Arseam

International Journal of Communication, Languages & Literature

EXPLORING FEMALE IDENTITY IN SELECT NOVELS OF ANITA DESAI AND SHASHI DESHPANDE

Subha Ranjitha. R, Dr. B. Anita Virgin

**Subha Ranjitha. R, Research Scholar, School Of Sciences, Arts And Media, Karunya Institute Of Technology And Sciences (Deemed University), Karunya Nagar, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India

**Dr. B. Anita Virgin, Department Professor, School Of Sciences, Arts And Media, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences (Deemed University), Karunya Nagar, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India

DOI : https://doi.org/10.53882/IJCLL.2025.0801001 Page No : 01-23

Published Online : 22025-02-01

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This study explores the feminist novels written by women writers. These novelscompare the experiences of the authors, who sought freedom to explore their identities as women in a patriarchal society. Each novel depicts the struggles of the author’s lives, highlighting the suppression and oppression they faced. Through their writings, these authors challenged the male–dominated society and explored their female identities. This research focuses on the protagonists of feminist novels of two writers. These protagonists are considered to be strong characters in their exploration of female identity. The two writers discussed in this study Shashi Deshpande, Anita Desai from Indian English Literature.

REFERENCES

Trivedi, Ritumbara. “Theme of Psychological Violence in Anita Desai’s Where Shall We Go This summer”. Notions, vol.7, no.4, 2016, ISSN: ICRJIFR IMPACT FACTOR 3.9531, Research Scholar, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, Pacific Academy of Higher Education.
Selvarani, P., et al. “Anita Desai’s Novel ‘Where Shall We Go This Summer’. A Psychological View of Image and Symbols”. Quest Journals of Research in Humanities and Social Science, vol.10, no.4,2022, pp.47-51.
Al Mahmud, Zubair. “From Silence to Speech: A Study of Shashi Deshpande’s That Long Silence”. 2022.
Alwan, Huda Kadhim. “The Perspective of Women in Anita Desai’s Novel Clear the Light of Day”. 2021.
Muneesvaran, D. “ Pangs of Domestic Violence in Shashi Deshpande’s The Dark Holds No Terrors”. Shanlax International Journal of Arts, Science amnd Humanities, vol.8, no.1, May2021, pp.30-32.
Cox, Melanie A. “Child Abuse and Crime: Testing the Cycle of Violence Theory”. West Virginia University, 2005.
Sangeetha, J., et al. “Strategic Analysis of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Theory and Cycle of Violence Theory”. International Journal of Criminology and Sociological Theory, vol.16, no.2, June 2022, pp. 1-15.
Harbishettar, Vijaykumar, Suresh Bada Math. “Violence against Women in India: Comprehensive Care for Survivors”. Indian Journal of Public Health, vol. 58, no.3, Aug.2014, pp.163-168.
Chellamuthu, M. “Violence Against Women In India.” International Journal of Applied Social Humanities, vol. 5, 2016, pp.1-5.
Singh, Ravindra Kumar. “Indian Women Writers and Its Feminism in English”. JASRAE, 2019, pp. 1-5.
Sangeetha, J., etal. “Strategic Analysis of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Theory and Cycle of Violence Theory”. International Journal of Criminology and Sociological Theory, vol. 16, no.2, June 2022, pp. 1-15.
Rakovec Felser, Zlatka. " Domestic Violence and Abuse in Intimate Relationships from a Public Health Perspective". National Library of Medicine, 2022, p.6.
Ali, Rejoan. “ Effacing The Past: Trauma And Its Amelioration in Shashi Deshapande’s The Dark Hold No Terrors”. M.A, UGC NET JRF, April 2023, Department of English , Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University.
Subhashini, B., and Kavitha, N. “Overcoming Emotional Trauma Through Self- Realization by the Protagonist of Shashi Deshpande’s Novel The Dark Hold No Terrors”. Coimbatore , Tamilnadu,India,182 .
Singh, Piyush Kumar. “ Erasing That Long Silence: The Search for space, Identity and Freedom”. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, vol.11, no.2, February 2023.
Desai, Anita. “Feminine Sensibility in the Novel of Clear Light of Day”. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention (IJHSSI) vol. 5, no.1, 2016, pp. 5-10.
Ratna prabha R, and Dr. M.John Suganya. “Quest for Identity in Shashi Deshpande’s That Long Silence”. International Journal of Novel Research and Development, vol.7, no.11, November 2022, pp.50.
Legha, Ramchandra, and Dr. Ruchika Singha. “ Clear Light of Day: Women Empowerment: A Reading of Anita Desai’s Novel”. AIRO Journals, vol.2, no.3, June 2021.
Shobha S M, and Dr. Sarita Rani Joel. “Man – Women Relationship In Anita Desai’s Novels”. Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education, vol.5,no.9, Jan.2013.
Vaidhya, Prafulkumar Prakash, and Dr.S.M.Warkad. “Violence against Women in The Color Purple and That Long Silence”. Principal from Maharashtra.
Surya, S. “Despondency of Women as Portrayed in Shashi Deshpande’s That Long Silence”. International Journal of English Literature, Social Sciences and Humanities, vol.5, no.2, 2017, pp.6.
Kumnar, Rajnesh. “ Feminism in the Novels of Anita Desai: A Critical Exploration.” EPRA Inrernational Journal of Multidisciplinary Research ( MR), vol.10, n0.1, January 2024,pp.412.
Jasmine, Thanga Kumari. “Nuptial Relationship in the Select Novels of Anita Desai and Shobha De.” 2010.
Jajja, M.Ayub.” The Representation of Women in Anita Desai’s Novels: A Frail Bark upon the Waters”. Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences, vol.33, no.2, Dec.2013, publisher knowledge Bylanes.
Nasir, Muhammad, and Rahayu Puji Haryanti. “Fighting for Women Education: An Analysis of Novel I am Malala”. May 2022.
Maharani, Ratih Elizabeth, “A Mother’s Involvement in Preserving Patriarchal Power In Anita Desai’s Novel Fasting , Feasting”, 2016.
Khairunnisa, Oharma Arflana. “Gendered Experiences in Indian and American Family as Portrayed in Anita Desai’s Fasting, Feasting”. 2009.
Panday, Ruchi, and Gunjan Sushil. “Patriarchy and Resistance in Anita Desai’s Fasting, Feasting”. 30 December 2022.
Trivedi, Ritumbara, and Dr. Rekha Tiwari. “The Theme of Psychological Violence in Anita Desai’s Where Shall We Go This Summer”? 2016.
Rajakumari, Dr. Mrs. P. Arockia. “ The Female Predicament in Anita Desai’s Where Shall We Go This Summer?” 2014,.
Yadav, Bajarangi Prasad. “New Gender Identity in Anita Desai’s Novel Where Shall We Go This Summer?” Tribhuvan University, November 2008.
Bedi, Kiran. “ Empowered Woman as I See It”. April 2008.
Robert, Claudine. “Cover to Cover Bible Study: Violence against Women”. 2023.
Sharma, Minakshi. “Exploring Women’s Identity through Chitra Banerjee’s Novels”. JETIR, 2014.
Khan, Arif Moin Udin. “Bim: A Female Beyond the Average Indian Womanhood in Anita Desai’s Clear Light of Day.” Journal of Literature, Languages and Linguistics 56(2019): n.pag. DOI.org (Crossref), doi: 10.7163/JLLL.2019.56.1.1.
Ranpura, Jay Arvindbhai. “Jaya– The Symbol of Silent Suffering in That Long Silence by Shashi Deshpande”. International Journal of English Language, Literature and Humanitie ,vol.6, no.3 Dec. 2020, pp. 1-10.
Dhandapani, Jaichithra. “Quest for Identity of a Woman Character” in Shashi Deshpande’s Novel ‘The Dark Hold No Terrors’ . International Journal of English Language, Literature and Humanities, vol.3,no.4, April 2015, pp.1-10.
Naumann, Lalita Jagtiani. “Deviation from or Adherence to Tradition: The Image of the Girl Child in The Dark Holds No Terror by Shashi Deshpande”. MELUS: Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States, vol.29, no.4, 2004,pp.321-335.
Sharma, Ajay Kumar. “Redefining Womanhood: A Study of Shashi Deshpande’s The Dark Holds No Terrors in Feminist Perspective”. Creation and Criticism, vol.05, joint issue 18 &19, July-Oct 2020,pp.1-10.
Venkateswari, Latha. “Resilence of Women: Shashi Deshpande’s The Dark Holds No Terror and Bharati Mukherjee’s Desirable daughters”. International Journal of English Language, Literature and Humanities, vol.8, no.2,Feb.2020, pp.1-10.
Hema, V. “Redefining Relationship: Sensitive Sita in Anita Desai’s Where Shall We Go This Summer?” IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science, vol.22, no.10,2017,pp. 16-18.
Suganya, S.N., etal. “Alienation and Reconciliation in Anita Desai’s Where Shall We Go This Summer.” International Journal of English Language, Literature and Humanities,vol.8, no.1, 2020,pp,1-10 (JSTOR).

Cite this Article as: Ranjitha S & Virgin B.A (2025), “Exploring Female Identity in Select Novels of Anita Desai And Shashi Deshpande ”, International Journal of Communication, Languages & Literature, Volume 8, Issue 1, 2025, pp 01-23. DOI : https://doi.org/10.53882/IJCLL.2025.0801001

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REFERENCES

Trivedi, Ritumbara. “Theme of Psychological Violence in Anita Desai’s Where Shall We Go This summer”. Notions, vol.7, no.4, 2016, ISSN: ICRJIFR IMPACT FACTOR 3.9531, Research Scholar, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, Pacific Academy of Higher Education.
Selvarani, P., et al. “Anita Desai’s Novel ‘Where Shall We Go This Summer’. A Psychological View of Image and Symbols”. Quest Journals of Research in Humanities and Social Science, vol.10, no.4,2022, pp.47-51.
Al Mahmud, Zubair. “From Silence to Speech: A Study of Shashi Deshpande’s That Long Silence”. 2022.
Alwan, Huda Kadhim. “The Perspective of Women in Anita Desai’s Novel Clear the Light of Day”. 2021.
Muneesvaran, D. “ Pangs of Domestic Violence in Shashi Deshpande’s The Dark Holds No Terrors”. Shanlax International Journal of Arts, Science amnd Humanities, vol.8, no.1, May2021, pp.30-32.
Cox, Melanie A. “Child Abuse and Crime: Testing the Cycle of Violence Theory”. West Virginia University, 2005.
Sangeetha, J., et al. “Strategic Analysis of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Theory and Cycle of Violence Theory”. International Journal of Criminology and Sociological Theory, vol.16, no.2, June 2022, pp. 1-15.
Harbishettar, Vijaykumar, Suresh Bada Math. “Violence against Women in India: Comprehensive Care for Survivors”. Indian Journal of Public Health, vol. 58, no.3, Aug.2014, pp.163-168.
Chellamuthu, M. “Violence Against Women In India.” International Journal of Applied Social Humanities, vol. 5, 2016, pp.1-5.
Singh, Ravindra Kumar. “Indian Women Writers and Its Feminism in English”. JASRAE, 2019, pp. 1-5.
Sangeetha, J., etal. “Strategic Analysis of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Theory and Cycle of Violence Theory”. International Journal of Criminology and Sociological Theory, vol. 16, no.2, June 2022, pp. 1-15.
Rakovec Felser, Zlatka. " Domestic Violence and Abuse in Intimate Relationships from a Public Health Perspective". National Library of Medicine, 2022, p.6.
Ali, Rejoan. “ Effacing The Past: Trauma And Its Amelioration in Shashi Deshapande’s The Dark Hold No Terrors”. M.A, UGC NET JRF, April 2023, Department of English , Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University.
Subhashini, B., and Kavitha, N. “Overcoming Emotional Trauma Through Self- Realization by the Protagonist of Shashi Deshpande’s Novel The Dark Hold No Terrors”. Coimbatore , Tamilnadu,India,182 .
Singh, Piyush Kumar. “ Erasing That Long Silence: The Search for space, Identity and Freedom”. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, vol.11, no.2, February 2023.
Desai, Anita. “Feminine Sensibility in the Novel of Clear Light of Day”. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention (IJHSSI) vol. 5, no.1, 2016, pp. 5-10.
Ratna prabha R, and Dr. M.John Suganya. “Quest for Identity in Shashi Deshpande’s That Long Silence”. International Journal of Novel Research and Development, vol.7, no.11, November 2022, pp.50.
Legha, Ramchandra, and Dr. Ruchika Singha. “ Clear Light of Day: Women Empowerment: A Reading of Anita Desai’s Novel”. AIRO Journals, vol.2, no.3, June 2021.
Shobha S M, and Dr. Sarita Rani Joel. “Man – Women Relationship In Anita Desai’s Novels”. Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education, vol.5,no.9, Jan.2013.
Vaidhya, Prafulkumar Prakash, and Dr.S.M.Warkad. “Violence against Women in The Color Purple and That Long Silence”. Principal from Maharashtra.
Surya, S. “Despondency of Women as Portrayed in Shashi Deshpande’s That Long Silence”. International Journal of English Literature, Social Sciences and Humanities, vol.5, no.2, 2017, pp.6.
Kumnar, Rajnesh. “ Feminism in the Novels of Anita Desai: A Critical Exploration.” EPRA Inrernational Journal of Multidisciplinary Research ( MR), vol.10, n0.1, January 2024,pp.412.
Jasmine, Thanga Kumari. “Nuptial Relationship in the Select Novels of Anita Desai and Shobha De.” 2010.
Jajja, M.Ayub.” The Representation of Women in Anita Desai’s Novels: A Frail Bark upon the Waters”. Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences, vol.33, no.2, Dec.2013, publisher knowledge Bylanes.
Nasir, Muhammad, and Rahayu Puji Haryanti. “Fighting for Women Education: An Analysis of Novel I am Malala”. May 2022.
Maharani, Ratih Elizabeth, “A Mother’s Involvement in Preserving Patriarchal Power In Anita Desai’s Novel Fasting , Feasting”, 2016.
Khairunnisa, Oharma Arflana. “Gendered Experiences in Indian and American Family as Portrayed in Anita Desai’s Fasting, Feasting”. 2009.
Panday, Ruchi, and Gunjan Sushil. “Patriarchy and Resistance in Anita Desai’s Fasting, Feasting”. 30 December 2022.
Trivedi, Ritumbara, and Dr. Rekha Tiwari. “The Theme of Psychological Violence in Anita Desai’s Where Shall We Go This Summer”? 2016.
Rajakumari, Dr. Mrs. P. Arockia. “ The Female Predicament in Anita Desai’s Where Shall We Go This Summer?” 2014,.
Yadav, Bajarangi Prasad. “New Gender Identity in Anita Desai’s Novel Where Shall We Go This Summer?” Tribhuvan University, November 2008.
Bedi, Kiran. “ Empowered Woman as I See It”. April 2008.
Robert, Claudine. “Cover to Cover Bible Study: Violence against Women”. 2023.
Sharma, Minakshi. “Exploring Women’s Identity through Chitra Banerjee’s Novels”. JETIR, 2014.
Khan, Arif Moin Udin. “Bim: A Female Beyond the Average Indian Womanhood in Anita Desai’s Clear Light of Day.” Journal of Literature, Languages and Linguistics 56(2019): n.pag. DOI.org (Crossref), doi: 10.7163/JLLL.2019.56.1.1.
Ranpura, Jay Arvindbhai. “Jaya– The Symbol of Silent Suffering in That Long Silence by Shashi Deshpande”. International Journal of English Language, Literature and Humanitie ,vol.6, no.3 Dec. 2020, pp. 1-10.
Dhandapani, Jaichithra. “Quest for Identity of a Woman Character” in Shashi Deshpande’s Novel ‘The Dark Hold No Terrors’ . International Journal of English Language, Literature and Humanities, vol.3,no.4, April 2015, pp.1-10.
Naumann, Lalita Jagtiani. “Deviation from or Adherence to Tradition: The Image of the Girl Child in The Dark Holds No Terror by Shashi Deshpande”. MELUS: Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States, vol.29, no.4, 2004,pp.321-335.
Sharma, Ajay Kumar. “Redefining Womanhood: A Study of Shashi Deshpande’s The Dark Holds No Terrors in Feminist Perspective”. Creation and Criticism, vol.05, joint issue 18 &19, July-Oct 2020,pp.1-10.
Venkateswari, Latha. “Resilence of Women: Shashi Deshpande’s The Dark Holds No Terror and Bharati Mukherjee’s Desirable daughters”. International Journal of English Language, Literature and Humanities, vol.8, no.2,Feb.2020, pp.1-10.
Hema, V. “Redefining Relationship: Sensitive Sita in Anita Desai’s Where Shall We Go This Summer?” IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science, vol.22, no.10,2017,pp. 16-18.
Suganya, S.N., etal. “Alienation and Reconciliation in Anita Desai’s Where Shall We Go This Summer.” International Journal of English Language, Literature and Humanities,vol.8, no.1, 2020,pp,1-10 (JSTOR).

Int. J. of Comm, Lang & Litt

EXPLORING FEMALE IDENTITY IN SELECT NOVELS OF ANITA DESAI AND SHASHI DESHPANDE

Aims and Objectives

Ethics Policy

Peer Review Policy

Call for Paper

Conference

Instruction To Review

Guide To Authors