The Curse of Kehama, Volume 1 (of 2)

"The Curse of Kehama, Volume 1 (of 2)" by Robert Southey is a narrative poem from the 1800s that explores love, revenge, and gods interacting, all inspired by Hindu stories. It centers on Kehama, a strong and cruel king whose curses cause terrible things to happen, especially to his son, Arvalan, and a young woman named Kailyal. The poem starts with a big funeral in a capital city, showing happiness and sadness at the same time as people watch. We see the ceremony and Kehama is sad about Arvalan dying too soon making the story feel spooky and filled with disagreements. Kehama tries to use his powers to control what happens to his son even after death, showing how complicated family relationships can be and that the story will be about trying to control godly powers as plays a big role in the story which touches on sorrow and wanting to be in charge.