CHALLENGING THE INSTITUTIONALIZED RELIGION: A READING OF SARAH JOSEPH’S OTHAPPU

Abstract

Sarah Joseph is a writer who always creates a region for women with her powerful magic pen. To her women deserve their own space and they must enter there forcefully to serve humanity or to unleash the power of creativity. Her novels especially the triology: Alahayude Penmakkal, Mattathi and Othappu portray this idea very well. The sheroes of Sarah Joseph are common women who realise what they are and what they should do.

The paper titled Challenging the Institutionalised Religion: A Reading of Sarah Joseph’s Othappu: The Scent of the Other side analyses the prominent and unparalleled character in the novel  Othappu- Margalitha, who had undergone through struggles to reach a level where she reaches heights by helping the needy in her own way by challenging the institutions-religion and marriage. It is about the author, Margalitha and  women in general in their multiple  roles,.   about how the protagonist and other women overcome the difficult paths to define their roles in the society.