Reimagining Identity and Agency: Posthumanist Resistance to Patriarchal Subjugation in Sudha Murty’s Mahashweta

Abstract

Feminist writers in Indian Fiction have presented a new facet to Indian English Literature. Their writings mirror the sordid realities of society rather than reveries. Many contemporary women writers highlight the unfortunate conditions faced by women in India living within a patriarchal system. Identity crisis, alienation, loneliness, social discrimination, women subjugation, frustration, struggle, social stigma, psychological turmoil and injury are the main elements of their writings. Writers like Toru Dutt, Kamala Das, Nayantara Sahal, Sudha Murty and many other novelists have portrayed the characteristics of modern women who yearn for liberation, self-identity, equality, and social respect. This paper explores how Mahashweta reimagines identity and agency through a posthumanist lens, challenging patriarchal norms and asserting female resistance beyond traditional humanist frameworks in Sudha Murty’s narrative. This research paper on “Reimagining Identity and Agency: Posthumanist Resistance to Patriarchal Subjugation in Sudha Murty’s Mahashweta” explores the challenges of Indian women in contemporary patriarchal society and analyses  how the protagonist fights the social stigma and establishes her identity.
Research Objectives
1. The research aims to explore how the patriarchal society controls and affects women’s autonomy.
2. It investigates the challenges faced by women in finding their identity and individuality.
3. This paper analyzes Sudha Murty’s Mahaswetha through a feminist perspective.
Research Methodology
Descriptive and qualitative methods are used to investigate the chosen topic.
A profound examination of primary and secondary sources is carried out to ensure a deep understanding of the topic. The chosen novel is meticulously examined to investigate the objectives set forth in this paper.