In the Mahabharata, Draupadi is portrayed as a powerful and assertive woman who challenges traditional gender norms. As the wife of the five Pandava brothers, Draupadi is expected to conform to the ideal of the submissive and obedient wife. However, she consistently subverts these expectations, demonstrating a strong sense of agency and autonomy. For instance, when her husbands lose her in a game of dice to their cousins, the Kauravas, Draupadi refuses to accept her fate, instead demanding justice and protection from her husbands and the gods. This bold and unyielding attitude is remarkable, given the patriarchal society in which she lives, where women are often relegated to secondary roles and expected to prioritize the needs of their husbands and families above their own.

Draupadi's character also blurs the lines between traditional gender definitions. While she embodies many feminine traits, such as beauty, compassion, and nurturing, she also displays masculine qualities, like courage, strength, and strategic thinking. For example, during the great war, Draupadi takes on a leadership role, advising her husbands and helping to devise military strategies. This fluidity of gender expression is significant, as it challenges the binary oppositions that often govern gender roles in Indian culture. Draupadi's multifaceted personality thus expands our understanding of what it means to be a woman, and highlights the limitations of rigid gender categories.

From birth I could tell Draupadi was going to be a force to be reckoned with. Born of fire with the same attitude, I found her to be her own savior at times. She is very strong willed and outspoken. She wanted a husband but would be no mans slave. She would not allow herself to be given away in that dice game by her chosen husband YUDHIsHTHIRA. Draupada is a powerful woman in a time where women had no voice.

The final scene showing Draupadi as the rightful queen shows that good has beat evil in which justice has been restored. Even after many long years, the story shows that justice will always be reached and that cruel acts will face consequences. Draupadi's adversity is highlighted her as it is a personal victory for her and shows how her resilience and strength was able to prevail. The difference between "us" and "them" can be seen through the Pandavas and Kauravas. In which the Pandavas are seen as the good forces while the Kauravas are the embodiment of evil creating a good framework for the narrative as a result. This is undoubtedly the highest point in the narrative as the Pandavas are able to live out their former glory and are once again all-powerful and live in their kingdom. Not only does the ending of the story give closure, but readers gain a better understanding of morality and how human conflict is such a big factor in all of this. Because of the rivalry between the Pandavas and Kauravas, it led to lots of pain and suffering for the Pandavas until they finally waged war and were victorious. It serves as a lesson for readers to not be afraid of facing conflict as it might be the only and best way of handling it altogether. Draupadi as a person shows why resilience and strength are important qualities to have as they can help put conflicts to an end and not accept defeat. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

This is turning point in the story because her husband is finally taking some action to enact revenge on the Kauravas for their cruel acts over the years. The image of her husband holding the weapon with so much anger can be felt by the reader and shows how much of the anger he has held over the years and is finally able to take it on the same guy who disrespected and humiliated her wife many years ago. Bhima's vow to break Duryodhana's thigh as a response to the disrobing of Draupadi is admirable and shows his determination and motivation behind the war that the Pandavas agreed to do. Not only does it show his honor, but serves as a huge sign of his loyalty to Draupadi and commitment to protecting her which propels the narrative forward. The collective effort of the Pandavas marks the unity of the group and how an attack on one individual is an attack on all of them and this is highlighted in the manner in which they fight the Kauravas with so much anger and anguish. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

A key moment happens here where Draupadi once again questions the purpose of her husbands if they offer her no sense of security. In a day and age where people are much safer, women still expect security from men through money and even protection which shows that it is innate. Even with this being the case, her husbands have not shown the same loyalty to her showing that in their time period, husbands can do the bare minimum and can still expect the most amount of love and loyalty from their wife representing an unfair balance. Keechaka's attempts to force Draupadi into being his wife represents a systematic oppression towards women as there is no sense of decency and manners. By refusing to let Keechaka get what he wants, it shows the strength that she has and how she will not let men take away her dignity and respect. This moment not only shows how men in a patriarchal society failed to be protectors, but also highlights the strong spirit of Draupadi which makes her an admirable character. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

Driven by envy and hate towards the Pandavas, Duryodhana devises a plan to make them suffer by utilizing the short temper of Durvasa who is also known for his curses. Because the Pandavas have a reputation for being hospitable, the plan was to ruin their reputation and have a curse placed on them as a result which results in more suffering and pain inflicted upon them. Even though the Pandavas had their backs against the wall, Krishna came to their aid and made Durvasa and his people feel full so that they would no longer need food from them. This marks another divine intervention in the story coming to the rescue of the Pandavas. The concept of dharma is on full display as the Pandavas' reputation for being hospitable and righteous still remain. Not only does their reputation remain intact, Krishna's loyalty to the Pandavas can be highlighted and shows that he protected the right people and that divine figures will intervene in human affairs to uphold righteousness in certain scenarios. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

Filled with anger and anguish, the Pandavas are forced to live away from the comforts that they are used to and must face the harsh realities of existence. Krishna's presence after they have been exiled and gives a sense of assurance for them and makes them feel secure as they are in new territory that they are not accustomed to. He is a symbol of hope for their people. In a way, the exile helps bring the Pandavas closer as they have a common enemy that they all hate and want to avenge creating an even strong unity among them. While the exile does not compare to the moment when Draupadi was gambled away, this marks another low point in the story as the moral is still low for the Pandavas and they know it will be many years before they can inflict any type of pain or suffering onto the Kauravas. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

This moment marks a pivotal moment in the story where the narrative is set to change significantly from this point and the fate of the characters are bound to change. For one thing, the husband using his wife as a wager shows how women were viewed at the time. The status of women at the time was merely property and eye candy to some extent. Because of her husband's actions, Draupadi is humiliated in front of a large group of people and has a lot of anger and resent towards the Pandavas for letting this moment occur. The gambling done by Yudhishtra puts his dharma into question especially as a king because he did not consider how his actions would affect his wife and showed his lack of compassion. Not to mention, this scene highlights the cruelty of the Kauravas to inflict the most amount of humiliation upon Draupadi and the Pandavas. There must be a lot of anger within them that will eventually lead to a war for revenge. Even though Draupadi as an individual being is receiving the worst amount of embarassment, the Pandavas see it as an attack on them as well showing the bond between their group and how they always stand up for one another. The vivid imagery through the art and diction creates empathy for Draupadi as she is helpless and her cries for help cannot do anything. This is the lowest point in the narrative and reader can tell without even reading the rest of the text because of the emotional intensity of the moment. Moreover, the moral implication of this incident will be massive and is very disturbing for the audience. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

An interesting point has been reached in the story where they learn that Draupadi cannot marry them and belongs to the Pandava brothers. Arjuna's victory in using the bow and arrow symbolizes the difficulty in a challenge in which completion rewarded him with Draupadi as a wife. The garland symbolizes this victory and her acceptance of Arjuna as a husband. In their culture, garlands symbolize winners in a contest to show triumph and honor which is why Draupadi offered a garland to Arjuna after he won. It also shows the exceptional skill and courage and becomes a medal of honor while Arjuna is wearing it. In addition, Draupadi's willingness to be in a relationship with Arjuna is shown here and carries a sense of commitment and dedication. Arjuna's victory does not only help him win over Draupadi, but is also elevates his status within the Pandavas showing that they are a unified unit in which people can raise the ranks through accomplishments and skill. Individual goals in the Pandava group are aligned with their group's goal so it is a win-win situation for everyone. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

The phrase "be careful for what you wish for" perfectly applies in this situation and becomes the first challenge and humiliation that she faces in this story. Because Shiva intervened as a higher power in her affairs, it continues to show that their society believed gods ultimately affected the daily lives of mere mortals and the best thing that they can do is to remain good people that remained faithful. Despite being innocent and pure, Draupadi's wishes were misinterpreted and shows why wishing for something is not always the best thing. It is all too common in shows, movies, and books to see a character wish for something but not receive what they want because of the wording behind that wish. This situation relates to Draupadi and will now affect the way everyone will view her and will be humiliating. Not to mention, the standards and views relating to love and marriage will be challenged when Draupadi has five husbands because the common belief is that people commit to only one person. Even though this is the case, the concept of arranged marriage comes into play as Draupadi must respect the decision made by Shiva putting into perspective why arranged marriages are still acceptable in India as parents and divine beings alike know what is best for their children. The idea of marrying five men challenges the western notion of monogamy and shows what practices were acceptable during that time period. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

Draupadi's birth is nothing short of a miracle suggesting that a higher power had some influence on this event. It also alludes to the fact that their society believes that their gods effect their daily lives and can affect whether certain events happen or not at a moment's notice. The audience up to this point learns about the rivalry between the Kauravas and Pandavas which is foreshadowing. In addition, the Pandavas being disguised as Brahmins show the spot they are in and how they have been exiled up to this point. They are seeking a powerful son for that reason to help them be in a better situation. This highlights how important leadership is in society and can be the difference between whether a society lives in harmony or constant suffering. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)

Draupadi is immediately introduced as a character of importance especially in Hinduism and shows that she carried a unique position as a woman during her time. Despite having some privileges that made life easier for her, the contrast to the challenges she faced being in a patriarchal society balances it out and highlights how Draupadi was resilient during those times. The passage as a whole allows the reader to understand that she carries many characteristics such as wisdom and strength that women of her time are not accustomed to which will make this story more compelling as a result. Compared to other women of her time, she was embarrassed much more and was put in an interesting situation being married to multiple men but still remained strong for her people and was determined. Draupadi as a character also breaks a lot of social norms of India at the time and proves that women are much more capable than what their society believes. CC BY Ajey Sasimugunthan (contact)