This book analyses the predicament of women characters in
the novels of Manju Kapur from an existentialist’s perspective. In this
attempt, the author has examined existentialist themes such as freedom, choice,
guilt, alienation anxiety and despair. In this study, an attempt has been made
to explain the key philosophical ideas of some of the important existential
philosophers like Sartre, Kierkegaard, Heidegger, Marcel and Camus. The main
ideas of these philosophers find an expression in the novels of Manju Kapur.
Like the existentialist, Kapur sees man/woman as a free agent who is free to
choose his/her action but this freedom is tied with responsibility.
The existentialists highlight man’s (no gender bias implied
here) existence, his freedom, choice and responsibility in every walk of life.
They underlined the facticity’s of life such as anxiety, despair, freedom, and
choice. Thy encouraged men/women to face the truth of their lives to realize
their individualities. According to the existentialist thinkers, the problems
of the modern society can be addressed by the decisions, and choices that
man/woman makes as a free and responsible individual.
Kapur’s novels mark an important phase in the growth of
existential fiction in India. She is essentially an existentialist writer and
deals with existential themes. She explores the human predicament and motives
responsible for woman’s action. Existential themes such as freedom, choice,
guilt, alienation, anxiety, and despair are highlighted in her novels. All her
protagonists start their journey with the freedom of choice. They search for
new meaning in this quest for self-discovery.
This book deals with the works of Manju Kapur from an
existentialist perspective. This work is limited to five novels of Kapur,
namely, Difficult Daughters, A Married Woman, Home, Immigrant and Custody. The
book titled “The Existentialist Predicament of Women Characters in Manju
Kapur’s Novels – A Critical Study” critically analyses existentialist issues
such as freedom of choice, bad faith, guilt, alienation, anxiety and despair in
the novels of Kapur. It is an attempt to study the existentialist predicament
of women characters in the novels of Kapur.
This book consists of six chapters. In the introductory
chapter, the significance of Kapur among Indian women novelists has been
highlighted. Chapter two titled “Existentialism: A Philosophical – Literary
Perspective” has presented the origin and development of the philosophy of
existentialism. The chapter has discussed key philosophical concepts related to
existentialism and has also mapped the connection between existentialism and
literature.
Chapter three titled “Kapur’s Women Characters’ Freedom of
Choice and Bad Faith” focuses on the freedom of choice and Bad faith in the
novels of Kapur. Chapter four titled “Kapur’s Women Characters’ Guilt and
Alienation” concentrates on the themes of guilt and alienation with special
reference to the novels of Kapur. Chapter five, titled “Kapur’s Women
Characters’ Anxiety and Despair, deals with anxiety and despair in the novels
of Kapur. The final chapter is in the form of summing up of the major findings
of the study.
Author(s) Details:
Dr. D. N. P. Prema Ponmani,
Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College, K. Narayanapura,
Bangalore -560077, Karnataka, India.
Please see the link here: https://stm.bookpi.org/AEOASWCMKN/article/view/14272
