• Dr. Narayani Sharma

In a society dominated by man, a woman can only pretend to be happy and satisfied. This idea is well brought out in one of Kamla Das’s poems entitled ‘Suicide’ – “But, I must pose, I must pretend, I must act, the role of a happy woman, happy wife. This pretence gives rise to frustration and suffocation”. As a result, the boredom and frustration compels characters like Kate to complain : “I am sick of being the victim of trends I reflect but don’t even understand” (Mies Maria – Indian Woman and Patriarchy, 32). Kate appears in Jane Wagener’s recent feminist play. From pretence of happiness results in the feeling of being a victim and finally a woman realizes that she should certainly have her own identity - A Room of Her Own. In recent Indian- English, fiction we come across heroines who are sure of themselves, of their rights and their place in society. They are fully alive to their existence and are no longer submissive living in silence. There is a marked difference in their attitude as compared to that of the heroins of earlier fiction writing has been, until recent years, taken to be a male domain. But seeing the recent emergence of women writers, who do not mind narrating their own story, we know that the pen is no longer in the hands of men only. In recent years, more and more women are becoming aware of their rights. They are bold enough to rise in revolt and are raising their voice against their exploitation. Some major women novelists who have projected strong, determined and assertive heroines, are Shashi Deshpande, Kamla Markandaya, Geeta Hari Haran and Veena Paintal.

Submissive, Exploitation, Frustration and Suffocation

"The Problem of Identity with reference to the Novels of Kamla Das, Veena Paintal and Shashi Deshpande – A Comparative Study", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 7, page no.366-370, July-2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1807952.pdf

"The Problem of Identity with reference to the Novels of Kamla Das, Veena Paintal and Shashi Deshpande – A Comparative Study", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 7, page no. pp366-370, July-2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1807952.pdf