Women’s Identity and Voice in Postcolonial Literature
Arpita N Habib
Research Scholar, Kuvempu University, Karnataka.
Keywords: Postcolonialism, Feminism, Double Colonization, Subaltern, Agency, Patriarchy, Hybridity, Resistance
Abstract
This research paper studies the connection between gender and decolonization, and looks at how postcolonial women writers try to redefine identity while facing the pressure of the “Master’s language” and the “Father’s law.” As we all know, in many historical stories, especially in our country and others, women’s experiences were often pushed to the side, while malefocused stories of independence were given more importance. By looking at the works of writers like Buchi Emecheta, Arundhati Roy, and Jean Rhys, this study shows how literature can work as a strong “counter-archive” that questions and challenges official colonial history. The paper follows a qualitative method, based on ideas of intersectionality and comparative literary analysis. It also discusses important theories, like Gayatri Spivak’s subaltern theory and Homi Bhabha’s idea of hybridity, to explain how female characters slowly take control over their own bodies and challenge patriarchal limits. Through this, we can see the rise of what is called a “Transversal Identity,” which means a flexible identity that moves across cultures but still keeps its main essence, something commonly seen among people adjusting between traditions and modern life. The study also talks about the change from old colonial struggles to today’s pressures, like global capitalism and digital media, which we can clearly notice in present times. The findings suggest that postcolonial women’s writing is not just about the past, but it also creates a powerful discussion with today’s world. In the end, the paper concludes that decolonization is still not fully complete until women’s voices are properly accepted as a central force of resistance and change.
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