Shashi Deshpande’s Novels: In the Light of Indian Feminist Ethos

Abstract

Shashi Deshpande, one of the distinguished contemporary women writers of India, has established her immensity by dealing with issue of Indian women by maintaining an excellent balance between the two extremes – tradition and modernity. She has been honored with Sahitya Akademi Award for That Long Silence, Nanjangad Thirumalamba Award for The Dark Holds No Terrors and Thirumaathi Rangammal Price for Roots and Shadows. Chief concern of her novels is social dynamics that repress individuality of modern, educated, Indian women. Present paper focus on the two novels: The Dark Holds No Terrors and Roots and Shadows. Deshpande advocates emancipation but not at the cost of Indian ethos of matrimony. Any of her female protagonists, however troubled they are, does not choose the path of violating marital cords. In their place, western female might have opted for divorce or some other similar options. Saru and Indu regain their respective individuality without breaking social norms. Deshpande has justified Indus’ infidelity by killing Naren dramatically. She does not let her heroines to indulge in adultery even though it is a matter of gaining individual identity. Thus, these two novels represent the trait of feminism that is Indian