Keywords
women’s solidarity, women's empowerment, sisterhood, patriarchy, mythology, resilience.
Abstract
This paper examines the representation of women’s solidarity, sisterhood, resilience, and empowerment in selected novels of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, particularly The Forest of Enchantments, The Palace of Illusions, Sister of My Heart, The Last Queen, and Independence. Divakaruni revisits history, mythology, and cultural narratives from a distinctly female perspective and foregrounds the experiences of women who have traditionally remained marginalised in patriarchal representations. Her female protagonists encounter oppression, social restrictions, violence, displacement, and emotional crises; nevertheless, they derive strength from their relationships with other women. The paper argues that women’s relationships in Divakaruni’s fiction are not merely based on affection but also function as sources of emotional support, resistance, survival, and empowerment. Characters such as Mandodari, Sarama, Trijata, Draupadi, Anju, Sudha, Rani Jindan, Guddan, Mangla, Mahi, and Priya demonstrate different forms of female solidarity. Through these relationships, Divakaruni challenges the patriarchal assumption that women are naturally antagonistic toward one another. Her fictional women instead create networks of care and mutual support that enable them to confront oppressive structures. The paper further explores how knowledge, courage, perseverance, and collective action become essential instruments of female empowerment. Divakaruni’s reinterpretation of history and mythology thus contributes to a more inclusive understanding of women’s role in human civilization.
