The Influence of Patriarchal Society on the Reconstruction of Feminine Identity in the Selected Novels of R. K. Narayan and Mulk Raj Anand: A Comparative Study

Abstract

The study compares how patriarchal culture affects the reconstruction of the feminine self in several novels by top Indian authors R.K. Narayan and Mulk Raj Anand. The writers examine social dynamics and cultural influences to highlight the difficulties women face when redefining themselves in patriarchal societies. In The Guide and The Dark Room, R.K. Narayan portrays women within Indian culture. Rosie and Savitri show how women struggle to escape cultural norms. Rosie breaks patriarchal norms by becoming a dancer, and Savitri's journey from modest housewife to confident woman illustrates women's challenges. Mulk Raj Anand's Untouchable and Two Leaves and a Bud graphically show how patriarchy affects women. Female tea plantation workers, Bakha's sister, and other Anand characters represent women's oppression and exploitation due to class hierarchies and societal norms. The characters' fight for equality and dignity is shaped by class and gender relations. The study uses secondary and qualitative research methods and pragmatism to understand the reconstruction of the feminine character in these two authors' novels. As the discussion and analysis section shows, both authors wanted to show women's efforts to escape their misery by empowering them because they could not make independent decisions. Both authors discuss how patriarchal ideas and social norms shape feminine identity and women's struggles for self-discovery, independence, and empowerment. Narayan and Anand's female protagonists challenge social norms and fight for equality.