Volume I Issue IV October 2021

Name of Author : Parinitha B & A Lourdusamy

Title of the paper : The Evolution of the Female from Suppression to Supremacy in the Select Novels of Postmodern Retellings of the Epic-A Review of Literature

Abstract: Man, in contrast to other creatures, is concerned with spiritual issues such as cognitive, social, artistic, and political concerns. A deep relationship has existed between faith and humanity since the dawn of time, if not before. The creation of myths is a reflection of the various religious and cultural beliefs held by people. As a result, the history of civilizations is primarily linked to and identified with mythology and religion. With the guidance of mythology and culture, people can better understand their world and the meaning of life. Thousands of years had passed since the epic narratives were penned. However, the astonishing stories continue to uncover conspicuousness in every genre of art and continue to engulf and overwhelm us even today. Epic narratives are still loved not only for their poetic grandeur but also for the highest philosophical principles they contain, which educate us about the art of living. Hence, Mahabharata is one of the most important texts of Indian culture, and its stories that almost all of us have grown up with hold relevance even during present times. It is an embodiment of a valuable scripture that provides a traditional, moral, and ritual foundation for the modern man. It is not just a story of morality to be narrated from the generations, but an unending source of study. Plenty of critics have studied the text from many perspectives, still much remains to be discovered and researched. The study intends to read four new retellings of the Mahabharata novels and look afresh into the four powerful female characters, namely, Sathyavati, Gandhari, Kunti, and Draupadi. The study discovers the quest for self-crisis of the four prominent female characters by applying feministic study, power politics, and gender views. The study mainly focuses on the comparison and contrast between the concept of western and Indian feminism.

Keywords : Feminism, Prominence, Relevance, Retelling, Self-crisis, Western

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Page No. : 30-47