Female Body as a site of Domination and Resistance in R. K. Narayan's the Dark Room

Abstract

This research explores andanalyzes the dominating condition of womenbodyand their resistancein Indian society due to patriarchal domination where women are portrayed as meek and fragile characters inR.K. Narayan’snovelTheDarkRoom.The novel presents Savitri, a female character who despite being a wife of educated middle class husband, struggling for her position and identity in the society by portraying how women are subjugated with the weapons like religious, cultural and societal values. The study further reads the dynamics between men and women. Women face double marginalization at home and in the society via gender and class subjugation. Savitri's struggle for autonomy reflects the social boundaries of Indian society at that time. Third World Feminism is used for theoretical support to analyze the novel. It is found that position of women in the Third World nation like India isdominated likeSavitri, the main character of the novel.Maledominated cultureand social value of Indian societycompelled Savitiri,toresist by using her female sexuality.She has desired to be free from the subjugation and leave thehouse butshe returned because sheis psychologicalpressured bythepatriarchal socio-cultural situation of hersociety.The research finds that women's role in the family and society should be considered as genuine sacrifices. Socio-cultural structure of thesociety isimportant to determinethe roleof women infamily as well as society. Keywords:Women, Patriarchy,Domination,Resistance Identity, Gender Equality.