NEGOTIATING GENDER ISSUES IN AUSTEN’S PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND KAPUR’S DIFFICULT DAUGHTERS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Abstract

Gender roles in literature reflect the societal expectations and constraints placed on individuals based on their gender, influencing character behavior and plot development. This comparative paper examines the treatment of gender issues in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Manju Kapur’s Difficult Daughters, highlighting both thematic similarities and differences across distinct socio-cultural landscapes. Austen is a British writer, while Kapur is an Indian-Anglo writer. Austen articulates themes of marriage, inheritance, and women’s restricted agency within a patriarchal society. On the other hand, Kapur addresses challenges like communalism and women’s sexuality, portrayed through characters such as Virmati who grapple with the intersection of tradition and modernity while seeking love and freedom. Both Austen and Kapur critique male-dominated structures, though Austen remains within the realm of domesticity, whereas Kapur adopts a socio-political perspective on systemic oppression and evolving gender norms. The mother-daughter relationships reflect generational struggles, with Austen’s maternal figures advocating suitable marriages and Kapur’s characters challenged by societal pressures. Findings of the paper display that both authors, Austen and Kapur assert the ongoing quest for identity and autonomy within patriarchal confines. Austen employs irony to subtly critique patriarchy, while Kapur’s direct approach emphasizes the resilience of Indian women. Both author-s emphasize education’s transformative potential, as a path to liberation.