Intertextuality and Cultural Hybridization of Ravana in Thai Popular Media Culture

Abstract

        This qualitative case study of Ravana in Thai popular media culture aimed to analyze intertextuality and cultural hybridization patterns of Ravana in the context of popular culture during the period between 2014 and 2018. The primary texts included Ravana featuring in King Rama I’s rendition of Thai Ramakien, mural paintings along the galleries of the Temple of        the Emerald Buddha, as well as Khon of the Fine Arts Department, indicating intertextuality between Ravana and literature. Meanwhile, the secondary texts were Ramakien series in graphic novels, a television commercial “Thailand is Awesome” used for promoting tourism of Thailand and an animated movie 9 Satra: The Legend of Muay Thai. Intertextuality was conducted to analyze social contexts and types of media. External patterns were physical appearance, skin colours, clothes, weapons, and scenes with the appearance of Ravana. Internal patterns were, on the other hand, character, abilities, backgrounds, roles, and messages conveying meaning of Ravana, including convention, extension, reduction, and modification. Cultural hybridization was also utilized to identify patterns of Ravana in Thai popular media culture.

        The study revealed that Ravana in Thai popular culture and high culture shared intertextuality in terms of patterns and messages in the form of convention, reduction and modification. The study could also identify cultural hybridization in the form of amoeba pattern in the graphic novels “Ramakien,” coral pattern in the television commercial “Thailand is Awesome,” and butterfly pattern in the animated movie 9 Satra: The Legend of Muay Thai, for cultural inheritance and reproduction of cultural products representing Thainess, respectively.