Feminism as a Literary Movement in India

ABSTRACT: Feminism means granting the same rights to women as those enjoyed by men. Feminism does not particularly talk of equality and rights of women but it is more about compassion, respect and understanding from the male counterparts. Throughout the world women are deprived of their social and economic rights. Twentieth century has witnessed a growing awareness among women regarding their desires, sexuality, self-definition, existence and destiny. Women’s efforts to seek their independence and self-identity started a revolution all over the world which was termed by analysts and critics as ‘Feminism’. The contemporary writers are still striving to provide liberation to the female world from the debilitating socio-cultural constraints and oppressive myths of their respective countries. In post-Independence India, where education of women had already commenced, the New Woman also had begun to emerge. Education had inculcated a sense of individuality amongst women and had aroused an interest in their human rights. It was then that the feminist trend in Indian literature had appeared on the horizon and women came into conflict with the double standards of social law through ages and the conventional moral code. To change the conventional image of women constructed by the orthodox society it is necessary to discourage the habit of defining woman as an essence whose nature is determined biologically and whose sole identity is to produce human species. Although the feminists and feminist writers have been successful in achieving the legal rights for women, yet much has to be done at the social level.