings" (Bradeen and Johnson 40). This idea is particularly accurate because it examines how satire works to reveal the cultural norms and traditions of the time. Monkey, beyond entertaining its audience, teaches important values ​​through the interactions of its characters. Some examples include the words of the monster Great King to his sister pole: “A team of horses cannot catch up with a word that has come out of the mouth” (Wu 266). In keeping with these words, you must be careful that what you say is permanent, a lesson that suits Monkey because his words get him into trouble as often as they get him out of trouble. This teaching is generally simple and direct, and can therefore reach a wide audience of readers. Another example, particularly revealing of Confucian values, reads: “If a man has been your teacher for one day, you should treat him as your father for the rest of his life” (Wu 173). This example illustrates Confucian teachings on the importance of education and respect, exemplified by Tripitaka in his obedience and listening to his protectors. Once again, the message is simple and reaches almost all readers. The values ​​expressed in Monkey reflect well the values ​​found in the three religions of Ming Dynasty culture, Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism. The Ramayana also reflects the culture and values ​​of its people through important teachings and depictions oftraditions. Because the Ramayana is considered a holy scripture, it differs from the Monkey culturally, while remaining very culturally reflective. In some cases, it even serves to justify events; For example, Pollock explains, "the cult of Rama flourished only when Hindu kings found in the Ramayana's competitive narrative...a parallel for their own struggle against Turkish political power...the Cult of Rama developed in the 12th century in direct response to the equation of Rama and Hindu kings as protectors of the purity of the Hindu political system against outsiders” (Pollock 261). Due to its scriptural context, the popularity of the story is often attributed to its parallels with the Hindu way of life. Furthermore, Sakalani analyzes his cultural reflection in the following way: “It is not enough to simply say that the Ramayana and the Mahabharata are two great epics. They are also a story, but not of a particular era or period. They are the eternal history of India. Other historians have changed over time, but this story has not. These two epics embody what India considers its ideals” (Sakalani 51). Some of the ideals addressed by the Ramayana are duty, honor, loyalty and kindness. Duty is an important Hindu value because it reflects an individual's commitment and faith. Rama is a great example of many valuable traits, especially duty. His impressive duty to the homeland is illustrated several times, such as when he goes into voluntary exile. Bose describes his decision and its significance: “He values ​​a promise... above his own life, that of his brother and even of Sita herself. As always in the poem, solidarity with representatives of the patriarchy and adherence to its contractual code are valued above loyalty to generational and gender subordinates” (Bose 35). Duty to country and law is always valued over lesser obligations, and honor depends on this respect for duty. Bose further highlights the importance of Rama's decision: "The most complex and revealing debate around the question of the potential conflict between personal loyalties and adherence to the abstract principles of truth and dharma is embodied in the series of emotional conversations involving Rama, his brother Laksfimanfia, his mother Kausalya and his wife Sita regarding whether Rama should obey his father's order to banish him and if so, who should accompany him into exile » (Bose 43). This experience of Rama choosing duty to the law over his own rights shows his awareness of the value of duty, or his impressive demonstration of “dharma”. Another example concerns Ravana's son Indrajit, who leaves his family to work with Rama. Considered a betrayal and betrayal of the family, his actions would not normally be considered an example of good. However, Indrajit is placed by Valmiki as right-wing because he chose duty to his country; he knew that his country would suffer greatly from the bad choices of his father and uncles. For the value and “dharma” of loyalty, Sita is a primordial symbol. Like the times, women are subject to patriarchy and their role is based almost entirely on this loyalty. Bose describes the situation in detail: “First, a woman's husband is her god, equal to no other. A woman doesn't need to worship anyone but him. A woman's first duty is to abandon her own self-interest and look after him. only with what promotes the well-being of her husband. This is the only renunciation required of a woman. A woman who is fully, in thought, word and deed, devoted to..