Representation of Women in Literature۔ By Dr Rupali Sethi

Representation of Women in Literature

Dr Rupali Sethi 

The book entitled India Unravelled: The Representation of Women in Literature and Society emerges as a remarkable compendium that intertwines the literary, historical, and cultural trajectories of Indian womanhood. Published as a special issue commemorating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, this volume, edited by Dr. P.V. Laxmiprasad, is both a scholarly tribute and a critical reflection on seventy-five years of women’s representation in Indian life and letters.

 

The book’s Preface, penned by Dr. Laxmiprasad himself, sets the tone for the collection. It moves from the Vedic to the contemporary, presenting a sweeping survey of women’s evolution in Indian society. The editor’s deeply personal engagement—shaped by his reverence for his mother and inspired by iconic figures such as M.S. Subbulakshmi, Indira Gandhi, and Kalpana Chawla—frames the collection as both intellectual inquiry and emotional homage. His reflections combine historical insight with personal conviction, making the preface a mini-treatise on the resilience and creativity of Indian women.

 

Comprising thirty-seven essays by eminent academics, the volume explores a rich diversity of themes—from mythic heroines like Sita, Draupadi, and Akkamahadevi to modern exemplars such as Sudha Murthy, Kamala Das, and Justice R. Banumathi. The essays collectively illuminate how women’s roles, voices, and images have been shaped, silenced, or celebrated in Indian literature and culture.

 

Among the standout contributions are Basavaraj Naikar’sessays, which blend literary criticism with social commentary. His readings of historical and religious figures—Rani of Jhansi and Akkamahadevi—revive the intersection between gender and patriotism. Tamali Neogi’s comparative study of Mahasweta Devi and Mahesh Dattani unearths the politics of the body, while P.C.K. Prem’s mythological essays explore divine femininity through figures like Parvati and Devahuti. The essays on contemporary figures such as Sudha Murthy and Githa Hariharan link feminist expression to social reform, bridging academic discourse with lived experience.

 

What makes India Unravelled compelling is its interdisciplinary breadth. The book does not confine itself to literary studies alone but expands into music, law, politics, and social activism. Essays on figures like M.S. Subbulakshmi, Kiran Bedi, and Mallu Swarajyam celebrate women as creators, administrators, and reformers, underscoring the idea that literature mirrors the evolving social landscape of India.

 

Critically, the book balances celebration with interrogation. While it honours the achievements of women across eras, it also exposes the enduring patriarchal structures that constrain them. The essays vary in style—some academic, others biographical—but together they create a mosaic of female representation in India’s moral and cultural imagination.

 

However, the volume’s expansiveness is also its limitation. The essays, though individually strong, occasionally lack thematic cohesion. A tighter editorial framework and a more rigorous critical lens might have sharpened its analytical depth. Yet, its strength lies in inclusivity—embracing both classical and contemporary voices, urban intellectuals and rural reformers, historical figures and literary creations.

 

Ultimately, India Unravelled stands as a sincere and substantial contribution to feminist literary studies in India. It invites readers to revisit the Indian woman not as a passive symbol of tradition but as a dynamic force of continuity and change. As the nation celebrates its seventy-fifth year of independence, this volume reminds us that the story of India’s freedom and progress is incomplete without acknowledging the women who shaped its soul.

(Dr Rupali Sethi is a scholar of English and Hindi Literature. She is a regular columnist and book reviewer with several Newspapers of great repute. Her forte is feministic studies in literature.)