The Raghuvamsa is as a gallery of portraits of kings, all of them –but the last– encomiastic in tone. Taking all these portraits together, it stands out that Kalidasa’s ‘ideal ruler’ is a very complex character, who is supposed to be endowed with diverse, dissimilar –and sometimes even contrasting– virtues. It won’t come as a surprise, then, that besides possessing these very virtues, a great king must be able to harmonize them. This article aims at pointing out the images and the stylistic devices that are employed by Kalidasa to convey the idea that a great king is characterized, above all, by his ability in reconciling and keeping in balance the potentially conflicting qualities he is required to possess.
Sea Monsters and Sea Gems: Of the Virtues of the Ideal King in the Raghuvaṃśa
FRANCESCHINI, MARCO
2016
Abstract
The Raghuvamsa is as a gallery of portraits of kings, all of them –but the last– encomiastic in tone. Taking all these portraits together, it stands out that Kalidasa’s ‘ideal ruler’ is a very complex character, who is supposed to be endowed with diverse, dissimilar –and sometimes even contrasting– virtues. It won’t come as a surprise, then, that besides possessing these very virtues, a great king must be able to harmonize them. This article aims at pointing out the images and the stylistic devices that are employed by Kalidasa to convey the idea that a great king is characterized, above all, by his ability in reconciling and keeping in balance the potentially conflicting qualities he is required to possess.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
