THE EMERGENCE OF NEW WOMEN IN THE NOVELS OF SHOBHA DE

Abstract

In the wake of realist novels, the thematic concerns of female writers have been centering on woman-related issues. Today, most of the women novelists deal with the issues pertaining to the lives of urban women. Women, in patriarchal world, lose out by being women. Their human powers of choice are frequently thwarted by society in which fear and hierarchy deform their acceptability. Nowadays, Indian writers such as Shashi Deshpande, Anita Desai and Kamala Markandaya, depict the conditions ofthe so-called 'second sex' caught in the whirlpool of tradition, convention, heritage, exploitation, violence, and subjugation. They bring forth the social setting in which the women protagonists act and fight for their self-identity and assertion. Among the new generation of women writers in Indian Writing in English. Shobha De unveils the bare truth in the lives of metropolitan men and women. In fact, she collectively and individually mirrors the new cultural change in the present social context. As a feminist, she is alert to the situation of woman as an oppressed, subjugated, and demoralized one. She analyses in her novels the inner psyche of women, their fundamental problems and unique experiences. She brings forth women's awareness through their struggles and assertions. Her women characters have a strong sense of individuality. It is significant to note that Shobha De's women hardly care for the institution called 'society.' They have the power to hit back those who come in between their attempts of self-actualization. In their desperate struggle for self-fulfilment, they dare to cross all those boundaries, which are often considered morally right by conventional society. Therefore, in her works, Shobha De embarks upon the issues of moral and individual identity and highlights the aspects of protest and female emancipation. However, De's women cannot be seen merely on the pedestal of economic and social freedom because they have materialistic concerns only as means towards their IV self-fulfilment through self-expression. The present work reveals how De's women gradually progress from the stage of inhibition to an awareness of self-actualization and then establish themselves as a brand of new women. The following chapters delineate the phases of development in these women protagonists. The first chapter, "Introduction: From Inhibition to Expression," comprehends Shobha De's approach as a feminist in dealing with the problems of her women characters. It also discusses the general theory of feminism and reveals how De's women are different from the traditional ones. In this regard, an attempt is made to bring out the feminist theories ofSimone De Beauvoir, Marry Wollstonecraft, Betty Friedan, Virginia Woolf, Karen Offen, Elaine Showalter and Toril Moi. The chapter also depicts the efforts ofDe's women characters to ground themselves with a positive sense of identity. Thus, the study discovers that Shobha De has great concern for a woman's need to be acknowledged as a human being and her aspiration to have an autonomous social image. The second chapter, "Freedom from Traditional Self," uncovers how social norms and male regulated rules complicate the achievement ofself-worth and pride in women. It evinces how De's women break the social and moral barriers in making themselves independent creatures of self-actualized souls. Actually, these characters in their search for self-expression are not totally against conventional rules. They abide by these rules when they are essential and do not impede their self-accomplishment. Further, this chapter illustrates how through self-actualization, the women learn to survive in their lives with a sense of self-pride. This notion is exemplified through the character of Karuna in Socialite Evenings, Aasha in Starry Nights, Mikki in Sisters, Amrita in Strange Obsession, Nisha in Sultry Days, Swati, Reema, Rashmi, Aparna, Surekha in Snapshots, and Maya in Second Thoughts. The third chapter, "Emancipation from Patriarchy," studies father-daughter relationship in male-oriented society. It reveals how fathers crush girls' sense of individuality in order to impose their male authority on them. The resentment of these heroines against their fathers' patriarchal attitudes creates atenuous atmosphere in their lives. Their earlier lives exploited by their fathers or father-figures, make them react irrationally and violently. But when their sense of survival takes aresponsible turn, they begin to revise their opinion about this relationship. Towards the end ofthe chapter, these heroines' endeavour to review this relationship with different perspective brings a melodious tone in the lives of both parent and daughter. In this context, the chapter deals with Karuna and Anjali's suffocated earlier life due to their father's dominating nature in Socialite Evenings. It explains how Aasha in Starry Nights is affected by her father's indifference, while the father's promiscuous life becomes excruciating for Mikki and Alisha in Sisters. Other novels and characters discussed in this light are Minx in Strange Obsession, Nisha in Sultry Days, Noor in Snapshots and Maya in Second Thoughts. The fourth chapter, "Freedom from Traditional Marriage," divulges how all the social and moral disciplines become inessential to these women when they come across a meaningless marriage. If their marriages are ineffectual in their self-actualization, they disregard this institution of society and try to search themselves through extra-marital and promiscuous relationships. However, the chapter also demonstrates the fact that if their marriages are helpful in the fulfilment of their lives, they fully dedicate themselves to this holy bond and then they do not go for extraneous marital relationships. The protagonists, Karuna, Aasha Rani, Mikki, Amrita, Nisha, Maya from the novels Socialite Evenings, Starry Nights, Sisters, Strange Obsession, Sultry Days, Second Thoughts, respectively, are analyzed in this aspect. The fifth chapter: "Emergence of the New Women" portrays the special traits and qualities that contributed to the emergence of new women in the novels of Shobha De. It VI throws light on those circumstances, which make them rebellious women initially; and finally, shows how they develop a mature outlook by taking decisions based on their individual feelings. Significantly, the chapter brushes off the controversy by which De's women characters are often viewed as sallies and aberrations. Thus it reveals how they are not totally insulated from the Indian ethics. Although they are not highly involved with these codes of conduct; yet, there are certain ideals in these heroines, which help them in their emergence as new women. Finally, "Conclusion," brings a brief survey ofall preceding chapters. It helps to understand De's new women in a proper perspective. To sum up, Shobha De has best displayed the travails of the women from conventionally male-prejudiced society to selfsatisfied individual beings. Her women characters, both in their participation in creative works and in their pronouncement as a self-governing entity, discard the idea of living a life of dejection.