Womans Journey from Silence to Speech A Study of the Select Novels of Gita Hariharan Manju Kapur and Shashi Deshpande

Abstract

It is true that the present world is male dominated, in spite of that women s awakening and empowerment can not be disregarded. Women s writing has definitely made its permanent mark on Indian literary backdrop. Writers like Bharti Mukherjee, Gita Hariharan, Manju Kapur, Shashi Deshpande, and many more have properly established themselves in awaking and heightening the consciousness on women s issues. There is no denial that besides the social reformers and activists, these women writers have tremendously been instrumental to highlight the gender inequality subtly interwoven in Indian social structure. Today, whatever socio-political, cultural, and general awareness is observed among women, it is mostly the result of their writing. newlineTheir work is marked by an impressive feel for the language, and an authentic presentation of contemporary India, with all its regional variations. They generally write about the urban middle class, the stratum of society they know best. They have been busy discussing the base of man and woman, society and culture and the web of their relationships. Their focal point is woman, but the central theme has always been man-woman relationship. This reflection of women s psychology traces the journey of feminist movement in India through various phases. newlineThe image of woman in fiction has undergone a change during the last three decades. Indian Women writers have moved away from traditional portrayals of enduring and self-sacrificing woman towards conflicted female in search of identity. She is no longer characterized and defined simply in terms of her victim status, but constantly struggling for victory over the archenemy. In conclusion, their work is significant in making society take note of woman s existence and individuality. These writers deal with bold topics describing the whole world of women s needs and desires with stunning frankness. Their writings provide a glimpse of the unexplored female psyche. Majority of the woman-centered novels depict the psychological sufferings of the frus