Book Description

Though not an avowed feminist, Shashi Deshpande occupies a significant place among the contemporary women novelists who concern themselves with the problems of women and their quest for identity. Her creative talent and accomplishment have established her credentials as a worthy successor and contemporary to the Indian English writers such as Desai, Shobha De, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Bharati Mukherjee etc. In this book, two novels by Shashi Deshpande – 1. The Dark Holds No Terrors. 2. That Long Silence are studied in detail for the sake to find image of woman in both the novels. Shashi Deshpande's novel "The Dark Holds No Terrors", seeks to discuss the male ego which refuses to accept a secondary position in marriage. The novel narrated the harrowing experiences of the protagonist 'Sarita', who enjoys a greater economic and social status than her husband Manohar. Deshpande also makes the readers aware of society's reaction to the superior status of the wife in a marriage, which leads the husband to develop an inferiority complex. The novel also seeks to discuss the blatant gender discrimination which is shown even by parents towards their daughters. Deshpande effectively conveys the craving by parents for a male child and the disastrous effect it can have on a sensitive going girl. Denied of parental love and victim of her husband's frustrations, 'Sarita' undergoes an arduous journey into herself and liberates herself from guilt, shame and humiliation to emerge in full control over her life. Shashi Deshpande's novel, "That Long Silence", brought her into limelight as it was rewarded by the prestigious "Sahitya Academy Award". The novel deals with the protagonist Jaya's passage through a mare of self doubts and fears towards the affirmation of herself. A crisis in the middle-class family of the protagonist triggers off a chain of events which compel her to view her life in retrospection. What follows is an honest and frank account of Jaya's life. In her anxiety to play the role of wife and mother to perfection. Jaya realizes that she does not do justice to her talents as a writer. Her constant fear of displeasing her husband and inviting the censure of society, not only make her give up writing but also discourage her from acknowledging her friendship with a man who is not her husband, brother or father. The novel focuses Jaya as a representative of the modern young woman - educated and aware - nevertheless unable to break free from the strangle - hold of tradition. In the process of telling her story, she offers us a glimpse into the lives of ostensibly content housewives who are nevertheless suppressed under the weight of male dominance. Thus this book helps to find out image of woman in these novels. I record my gratefulness to the principal of J.E.S. College, Jalna- Dr. R. S. Agrawal, Head of the Department of English- M.A. Sami Siddiqui for support and encouragement at every stage of my work. I also offer my sincere thanks to the senior teachers of my Department for their valuable suggestions. I feel deeply to put into words my sense of thankfulness to my family.