The Changing Face of Women in Indian Literature

Pages:101-103
Yashu Rai Tayal (Department of English, Dayanand P. G. College, Hisar, Haryana)

The glorification of women role, then, Seem to be in proportion to society’s reluctance to treat women as complete human beings.1 K.K. Ruthven As pointed out by Meenakshi Mukherjee: The classical ideals of the god like hero and the patient heroine extol the virtues of extinction of the ego whereas the novel in the western world often focuses upon the achievement of Selfhood of personality. One might argue that classical ideals no longer obtain in the Indian context. But in actual literary practice, numerous characters are found to adhere to classic prototypes-especially the women of fiction who persistently re-enact the suffering sacrificing role of Sita or Savitri. 2 R.K.Narayan minutely observes the traditional position of women in Indian society and its deep rooted customs, myths and presents most realistic pictures with some irony in it. R.K. Narayan is neither ‘angry’ like Mulk Raj Anand nor ‘philosophical’ like Raja Rao. Thus the problems economic, social and political have an overwhelming influence on the art of Mulk Raj Anand. Dr. PremaNand Kumar said: