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.

In Sita Sings the Blues, the protagonist, Sita, is a strong-willed and independent woman who embodies both traditional feminine qualities and unconventional traits. She is depicted as a devoted wife, yet she is also assertive, determined, and willing to challenge patriarchal norms. This multifaceted characterization subverts the conventional notion of femininity in Indian culture, where women are often expected to be submissive and obedient. By presenting Sita as a complex, multidimensional character, Paley challenges the narrow definitions of femininity and encourages a more nuanced understanding of women's roles.

Sita Sings the Blues was a vibrant tale about love lost. I found that even though the main character was held captive and was awaiting her 'knight in shining armor', she was the real hero.

The goddess Ishtar further reflects the ambivalence and complexity of femininity in relation to heroism. While maintaining divine power and contributing to Gilgamesh's trials, her portrayal as capricious and vindictive underscores a cultural sentiment that power in women could be as magnificent yet perilous as strength in men. Ishtar’s interaction with Gilgamesh highlights a manipulation of traditional gender roles, where her amorous advances and subsequent wrath explore themes of vulnerability and danger associated with femininity, offering a critical lens on how the ancients perceived godly yet humanlike emotional turmoil.

The "Shahnameh," or "Book of Kings," composed by Ferdowsi in the 10th century, stands as a cornerstone of Persian literary heritage. This epic not only recounts tales of dynastic glory and tragedy but also deepens our understanding of socio-cultural norms, including those surrounding gender. Syavash's story is a testament to this, embodying virtues and traits traditionally associated with both masculine and feminine roles, which in turn accentuate his heroism.