Voice for Autonomy in Selected Nepalese Contemporary Women’s Poetry

Abstract

This paper goes through five selected poems: “Tradition”, “My Mind is not at Peace”, “On Kathmandu’s Streets”, “Life in the Begging Bowl of Death”, and “Durbarmarg” by Nepali women poets Benju Sharma, Urmila Kumari Chaudhari, Yukta Bajracharya, Usha Sherchan, and Ujjwala Maharjan respectively and explores how Nepalese women are raising voice for autonomy in the contemporary times. Taking insights from socialist feminism, this research brings intersectional analysis of socio- economic and cultural structures which is key in understanding patriarchal dichotomy in the present context. The paper applies six patriarchal structures presented by Sylvia Walby as the method to read gender-based discrimination in contemporary Nepalese society. The researcher reveals that Nepali women’s fundamental right of autonomous decision-making is highly influenced by the sociocultural, traditional, caste as well as economic factors which is manipulated by traditional patriarchal structures and position women subordinate to men. The research concludes that women’s autonomy can be achieved by resolving gender- based discrimination in private and public spheres in contemporary times. Keywords: patriarchy, women’s autonomy, gender-based dichotomy and socialist feminism.