Somadeva wrote “The Red Lotus of Chastity” From Kathasaritsagara
in the 11th century.
A rich merchant, Guhasena married a young woman named Devasmita. The couple was happy.
Guhasena have to leave and sail about business. Devasmita did not want Guhasena
to have an affair. Guhasena did not want Devasmita to have an affair while he
was gone. The couple came up with an idea.
They prayed to Siva the god. They were granted the idea of each
one departing with a lotus.
When Guhasena was gone other merchant men saw the lotus that
Guhasena had. They wanted to find Devasmita. The merchant men knew the
connection to the lotus. They wanted to tempt Devasmita. Devasmita know of
their ideas. Devasmita had a maid disguise as Devasmita. Devasmita did not want
to be spoiled by the men. The maid posed as Devasmita in order to trick the
men. The disguises used by women are often to do with men. The hiding in a
disguise is a one up on Guhasena. It is a way for women to protect themselves when someone is after
them. The women were in the know, but not the men. It is a way for control and
have power over the men. They were unaware and went blindly along.
Works Cited
Somadeva, From
Kathasaritsagara, “The Red Lotus of Chastity”. The Norton Anthology of World Literature: Shorter Third Edition,
Two- Volume Set. W.W. Norton.
Ed. M Puchner. 2013. 1272-1279. Print.
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