Breaking the Bars of Caste and Gender: A Comparative Analysis of the Select Works of Mulk Raj Anand and Anita Nair

The social constructs of caste and gender in India have long dictated the lives and destinies of individuals, often relegating them to predefined roles and limiting their potential. This article presents a comparative analysis of the works of Mulk Raj Anand and Anita Nair, two significant voices in Indian literature who address the intertwined issues of caste and gender. Anand, through his early 20th-century narratives, highlights the plight of the oppressed classes, while Nair's contemporary novels explore the complexities of gender within a caste-ridden society. Through an examination of their select works—Anand’s "Untouchable" and Nair’s "Ladies Coupe"—this paper underscores the relentless struggle against both caste and gender discrimination and explores the authors' unique narrative techniques that reflect the nuances of these social issues