Deciphering The Psychological Dialectics In The Terrain Of Female Cognizance: A Reflection on Shashi Deshpande’s Literary Creative

Abstract

The patriarchal ideology which emboldens the domination of the male, the subordination of the female and condition women to internalize this notion as a verdict in the process of their living, existence, behaviour and acceptance is strongly being critiqued by feminism. Simon de Beauvoir opines, ‘One is not born but rather becomes a woman. It is civilization as a whole that produces this creature which is described as feminine.’ In fact history has witnessed garlanding great literature with andocentric ideology having placed women with secondary roles. Feminism boldly disproves this approach to women and aims at looking things from a ‘woman’s point of view.’ This paper attempts to study Shashi Deshpande’s The Binding Vine keeping in mind this need. It has tried to explore the psychological dialectics in the terrain of female cognizance through the character of Urmi, the protagonist who obsessed with the haunt memories of her dead daughter has happened to unravel the anguished past of her dead mother-in-law, Mira through her diary. Mira’s diary embodies her psychological fears and physical suffering. Shashi Deshpande is a feminist par excellence. She has brought to foreground the way her protagonists have learnt to cope with the harsh realities of life with the inner strength that they possess.