Women in Silappathikaaram

Abstract

Silappathikaaram was written in a way to make women proud. They found that Kannagi, Madhavi, and Gopperundevi had adapted to the environment of that time. Kannagi is bound to her husband and lives a submissive life. Kannagi is represented as a woman who regrets not being able to fulfil her household duties due to her husband's separation and who does not think of herself except for her husband's happiness. Although Madhavi was born into the courtesan clan, she did not want to live that life. Through Madhavi, Ilangovadikal has made the world aware of the destruction of Kovalan and the state of one-to-one chastity, and the Kanikaiyar clan women who lived as materialistic were also noble. Even though Kopperundevi is a queen, she does not accept her husband's fascination with the beauty of a dramatist. The king, however, is interested in alleviating his wife's anger. Ilangovadikalar opines that the wife is unable to live because of the husband's death and that Kopperundevi is also applauded for chastity by showing through the character of the queen. He crowned women's chastity by saying that the gods were subordinate to chastity and that the gods themselves came down and carried Kannaki in the Pushpaka Vimanam (chariot). In addition, he made Kannagi a deity and made the kings of many countries build temples and worship her. The honour of worshipping women belongs to only Ilangovadikal.