Women's Quest for Identity: Represented in the stories of Mahasweta Devi

<p>Women are born free, but in<br>every place, they are bound in chains in<br>our society. Sometimes, they are also<br>considered as an inferior and not as free<br>and secure as a man. The female has been<br>a victim of both physical and<br>psychological tribulation. My paper dwells<br>upon the psyche of women, which should<br>be judged as human and not from the point<br>of view of gender, race, caste, and class.<br>Mahasweta Devi also portrays the true face<br>of a female's asseveration, whereas<br>Draupadi uses her wholeness of mind and<br>body to fight against her marginalized<br>ideality. Her stories depict the unspeakable<br>truth of women's misery and their power<br>for enduring and resistance. Devi also<br>gives voice to every character in her<br>stories. In my paper, I am going to discuss<br>some of her stories, namely, 'Draupadi,'<br>'Breast Giver,' and ‘Behind the Bodice’.<br>Here, she wants to explain that her women<br>are very strong and that, they have a<br>tremendous sense of self-respect, and they<br>are sometimes also prepared to fight all<br>their battles to the end, even if the end is<br>death. In our society, women suffer a lot in<br>every situation; sometimes, they are<br>suppressed and repressed. We also observe<br>that a wide range of women, from tribal to<br>upper caste women, from rich to poor, are<br>dealing with the hypocritical behavior of<br>the family. Devi also dealt with the plight<br>of women and their subordination.</p>