George Elliot's first full length novel "Adam Bede" deals with the rare affection between two brothers, Adam & Seth, both poor carpenters in pre industrial England. Seth loves Dinah, an idealist Methodist preacher. But when Adam's first love, Hetty proves wayward & goes astray, & Dinah gets attracted to Adam, Seth cheerfully sacrifices his love. The unshakeable bond between the brothers remind one of the bond between Rama & Lakshmana in Ramayana.In contrast, in Robert Louis Stevenson's "Master of Ballantrae", the siblings James (Master) & Henry start feuding right from childhood. At the time of civil war, for political reasons, James goes to war & Henry stays home & looks after the estate. When James does not return for many years, presuming him to be dead, Henry inherits the estate & marries James's fiancé Alison. But James returns, livid with Henry for grabbing the estate & his fiancé. After many twists & turns, both brothers meet an untimely end.
The presuming of the elder brother's (Vali) death, usurping the kingdom (by Sugriva) & marrying his woman (Tara) are strikingly reminiscent of the relevant portion of the Ramayana.
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