Study of the Postcolonial Condition of Women in the Public Sphere
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29070/n53k0j74Keywords:
Postcolonialism, Marginalization, Women's Identity, Resistance, Patriarchy, Subaltern Studies, Mahasweta Devi, FeminismAbstract
The position of women in the public sphere remains one of the key issues in the fields of postcolonialism and feminism. Women from oppressed communities endure social discrimination, economic exploitation, patriarchal violence, cultural invisibility and political marginalization. The identity of these women is formed from the convergence of patriarchy, class structure, caste oppression, colonial subjugation and state repression. These women are often denied dignity, recognition, autonomy and participation in the society. Mahasweta Devi, the renowned Bengali author, gives expression to the silenced women through her literature. She depicts the pain, misery, endurance and protest of socially excluded women in her writings. Through her literature, she exposes exploitation of tribal women, poor women, widows, laborers, mothers, and other deprived female characters.
The researcher discusses few texts of Mahasweta Devi like Breast Giver, Draupadi, Dhouli, Shanichari, Chinta, Giribala, Mother of 1084, and Sindhubala with an aim to focus on the theme of women's suffering, identity construction, agency and protest in the postcolonial world. This study highlights the significance of Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak in translating and disseminating the works of Mahasweta Devi. It concludes that the writings of Mahasweta Devi gives voice to the downtrodden women and represents how women can still protest under oppressive regimes. Her literature works as a tool for social consciousness, feminist activism and political criticism.
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