My Final Exam Essay explored the theme of love in the play by Kalidasa called “Urvashi Won by Valor.” In this essay, I decided to discuss the opposite kind of theme, which includes obstacles and struggles of the main characters, their sufferings, and drama. Overall, since “Urvashi Won by Valor” is a tragic play, struggles, and sufferings of the main protagonists who are desperately trying to be together is a necessary component. In my current essay, I will examine the sufferings and difficulties the characters go through from philosophical, social, and literary points of view. Besides, I will identify the characters with similar stories from Ancient Greek literature in order to compare the messages delivered by the works of different cultures. Historical Background of the Play In the history of ancient India, Kalidasa can be referred to as a facilitator of a one-person renaissance since his works made a significant impact on the further development of the Indian drama during the medieval times in India (which occurred much earlier than those in Europe). Currently, Kalidasa is known to be the author of seven outstanding works, among which there are three dramatic plays written in prosaic form, two poems, and two epics. These are the only works that survived until the present day. The play by Kalidasa called “Urvashi Won by Valor,” also known as “Vikramorvashi,” was written in the fifth century CE. The play belongs to classical Sanskrit drama, which, as a rule, is based on the Vedic stories. In other words, the plot for a classical Sanskrit play was supposed to be well-known and come from such Vedic epics as Mahabharata and Ramayana. During the medieval times, these texts were the only source of the stories for the plays, this is why the authors were to be inventive and slightly alter or expand the plot of a famous epic, adding some details to make it interesting, authentic, and entertaining. This is exactly what a well-known medieval poet Kalidasa did with the plot taken from a Vedic script. Kalidasa expanded the story, which can be found in Rigveda, turning it from a short dialogue into a proper play with dramatic events, struggles, and obstacles faced by two lovers trying to be together. Plot “Urvashi Won by Valor,” tells a story of a tragic relationship between a celestial nymph called Urvashi and king Pururavas. The characters develop mutual sympathy from the first glance, and soon their relationships transform into a serious passion, yet being together is a challenge for them since they initially come from different worlds – Pururavas is a human being, while his beloved is a mystical creature. Over the course of their relationship, the main characters go through a variety of ups and downs, which is the key to a relationship drama. The couple cannot be together due to a number of environmental factors such as the king’s marital status, the nymph’s participation in a play, the fight during the honeymoon in the Himalayan forest, Urvashi’s transformation into a vine, and the curse laid on the couple by the gods. Before, the lovers finally get to live happily ever after as they have to go through quite a rough series of struggles. In fact, the poet’s transformation of a well-known story from Rigveda is criticized. Kalidasa is accused of turning a beaut