Kamala Das: A Radical Voice in Indian English Confessional Poetry

Abstract

A seminal figure in the domain of Indian English poetry, Kamala Das is recognized as one of the prominent authors emerging from the third phase of Indian English Literature. Noted for her contentious yet widely acclaimed contributions, she is particularly distinguished for her confessional approach to writing. The exploration of identity has consistently been a predominant focus within her literary oeuvre. In her personal existence, her sense of identity remained perpetually unsettled. Her profound longing for self-identity and her aspirations for love constitute the central motifs present in the majority of her literary works. This longing and these aspirations serve as emblematic not only of her individual experiences but also resonate with the broader spectrum of Indian womanhood. In her writings, she embodies the roles of the female, the wife, the mother, as well as that of a partner. The principles of feminism are intricately woven into her poetry, and in her quest for self-identity, she also galvanized other women to seek their own identities. The ensuing paper aims to examine and scrutinize Kamala Das’s selected poems from the collection, Summer in Calcutta, through a feminist lens while also interpreting the identity fluctuations that she encountered.