LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 24:10 October 2024
ISSN 1930-2940

Editors:
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         T. Deivasigamani, Ph.D.
         Pammi Pavan Kumar, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.

Managing Editor & Publisher: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.

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Through the Kaleidoscope: Diverse Women’s Voices in Githa Hariharan’s
The Thousand Faces of Night and When Dreams Travel

Uma Goswami

Abstract

This research paper explores the nuanced portrayal of women's perspectives in Githa Hariharan's novels The Thousand Faces of Night and When Dreams Travel. Both works delve into the complexities of feminine identity, agency, and the societal constraints that shape women's experiences. In The Thousand Faces of Night, the narrative examines the lives of several women navigating patriarchal structures, emphasizing their struggles for autonomy and self-definition. Through characters like Mayamma and Devi, Hariharan illustrates the interplay between tradition and modernity, highlighting the multifaceted nature of women's roles in society. Similarly, When Dreams Travel reimagines the story of Shahrazad from One Thousand and One Nights, focusing on the power of storytelling as a means of resistance and self-expression. Here, Shahrazad's ability to craft narratives allows her to challenge patriarchal oppression and reclaim her voice, while her sister Dunyazad represents the silent strength and support of sisterhood. This comparative analysis reveals how both novels utilize the theme of storytelling to explore women's desires, aspirations, and the quest for identity. Ultimately, the paper argues that Githa Hariharan’s work offers a profound commentary on feminine consciousness, revealing the resilience and complexity of women’s lives in contemporary society.

Keywords: Githa Hariharan, The Thousand Faces of Night, When Dreams Travel, Women's perspectives, feminist narratives, autonomy, patriarchy, feminist discourse.

Introduction

Githa Hariharan, a feminist author, has been regarded as one of the most influential Indian women writers of contemporary literature. Being a female author, the feminist perspective influences all aspect of her creative work. Githa Hariharan’s novels are exploring the feminist phenomena in a beautiful and systematic manner which depicts vivid picture of patriarchy dominance in social life and revolting against such a system. ‘Female consciousness’ is the gist of her all the novels. Hence, the novelist has loudly presented these marginalized voices of Indian women.

Githa Hariharan was raised in Manila and Mumbai, respectively, after being born in 1954 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. She graduated with a B.A. in English from Mumbai University and an MA in Communication from Fairfield University. She started her work as an editor at an Indian publishing business after working for the public radio system in New York. Later on, she gained experience as an editor in Mumbai, Chennai, and New Delhi, three major Indian cities. She had amazing experiences in a multicultural lifestyle growing up in Mumbai and Coimbatore, which enabled her to portray societal realities with a bird’s eye view.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Uma Goswami
Department of English
Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Agra
umagoswami210@gmail.com
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