From Silence to Defiance: Victimhood and Resistance in the Female Characters of Selected Plays of Mulk Raj Anand and Anita Desai

Abstract

Indian English literature has consistently explored the socio-cultural realities of women trapped within patriarchal structures. The literary works of Mulk Raj Anand and Anita Desai present women not merely as passive sufferers but also as individuals capable of resistance and transformation. This paper examines the dual dimensions of victimhood and rebellion represented through female characters in selected plays associated with Anand and Desai’s dramatic and dialogic narratives. The study investigates how these women move from silence, suppression, and marginalization toward self-realization and resistance against oppressive social systems. Employing feminist literary criticism and postcolonial perspectives, the paper analyses the psychological, social, and economic conditions that shape female identities. The study argues that while Anand foregrounds social oppression and class-based exploitation, Desai emphasizes psychological alienation and emotional fragmentation. Both writers, however, reveal women’s gradual assertion of agency. The paper concludes that the transition from silence to defiance symbolizes a broader critique of patriarchal hegemony in Indian society and highlights the evolving consciousness of women in Indian English literature.