Exploring the Self: Power, Resistance and Liberation in K.R Meera's Hangwoman

In K.R. Meera’s Hangwoman: Everybody Loves a Good Hanging, the female protagonist, Chetna Grdhha Mullick, embarks on a profound journey of self-discovery amidst a complex web of power relations and societal expectations. Employing Michel Foucault’s concept of “critique” as a theoretical framework, this paper explores Chetna’s negotiation with her multiple selves and the external forces that shape her identity and lead to her ultimate liberation. Initially an ordinary woman, Chetna’s life takes a drastic turn when she is appointed as India’s first hangwoman, compelling her to adopt a bold persona in the face of societal scrutiny and patriarchy’s condemnation. The power structures simultaneously grant and deprive her of agency and thus she is forced to seek ways of resistance to navigate through the power relations. Delving into the theme of sadomasochism prevalent in the text, the paper observes that the protagonist’s engagement in pleasure-seeking acts of violence is one way of marking her resistance, culminating in a pivotal moment where Chetna attains catharsis thereby leading her fragmented identities to converge and form a unified whole.