From Home to Warfront: Women in World War II Narratives

The narratives of war often overvalue masculine power over female capacity. Women's contribution goes unacknowledged, unnoticed and unnamed. Wars valorize men's valiance as soldiers and decision makers while women take the backseat as mere survivors amidst chaos. This paper focuses on the gendered narratives around war and throws light on what it is to be a woman in the times of war. It brings women on the frontline and rethinks War narratives including the experiences and contributions of a number of women who came out of their cocoon and took the challenges head on. The issues like Anti- Semitism, rape, mother- child relationship, and trauma that the war results in forms the base of the study. It showcases women as rebellious and passionate, having a steel exterior, and protecting a candyfloss heart. They are a testament of hope and resilience. The present paper underscores the narratives' depiction of women strength amidst three kinds of violence- psychological, physical and sexual and their complex societal re-entry. It is a voice against hyper masculinity and celebrates the ‘invisible women' in war.