Patriarchy and Literary Creation: With Special Reference to Sylvia Plath & Kamala Das

Abstract

Patriarchy, a political, social system emphasizes on male superiority that deems everyone weak, especially females. It endows men with right to rule over the weak through their dominance in forms of psychological terrorism and violence. Hailed from vastly different culture Kamala Das and Sylvia Plath experienced more or less the same setbacks and difficulties as women. This suffering of both the women provides common elements to their poetry that displays their resistance to culture and patriarchal society. Condemning the patriarchal society that prevents women from realizing their creative identity and real potential, they tried to bring a radical change in the traditional understanding of marriage and the very meaning of life. The efforts of these women and their agitation against patriarchy inspired women writers to pen down their personal experiences in family relations and positions in society.