In the story of "Draupadi" by Mahaweti Devi, what is the meaning behind Dopdi's question to Senanyak: "You can strip me, but how can you clothe me?"

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks about the meaning behind Dopdi's line to Senanyak: 'You can strip me, but how can you clothe me?' in Mahaweti Devi's story, Draupadi.
Option 1: 'It is a symbolic criticism of the goddess Krishna.' This interpretation seems off because the line does not invoke Krishna or critique a specific deity; instead, it foregrounds issues surrounding dignity and survivor's humanity rather than theological critique.
Option 2: 'Dopdi is criticizing Senanayak's troops for their lack of supplies (including clothing).' While the scene involves deprivation, the emphasis of the line is not logistics or military provisioning but the deeper, moral question of whether stripping a person can erase their inherent dignity or restore it through other means.
Option 3: 'She is begging Senanayak to provide her with clothing.' The phrasing of the line is more defiant and symbolic than a literal plea for garments; it points to power, control, and the fragility of dignity under oppression rather than a simple request for clothes.
Option 4: 'It is a reference to the epic tale of Draupadi, and the sacredness of female virtue and dignity.' This reading aligns with the allusion to Draupadi from the Mahabharata, where Draupadi's insult in court centers on the inviolability of a woman's dignity and the moral claim to protection of her honor. The line uses clothing as a metaphor for care, respect, and the failure of the oppressors to acknowledge a woman's inherent worth, echoing the epic’s themes of gendered vulnerability and resistance.
Thus, the reasoning for the correct interpretation rests on recognizing the allusion to Draupadi and the broader discourse on female dignity and virtue, while the earlier options veer toward misattributing intention (deity critique), reducing the scene to material lack, or recasting it as a straightforward request rather than a charged, symbolic statement about dignity under violence.

Intro to Global Fall 2025 Quiz on Section 10 reading and lecture

In the story of "Draupadi" by Mahaweti Devi, what is the meaning behind Dopdi's question to Senanyak: "You can strip me, but how can you clothe me?"

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