UGC Approved Journal no 63975(19)

ISSN: 2349-5162 | ESTD Year : 2014
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Published in:

Volume 2 Issue 3
March-2015
eISSN: 2349-5162

UGC and ISSN approved 7.95 impact factor UGC Approved Journal no 63975

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JETIR1701187


Registration ID:
226976

Page Number

944-957

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Title

Feminine Sensibility: Diverse Approaches in the Novels of Anita Desai, Nayantara Sahgal and Shashi Deshpande

Abstract

The term Feminism was first used by the French dramatist Alexander Dumas, the younger, in 1872 in a pamphlet “L” “Hommefemme” to designate the then emerging movement for women’s rights. An anti-masculinity movement of the women for the assertion of their individual rights, feminism is also called Aphraism after Aphra Behn, a seventeenth century feminist and political activist. While defining the nature of feminism a noted author Dr. S.P. Swain in Roots and Shadow-A Feminist Study has rightly observed: Feminism recognises the inadequacy of male-created ideologies and struggles for the spiritual, economic, social and racial equality of women sexually colonized and biologically subjugated. An expression of the mute and stifled female voice denied an equal freedom of self-expression, feminism is a concept emerging as as protest against male domination and the marginalisation of women.(48) It can be pertinently remarked here that Feminism strives to undo the distorted image of woman whose cries for freedom and equality have gone and still go unheard in a patriarchal world, a malist culture. Thus denied the freedom to act and choose on their own, women remained solely inside the field of vision, mere illusion to be dreamt and cherished. A woman is a woman, and a woman she must remain but not a man’s shadow-self, ‘an appendage,’ an ‘auxiliary’ and the ‘unwanted and neglected other’. A woman is held to represent the ‘otherness’ of man his negative. The development of Feminist thought at the outset of this century has brought about a perceptive change in our outlook towards women. Now, women are one with man and not their ‘othernessesʼ. It is important to note here that men have also espoused the cause of women, though it may sound a little strange. No longer are they callous to their sexual and gender exploitation. Gandhi gave a new direction and dimension to the Feminist movement in India and freed women from passivity and servility. Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Pandit Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar did no less. The ideal of Ardhangini enshrined in Indian culture renders man as the complement of woman, her other half. Man and woman are one in the concept of Ardhanariswara. Traditionally, India is a male-dominated culture. Indian woman covered with many thick, slack layers of prejudice, convention and ignorance’ has hardly any autonomous existence. “Our country belongs to its men” observes Aunt Lila in Anita Desai’s Voices in the City. The woman’s voice is an insurgent, subaltern voice. The Indian woman especially the middle class woman today is no longer Damayanti. She is a Damini or a Nora or a Jona of Arc. Social reformers championing the cause of woman like Raja Mohan Roy, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar and Mahatma Gandhi gave a new direction and infused a fresh spirit to the women’s lib in India. Thus, feminism has now emerged as a new way of life, free of the “dependence syndrome”. A new perspective has dawned on the Indian social horizon with the feminine psyche trying to redefine woman’s role in the society and re-assert her self-identity.

Key Words

Subjugation, Male-Dominance, Feminine, Self-Existence, Self-Identity, Rights of Women,

Cite This Article

"Feminine Sensibility: Diverse Approaches in the Novels of Anita Desai, Nayantara Sahgal and Shashi Deshpande", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.2, Issue 3, page no.944-957, March-2015, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1701187.pdf

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2349-5162 | Impact Factor 7.95 Calculate by Google Scholar

An International Scholarly Open Access Journal, Peer-Reviewed, Refereed Journal Impact Factor 7.95 Calculate by Google Scholar and Semantic Scholar | AI-Powered Research Tool, Multidisciplinary, Monthly, Multilanguage Journal Indexing in All Major Database & Metadata, Citation Generator

Cite This Article

"Feminine Sensibility: Diverse Approaches in the Novels of Anita Desai, Nayantara Sahgal and Shashi Deshpande", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.2, Issue 3, page no. pp944-957, March-2015, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1701187.pdf

Publication Details

Published Paper ID: JETIR1701187
Registration ID: 226976
Published In: Volume 2 | Issue 3 | Year March-2015
DOI (Digital Object Identifier):
Page No: 944-957
Country: Sikar, Rajasthan, India .
Area: Arts
ISSN Number: 2349-5162
Publisher: IJ Publication


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