Kamala Das and the Politics of Gender: Rewriting Womanhood in Indian English Literature

Kamala Das, one of the most compelling voices in Indian English literature, redefined the contours of womanhood through her bold and unflinching literary expression. Her work, spanning poetry, short stories, and autobiography, confronts deeply ingrained patriarchal norms and exposes the emotional and sexual anxieties of women in a conservative society. This paper explores how Das engages with the politics of gender, particularly through her confessional style and her rejection of traditional roles assigned to women. Through works such as Summer in Calcutta and My Story, she challenges the expectations of femininity, marital obedience, and sexual repression, offering instead a complex portrayal of female desire, identity, and resistance. Das's writing becomes a powerful site of negotiation between personal freedom and societal constraints, making her a pioneering feminist figure in postcolonial Indian literature. By deconstructing the constructed ideals of womanhood, she reclaims female subjectivity and autonomy, contributing significantly to feminist literary discourse. This study analyzes her thematic focus, narrative voice, and linguistic choices to show how Das not only critiques gender-based oppression but also offers a transformative vision of womanhood rooted in honesty and self-expression. Her literary legacy continues to inspire new readings of gender and identity in Indian writing in English.