Portrayal Of Woman In ‘The Namesake’ And ‘The Immigrant’: An Important Element Of Postcolonial Feminism

Abstract

Indian writing in English has grabbed the attention of the literary world with its  content  and relevant context. In spite of the quality literary works written in English were found a century back, the relatively-recent trend in Indian writing in English is matchless. Women are being portrayed in various manifestations by Indian women novelists. Of late, the outstanding range of India’s most proficient women writers of postcolonial strand has opened the gates for a tremendous change in the trend of depicting women characters. The projection of woman as an individual and independent fighting spirit against suppression and oppression of the patriarchy and presentation of gender issues upsetting women are some of the many elemental factors mentioned by many Indian women writers. The present paper brings up the problems faced by women in the context   of migration. The two major women characters, from the two selected novels of Jhumpa Lahiri   and Manju Kapur, namely- Ashima Gogol and Nina, are the representatives of the women caught abroad. This paper also highlights the psychological tussle that takes place with women staying abroad.