Department of Women’s Studies

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Open Access
The Female Companions of the Angry Young Men: A Comparative Study of John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger and Bratya Basu’s Hemlat
(University of North Bengal, 2024-12) Bhakat, Mayuri
In the world of theatre or literature, in general, female characters have been portrayed from different perspectives – sometimes as docile, passive, sometimes as energetic and active and sometimes as game-changers. However, with the advent of the First World War, the projection of female characters has witnessed a paradigm shift irrespective of territorial boundaries and cultural barriers. The magnitude of agitation and anger among the young men was so intense that the remarkable roles of their female companions could not be overlooked. Most of the writers, in the post-World War phase have brought forth the female counterparts of the angry young men onto the stage to serve a unique purpose. Be it John Osborne in English stage or be it Badal Sircar in Bangla theatre, angry young men had keen listeners to their frustrated life stories. Additionally, the absence of female companions in their lives could have led them to become insane or to commit suicide. This proposition may be defended by arguments, but we should explore their contributions in the lives of angry young men. To delve into the said study, I have preferred John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger (1957) and Bratya Basu’s Hemlat (2006) so that I can substantiate my proposition despite the spatio- temporal variations. From the critical lenses of post-modernism and feminism, I have studied characters like Alison and Shefalia, who hardly express their desires rather give importance to their angry young male partners. However, this study may appear to be challenging to the pro- feministic agendas. Nevertheless, this article simply observes the contributions of female companions and also argues that the role of a gender is not often preceded; sometimes, through docile or submissive appearance, female characters can execute the desired changes for their counterparts as well as for the society.
Open Access
Subjugation and Emancipation : Women Characters in the Select Works of Girish Karnad
(University of North Bengal, 2022-12) Mahaldar, Santosh
A feminist perspective explores and analyzes among its other themes, the theme of gender inequality. It talks about the discourses of patriarchy and sexism that have kept women oppressed and marginalized economically, politically, socially and psychologically. Lois Tyson asserts: “Feminist criticism examines how literature (and other cultural productions) reinforces or undermines the economic, political, social and psychological oppression of women.” (Tyson, 2019, p. 79) Disparity against women based on gender distinction has been the core preoccupation of feminism. The role of women in our society has been confined within the boundaries of daughter, wife, and mother, which are suggestive of the restrictions that almost all women face in their homes. This paper draws on gender discourses to discuss the theme of subjugation of women in some select plays of Girish Karnad. The paper discusses four plays of Karnad to explore the issue ; Naga-Mandala, The Fire and the Rain , Hayavadana and Yajati . Discussion on women’s subjugation requires a proper theoretical and philosophical perspective. The essay refers to some deliberations and convictions of feminist critics like John Stuart Mill, Simone de Beauvoir, Kate Millet, and Michel Foucault. Girish Karnad was well aware that the sexist oppression of women is a feature of patriarchal dominance. We know the adage, “power sets the agenda for patriarchy.” The research aims to pinpoint how Karnad seeks for means of atonement in the select plays.
Open Access
“Equality and not about Equal Rights”: Redefining Fourth-Wave Inclusion and Intersectionality through the Digital Platform Agent of Ishq
(University of North Bengal, 2021) Hazra, Mousumi
The definition of the historically abounding F-Word, Feminism, is continuously being shifted from one notion to another, varying in accord with class, caste, and gender across generations. Starting with the website Everyday Sexism launched by Laura Bates in 2012, Fourth wave feminism has recently witnessed a paradigmatic shift from the previous waves of feminism. Currently, as we consider the fluidity of gender construction and interact with various forms of it every day, social media or representation of women on-screen has been one of the most influential factors behind constructing our ‘already gendered’ selves. As the applications of power disseminate the idea of empowerment, equality and freedom also differ alongside. Hence, today’s feminism looks up to a lot more exposure where people can put themselves out there without adhering to any kind of censorship or asceticism. This approach has been productively exercised through the online multimedia digital platform Agent of Ishq, directed and introduced by the filmmaker Paromita Vohra in 2015. This research will initially be focused on the way how some mainstream Indian movies, featured to be among the ‘top 10 feminist films’, formed the idea of feminism vis-à-vis how far the feminist implication through Agent of Ishq addresses and adheres to the current ‘wave’ of feminism in India. Keywords:

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