Representation of Women’s
Liberation in Malayalam Short Stories Written by Women
Writers: An Analysis of Sara Joseph’s “Inside Every Woman
Writer” and Sithara S’s “Agni”
Anithamol K. Joseph
ABSTRACT
Historically, patriarchal systems based on social,
religious, and economic power have defined women as the "other" in
relation to the male "self," placing them under men. Through a
variety of literary interventions and socio-political movements,
this strongly ingrained gender hierarchy has been questioned. In
Kerala, women's resistance to systematic oppression and domestic
confinement has been articulated via Malayalam writing, especially
in the genre of short fiction. By highlighting the lived realities
of women and challenging patriarchal norms, female writers like K.
Saraswathi Amma, Rajalakshmi, and Lalithambika Antharjanam to later
voices like Madhavikkutty (Kamala Das), Sara Joseph, K.R. Meera,
Priya A. S., and Sithara S.—have made a significant contribution to
feminist discourse.
This paper analyses the portrayal of women's liberation in two short
stories in Malayalam: “In-side Every Woman Writer” by Sara Joseph
and “Agni” by Sithara S. Through thematic and character analysis,
the research investigates how these tales illustrate liberation as
intellectual awakening, emotional resistance, and self-assertion
against social, cultural, and domestic limitations. Through an
examination of how female subjectivity and agency are depicted in
these works, the study contends that modern Malayalam short stories
act as a significant platform for reinterpreting women's identity
and promoting gender equality within the socio-cultural context of
Kerala
Keywords: Women’s liberation, Malayalam short fiction, patriarchy,
feminist writing, female subjectivity, resistance.
