Social Milieu and Women Poets- Pre and Post Independence

Abstract

Women played a pivotal role in the colonial period. Their contribution in literary set up has been remarkable. The partition was a focal point where the social milieu had a drastic change. The Indian authors played a significant role in the upliftment of the traditions and techniques of literature thus renaming it as Indian English Literature. The Indian English poetry took further strides distinctively in various aspects. It is not just a branch of the laden tree but an essential part of the Indian literature. Indian English poetry matured in 19^th century in Bengal. All the poets were influenced by Victorian and romantic strain. Earlier it was confined to a particular area later it started growing and that too in the urban area. Indian English poetry can best be seen as a phenomenon as valuable as it symbolises its own achievements. It embodies the legacy of colonialism, struggle against it and oppression. True to India’s diversity, poetry is the product of its multicultural, multi-racial and multi-lingual sensibility.  However it retains its Indian identity. During this era, many Indian women poets also contributed towards the social milieu. They penned down boldly on the women’s status in society for which they were applauded and given accolades No doubt the poets also faced criticism to be not one of the culture, nevertheless poets bravely weathered all the criticism asserting their Indianness, sterling worth and wining global recognition. The story from birth, growth and evolution is quite interesting and makes a magnificent history that goes back to pre-Independence and links it up to the post –Independence poetry.