Representation of the Subaltern in Henning Mankell's The Shadow Girls

Abstract

This research exploresthe representation of the subaltern characters in Henning Mankell'sThe Shadow Girls.Mankell foregroundsthe peripheral characters whose voice has been silenced due to the lack of agency.The main characterslike Tea-Bag, Tania and Leila are submissive and inferior who live the life ofabsurdity. They are wretchedandstifledbecause of thesuppressive hegemonic power,poor economic backgroundand theirinferior rank in terms ofclass, gender, inability, refugee statusand lack of agency.By bringing subaltern characters into the forefront, the novel shows that subalternity is not only limited to South Asian context but it couldbringall the marginal voices of the world. On the surface, Mankell pretendsto provide platform for the minority groupbutthetrue voicesof the subaltern characters remain unheard. As the concern of the revolution from lower people, this novel does not provide the platform openly but desirestransform Leila as an actress,Tea-Bag neglectsauthoritarianpowerandsomeothercharacters somehow try to evoke the revolutionfrom the lowerin the novel.In short, thenovel tries to win readers sympathy and expects revolutionfor social transformation.