Journey Of A Woman And A Nation Towards The Search Of Self Esteem In Manju Kapur’s Novels

Abstract

This article presents the journey of a woman and a nation towards the search of Self
Esteem in Manju Kapur’s Novels, Manju Kapur is one of the most renowned women writers of
the contemporary era in India. She is not only portrays the vulnerable condition of women in the
Indian society but also delineates how they are being kept ignorant about education and
emancipation. In her novels she gives vent to the gender discrimination still overtly prevalent in
the field of education. A study of few feminist theorists has also been included to expose how
patriarchy creates havoc in the lives of women by denying proper education. With the British
invasion, Indian men became aware of women education but the enthusiasm died out half way.
So even after 65 years of Indian Independence, the condition of women has barely changed.
Hence, Manju Kapur‘s novels expresses circumscribe the condition of women education since
Independence till the present era. Manju Kapur has writtern many novels like, Difficult
Daughters (1998), A Married Woman (2003), Home (2006), The Immigrant (2008) and Custody
(2011) and so on. All the novels are tried to pin point how discrimination still prevails in the
Indian society when it comes to education. The Portrayal of women in Indian English fiction is
the silent victim of tradition and traditional values of family and society. In all her novels, Kapur
deals with the problem and suffering of women to attain their identity. Her novel beautifully
pictured the longing struggles of women to attain their identity. She usually sketches her thoughts
and ideas, which she later transforms into the form of writing through her female protagonist.
She deeply influenced by feminist thinking. She believes in the concept of describing men and
women relationship in feminine perspective is inevitable. Her novels give much importance to
the female protagonist rather than male. She addresses the main issues of middle-class women in
all her novel.