By Aparna S
February 17, 2025:Changampuzha Krishna Pillai’s “Ramanan” is a renowned Malayalam poem, often hailed as an anthem for those with broken hearts in Kerala. The verse narrates a tragic love story, deeply resonating with Malayalis, who often recall its lines to express love or lament lost relationships.
The poem depicts the love between Ramanan, a poor shepherd, and Chandrika, a wealthy landlord’s daughter. Despite their deep affection, societal and familial pressures lead Chandrika to marry another, prompting Ramanan to take his own life. This tragic end has cemented the poem’s status as an epitome of true, yet ill-fated, love, where Chandrika is often seen as the betrayer (“theppukari”) and Ramanan as the innocent victim.
The narrative explores more than just a simple love story. Ramanan is constantly aware of the social disparity between himself and Chandrika, which leads to a victim complex. Despite Chandrika’s assurances, Ramanan’s insecurity about his status undermines the relationship, showcasing a lack of mutual effort.
Victim complex
The poem raises concerns about the romanticization of suicide and the reinforcement of a victim complex. Rather than addressing grief and moving forward, Ramanan’s death is idealized, potentially glorifying self-destruction. This can be dangerous, as it frames death as a noble escape from an unfair world and suggests that suffering lovers are destined to perish.
“Ramanan” is a pastoral elegy that deeply influenced Malayalam literature, one of the first of its kind in Malayalam, and arguably portrays the most romanticized tragic hero. While giving full credit to its sorrowful undertone, one is left a little concerned about the romantic reinforcement of the victim complex and self-destruction here.
Instead of engaging with the harsh realities of grief and meeting life head-on,(just as Chandrika did!) they wrap his death in poetic beauty, making it seem noble when it should not be.
Doomed love story traits
Characters in doomed love stories often exhibit a range of psychological traits that contribute to the tragic outcome. These traits can be internal, stemming from the characters’ personalities, or external, influenced by societal pressures and circumstances. Some common traits include victim complex, insecurity, selfishness, perfectionism, dependency, and naivety.
If it is Changampuzha’s Ramanan in Malayalam, there is Shelly’ Adonais and Lycidas by John Milton in English literature. Death is framed as an escape into peace and immortality, rather than addressing it as a loss. This kind of imagery erases the pain of real suicide, making it a transcendental experience. The idea that suffering is proof of artistic greatness is dangerous—it romanticizes the very thing that should be mourned. This encourages a victim mindset and makes death seem like a justified response to an unfair world; so you may be even looking forward to it as the end solution for all troubles. Also, isn’t it a subtle suggestion that suffering lovers are meant to perish???
This is where the question arises—are we mourning the dead or turning their suffering into a beautiful tragedy? And with Valentine’s Day just passed, let’s revamp the tragic love story of Ramanan… Who is the real victim?
(Dr Aparna S is a consultant psychiatrist and an Assistant Professor at the Believers Church Medical College Hospital, Tiruvalla, Kerala. Views expressed are her own and not of an organisation or company.)