Struggle For Identity In Mythological Context: Third World Feminist Interpretation Of Female Agency In Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's Literary Fiction

Abstract

 This research explores the representation of female agency in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's The Palace of Illusion. It demonstrates the problems and issues of the mythological time of Mahabharata, a great Hindu epic, which is even related today. This paper tries to find out the crucial role of Draupadi in The Palace of Illusion as a female agency. It also connects the issue of identity and gender role to establish the female as a role model neglecting orthodox ideas as the second sex. Divakaruni recounts the epic from Draupadi's point of view, claiming female agency in the war between two families. Likewise, it highlights the issue of motherhood and conflict depicting Draupadri's struggle for identity in a mythological context. In the novel, Draupadi has been presented as a headstrong and female role model who provokes her husband to take revenge on Kauravas. Therefore, she is presented as a revolutionary character that breaks down the traditional gender role but her contributions are neglected in Mahabharata. This paper critically analyses Divakaruni’s The Palace of Illusion from Third world feminist interpretation which raises the issues of non-western women. Especially, Chandra Talpade Mohanty and Uma Narayan's perspectives on feminism have been used as theoretical insights to support the hypothesis. In Mahabharata, Draupadi has been presented as the submissive, passive, and inactive character. Contrary to it, in The Palace of Illusion Divakaruni shows Draupadi as a role model as well as courageous who can establish her identity in the patriarchal domain.