An Inspiration to Womanhood through the poems of Kamala Das and Maya Angelou

Abstract

History reveals that the girls and women had been kept in darkness from ages. They had no right to enjoy their fundamental rights. Women had been treated as inferior to men. They were tortured, suppressed, humiliated, and sexually harassed in all the fields. They were, not respected, and given importance and marginalized politically, economically, socially, culturally and emotionally. The condition of women had been very pathetic and, where rape, female foeticide, infanticide, dowry deaths and various kinds of exploitation were happening almost every day. The women were considered as a sexual object and to take care of the family over the years in the history. But gone are the days, where women were known by her husband’s name or by the name of the family. Now women are educated equal to men. Women can get empowered in their own choices by selecting their own jobs, own life partners, own places to study, and professions etc. They are working in all the fields and in every profession. They are in good positions in their work places. They are recognised by the society. They achieve many things and do wonders in their work places. They have become policy makers in their work places. They are recognised and respected in the family since they are working and earning money and taking care of their family. You can find women as president, chief minister, prime minister, director, principal, pilots, astronomers etc. Women have freedom to make their own choices. And now they have so many facilities announced by the governments where they can enjoy their freedom. Since there are special laws relating to women empowerment in favour of women, they feel free to enjoy their fundamental rights. This paper throws light on how women were leading their lives in the past and how they are leading their lives in the 21st century through the selected poems of Kamala Das and Maya Angelou. Both have been marginalized and subordinated, but difference lies between the way, they were victimized.