Identity of Subaltern Women in Mahasweta Devi’s Dhouli.

Name of Author : Surya Suresh Kumar

Abstract: Subaltern studies focus on the groups of people who are subjected to class, caste, race and gender discrimination. Mahasweta Devi the prolific Bengali writer raises her voice against these oppressions through her characters “Draupadi”, “Shanichari”, “Rudali”, “Chinta” and “Dhouli”, to name a few. They are subjected to oppression and sexual exploitation at the hands of the dominant groups based on their gender, class and caste supremacy which is prevalent in the society. Dhouli represents the subaltern women who being widows become the victims of both patriarchy andcaste dominance. She stands as the representative of those subaltern women who for the acceptance and existence in the society are forced into prostitution and thus, resort to sell their bodies. In short, Dhouli symbolises the marginalised identity of women in the world which believes in gender, class and caste discrimination as the norm. This paper attempts to show the identity crisis faced by subaltern women through Devi’s character Dhouli, scrutinising the parameters of gender, class and caste.

Keywords : Gender discrimination, oppression, victims, existence

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