Research Journal of English Language and Literature (RJELAL)

Vol.1.Issue.1.;2013
A Peer Reviewed International Journal - http://www.rjelal.com

RESEARCH ARTICLE ISSN 2321 – 3108

FRAGRANCE OF FEMINISM IN TARA PATEL’S POEMS ‘WOMAN’ AND ‘REQUEST’

DR. SUNEETHA YEDLA
Assistant Professor of English, University College of Engineering &Technology, Acharya Nagarjuna
University, Nagarjuna Nagar ,A.P, India

ABSTRACT

The role of Indian Women in Literature is often quite wide in spectrum. Women are
portrayed as second fiddles even women played three roles simultaneously - as a
woman, wife and as a professional in their career. It is frequently believed that man is
all-powerful, whereas a woman simply plays varies roles in all spheres of society.
Beginning with our Indian mythology Manusmrithi, in which Manu projects women as
slaves from the beginning till the end of their life. The two great epics of India,
Ramayana and Mahabharata give no scope for women. Women are depicted as
machines of reproduction in history and still exist. The deep rooted patriarchal system
does not allow women to realize and express their roles. In the middle ages the
conditions of women become worst than ever. Further the condition was worsened
Y.SUNEETHA
with the origin of superstitions which restricted the movement of women. Women were
Article Info: tortured in the name of tradition and religion.
In the realm of Contemporary Literature Tara Patel occupies a very significant position
Received on: 20/04/2013 as a feministic poet against the dominance of men on women by her voice against the
patriarchal dominance in Indian Society. Tara Patel exploits her talent as a poet and
Revised From :21/04/2013
denounces overtly in her poems. Tara Patel is one of the finest and most distinguished
Accepted on:16/05/2013 Indian women poets in English who is internationally recognized for her masterpiece,
Single Woman (1991). Woman’s search for identity, status and individuality because of
dominance of men in Tara Patel’s poetry is the current theme in the present article.
KEY WORDS: feminism, male dominance, patriarchal system, superstitions

INTRODUCTION professional in their career. It is role frequently

believed that man is all-powerful, whereas a woman is
India, the land of myriad colors, has contributed simply offered a supporting as well balancing role in all
significantly to the world literature. This contribution spheres of society. The notion of woman being is
of India has been chiefly through the Indian writing in bequeathed to us from our ancestors. Even the great
English. The nineties and twenties have witnessed a myths of Indian literature portray woman as pathetic
remarkable flowing of Indian Literature in English in all living things.
forms – poetry, drama and fiction. Whatever the Beginning with our Indian mythology Manusmrithi, in
literary form the role of Indian women in literature is which Manu projects women as slaves from the
often quite wide in spectrum. Women played second beginning till the end of their life. The two great epics
fiddles to men even though they played three roles of India --- Ramayana and Mahabharata are also in
simultaneously - as a woman, wife and as a

56 Fragrance of Feminism in ............. Y.Suneetha

 Research Journal of English Language and Literature (RJELAL)
Vol.1.Issue.1.;2013
A Peer Reviewed International Journal - http://www.rjelal.com

the same line and give no scope for women for their establishment’s indifference and utter callousness.
hope. Women are depicted as machines of Her peculiarly powerful poem engages a dual, sadist-
reproduction in history and still exist. The deep masochist approach, of torture and self flagellation
rooted patriarchal system does not allow women to and an escape that merely intensifies the longing to be
realize and express their roles. In the middle ages the healed and cared for. Her poem, as most Indo-Anglian
conditions of women become worst than ever. Further women’s poetry, does not outline any feminist agenda
the condition was worsened with the origin of but claims and compels attention as woman in search
superstitions which restricted the movement of for identity, recognition and a space of her own
women. Women were tortured in the name of obliterating the barbed margins. The first few lines in
tradition and religion. Woman express the kind of situation that most
women go through. She says:
In the realm of Contemporary literature Tara Patel is A woman’s life is a reaction to the crack of a whip.
one of the finest and most distinguished Indian She learns to dodge it as it whistles around her
women poets in English. She occupies a very But sometimes, it lands on the thick, distorted
welt of her memory….
significant position as a revolutionary poet against the
A reminding her of lessons learned in the past.
dominance of men on women. She is widely acclaimed
Here the ‘whip’ becomes symbolic of the instrument
as a revolutionary poet for having raised in poetry her
of authority in the hands of patriarchy used to beat
voice rebelliously against the patriarchal dominance
women into compliance. In this Tara Patel gives an
which is the casual factor of subordination of women
insight into the fate of woman’s life in a male-
to men in Indian society. Since she started writing in
dominated world in her poem Woman, of how
favour of Indian women and against male dominance
woman’s life is a long saga of pain inflicted upon by
her voice, tone and terror become predominantly
patriarchy. But that pain ultimately takes the shape of
feministic. Tara Patel got international recognition for
rebellion:
her masterpiece, Single woman (1991). Woman’s
Then in rebellion she turned her face
search for identity, status, and individuality because of
to the whip, till pain became a river in flood
dominance of men in Tara Patel’s poetry is the current
wreaking vengeance.
theme in the present article.
Tara Patel is obsessed by the question of feminine
As Tara Patel in her master piece Single Woman in the egotism and identity. She rejects the male dominance
chapter “The Role of Assamese Women in the August with the objective of achieving freedom and equality
Revolution of 1942” states that “Women are with men. In her poem Woman Tara Patel writes:
surpassed even men in the August revolution of 1942 It is easy to dismiss All men as bastards
in all its three stages – spontaneous, planned and Perhaps I need to do a course in male psychology
destructive. The August Revolution presents an With extensive practicals
inspiring saga of Assamese women’s fearlessness,
sacrifice and fortitude.” (78) By observing all the Tara Patel’s voice in Single Woman is the voice of
movements in India Tara Patel exploits her talent as a protest against woman exploitation, drawing a distinct
poet and denounces overtly in her poems the tradition line of demarcation between the women of the past
that empowered the male to subject the women to and the present: “I cannot live like you,
subservience and circumscribe their individual rights. mother/maintain the status quo ……………
Fragrance of Feminism in Woman: I daresay your discovery of sex/was not wonderful
Tara Patel’s poem, Woman expresses her sense of ………….. Love is an illusion I’ve lived /with for so long,
exploitation at being born a woman and pathetically mother/although you never inspired it.” Some lines
confesses her intense yearning for love, care and
understanding, as she is traumatized by the plutocratic
57 Fragrance of Feminism in ............. Y.Suneetha
 Research Journal of English Language and Literature (RJELAL)
Vol.1.Issue.1.;2013
A Peer Reviewed International Journal - http://www.rjelal.com

quoted in the poem Woman represent woman as a It is not your lack of love which distresses
convict, a refugee or a yogi – me anymore.
She ran away to live as an escaped convict, I’m no longer obsessed with a blind emotion
Or a refugee, Which promises everything and nothing?
Or a yogi in the wilderness of civilization. You have to be young forever to be in love.
Beneath the thick, distorted welt of her memory, By the quoted lines revealed states that Tara Patel
She dreams. tries to show the feminine role in the society. Her
The key concept of the poem Woman depicted in the works do not work as revolutionary spirit against the
above quoted lines. Tara Patel’s presentation of sense society nevertheless portrays the society as it is.
of traversing is a wider trajectory of the cultural Tara Patel’s poems Woman and Request are most
diversity along with the ideological positionality of the convincing to women readers who approach it to
women. identify themselves with the inner sight of the poet
Fragrance of Feminism in Request: and see the world through the eyes of a haunted
Tara Patel’s voice gradually changes in her poem woman. Most of her poetry concerns itself with the
Request. The perception of the Modern Indian Poetry poet’s intensely felt need for declaring all about
by women represents that they all are anti-male is not herself, about her desire for love, her emotional
true as all of them do reject men or are altogether involvement and her failure to achieve such a
anti-male. Tara Patel also presents the same in her relationship. Her poetry is crises-crossed by soul
poem Request. The main concept is -- her longing for searching, self analysis, introspection and looking deep
love and companionship that never meets its due into oneself, which is why she is called one of the best
satisfaction. Tara Patel has to literally beg for it in the Indian English woman poets of modern times. Tara
stated lines: Patel also endowed with strong Indian sensibility; she
But because I’m pining for an old pleasure, depicts women’s issues and problems very deeply in
Have lunch with me one of these days. her poetry. Among the Indian women poets Tara Patel
I miss you most when I’m eating alone. follow footsteps of kamala das in denouncing the
A man should look up a woman sometimes supremacy of male.
for old times’ sake. CONCLUSION
For reasons other than those which are obsolete. As concluding remarks I would say, Woman’s voice
She also talks about loneliness that many women was heard throughout the ages but only in the songs
experience due to an overrated or underrated life sung to highlight the spiritual yearning in the lyrics and
which is depicted simply and realistically in her poem, the passionate love songs. Indian women for long have
Request. been encircled in the pain and suffering of orthodox
Sometimes for old times sake society. Solution for this problem begins with the
You should look me up. social reformers ‘Raja Ram Mohan Roy’, ‘Ishwar
Have lunch with me, I’ll pay the bill… Chandra Vidyasagar’ and ‘Veeresalingam Panthulu’
who fought for education for women, and remarriage
The thought expressed in the above quoted lines
of widows and for assertion of their rights. But the
brings out and realize the irony hidden between the
pace of reformation is still slow. The voice of woman
lines “Have lunch with me, I’ll pay the bill”. Tara Patel
in society is yet to be heard, though women in India
speaks about post-colonial identity and personal
have been fortunate enough to occupy high and
struggle of women in her life in the poems called
honorable places of power. But the fact remains that
“Woman” and “Request”. Request is the poem, in
traditional women are yet to liberate themselves from
which Tara Patel presents her longing for love with
the unreasonable beliefs of Indian society. It cannot be
emotional tone yet succeed in bringing the reality to
denied that there are clear differences between male
the fore in the lines mentioned –
and female temperaments and this difference would
58 Fragrance of Feminism in ............. Y.Suneetha
 Research Journal of English Language and Literature (RJELAL)
Vol.1.Issue.1.;2013
A Peer Reviewed International Journal - http://www.rjelal.com

show in everything to which both genders turn their REFERENCES

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59 Fragrance of Feminism in ............. Y.Suneetha