ELITE SUBALTERNITY AND WOMANIST RESISTANCE: A STUDY OF LALITHAMBIKA ANTHARJANAM'S AGNISAKSHI
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v2.i2.2021.3475Keywords:
Womanism, Namboodiri, Kerala, Lalithambika Antharjanam, Agnisakshi, Patriarchy, Elite Subaltern, Gender, Caste, India, Feminism, Africana Womanism, AntharjanamAbstract [English]
This paper examines the dual oppression faced by Namboodiri Brahmin women in early 20th-century Kerala, as depicted in Lalithambika Antharjanam's novel Agnisakshi (1976). Drawing on Alice Walker's idea of Womanism and Clenora Hudson-Weems' theory of Africana Womanism, the study analyzes how the protagonist, Thethikutty, navigates the constraints of patriarchal Namboodiri society and starts a journey of self-discovery and social activism. The analysis highlights the novel's portrayal of female bonding, the struggle for education and autonomy, and the ultimate embrace of a Womanist ethos that transcends individual liberation to encompass communal well-being. The study argues that Agnisakshi offers a nuanced understanding of "elite subalternity," where women within a privileged caste are subjected to unique forms of gendered oppression, and shows how Womanist principles provide a framework for resistance and empowerment.
References
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