A Study of Patriarchy and Misogyny in the Context of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s The Forest of Enchantments

Abstract

The Ramayana penned by Valmiki around 200 BCE is regarded as his magnum opus and is held in esteem as one of the greatest epics in history. Consisting of 24,000 shlokas or verses, it has served as a basis for moral conduct and gallantry for humans around the world. However, in recent times, there have been concerns about its supposed promotion of patriarchy. With feminists feeling that the epic has suppressed the voices of its female characters, numerous adaptations have emerged. The Forest of Enchantments by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is one such work, which aims to advocate the suffering of its female lead, Sita. The aim of this article is to analyse instances of feminism, gynocentrism and misogyny in the above-mentioned work and also to argue and support the claims that the condition of women since all those years ago has not changed. It critically examines the actions and thought processes of the author’s myriad characters, extracts the values from them and endeavours to relate it with the condition of women in the twenty-first century. The article does not make a comment on the original epic written by the revered Valmiki, all conclusions drawn are based on The Forest of Enchantments alone.