Sarat Chandra’s Women: An Anthropological Gendered Analysis of the Works of an Indian Writer of the Early Twentieth Century

Abstract

The works of literary masters often encapsulate history and anthropology of their times. Of several doyens of colonial writers in Bengal, Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyaya is well known for mirroring the position of women and also drawing some strong sketches of women reflecting social issues as well as inequality and injustice meted out to them at that period of Bengal’s history. His empathetic concern for women and his keen insight into their minds has often been commented on and appreciated. This paper is concerned with his inter-subjective relationship with the questions of class and caste and how, he as a male member of upper caste and from a genteel background dealt with his innate caste and class concerns in constructing his women characters representing various strata of society.

Keywords

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyaya nineteenth-century Bengal Hindu patriarchy caste class gender constructs

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