Published December 30, 2023 | Version v1

Feminist Perspectives in Shashi Deshpande's Novel That Long Silence

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Shashi Deshpande’s renowned novel ‘That Long Silence’ addresses domestic values and presents a feminist perspective. It offers a deep depiction of Indian womanhood navigating the hidden routes of the human psyche with a unique talent for acute and heartfelt perceptions. This research paper examines the feminist aspects in Shashi Deshpande’s novel That Long Silence, a significant work in Indian English literature and feminist discourse. Deshpande explores the psychological struggles of Indian women confined to domestic environments by examining gender roles, patriarchal influences, silence as a means of survival, and the quest for identity and independence. The main character of the novel, Jaya, symbolizes numerous Indian middle-class women balancing tradition with personal identity. The study seeks to examine how Deshpande dismantles the concept of marriage, investigates the mother-daughter dynamic, and confronts the ingrained stereotypes associated with femininity. The study analyzes silence as a form of both resistance and complicity, claiming that Deshpande utilizes it as a thematic and stylistic element. A comparative method utilizing certain feminist theorists such as Simone de Beauvoir, Virginia Woolf, and Indian intellectuals is employed to situate Jaya’s internal struggle. The research concludes that That Long Silence is not simply a book of grievances but a compelling story of self-discovery and empowerment.

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