Portrayal of Patriarchal Subjugation of Women in the Selected Works of Anita Nair

Abstract

This study will investigate how patriarchy works as a vehicle for women’s subjugation. Many female authors were born within a predominately patriarchal environment, where women have historically been subservient to socially imposed norms. Anita Nair has emerged as one of India’s most committed modern authors. She freely expresses her views about women in autocratic Indian culture. She also offers insight into how society views women and what it expects of them. The paper will portray women’s sufferings and the status of women in society. It will also shed light on the importance of education. The idea of ‘half’ by Simone De Beauvoir in her work The Second Sex will illuminate the concept of self. The paper will highlight the shifting scenarios of women and how new women transcend the confines of patriarchal setup and create new identities through Anita Nair’s novels- Ladies Coupe, Mistress, and The Better Man.