Exploring Feminist Perspective in Shashi Deshpande’s That Long Silence

Abstract

Woman is the originator, creator and producer of the world. A human society is made up of two fundamental elements: men and women. But it is the plight of our nation that women are considered less equal to males. Feminism tries to put an end to exploitation and oppression and tries to achieve gender equality. Feminism is about respecting women, their experiences, their knowledge, and their strength and giving them equal opportunities as men. The fundamental theme of Deshpande's 1988 novel ‘That Long Silence’, which she claims to be her most autobiographical work, is silence, both by the family and by society. It is a touching feminist work that probes into the inner world of Indian women who struggle with consistency, silence, and uniqueness. Shashi Deshpande explores a realistic and practical feminist vision in Jaya. Her feminism is about acknowledging one's silence, one's duties, and the ability to speak up again, not about rebelling. By empowering Jaya, Deshpande empowers innumerable women who have been silenced by custom, marriage, and social expectations. The aim of this paper is to investigate the issues and hardship that middle-class women face in patriarchal society.