Feminism, Post-Colonial Discourse and Indian Liminality

Abstract

The ‘Women Question” was a central issue in the most controversial debates over social reform in early and mid-nineteenth century Bengal-the period of so-called renaissance. What has perplexed historians is the rather sudden disappearance of such issues from the agenda of public debate towards the close of the century. From then onward, questions regarding the position of women in society did not arouse the same degree of public passion and acrimony as they had only a few decades before. An attempt has been made through this article to interpret this change.