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VOL. 11, ISSUE 1 (2025)
Breaking the silence: Women’s struggles for freedom in the thousand faces of night
Authors
S Soundarrajan, Dr. D Prasad
Abstract
Githa Hariharan’s The Thousand Faces of Night (1992) explores
the struggles of Indian women against patriarchal expectations, personal
desires, and societal constraints. The novel portrays the suffering and
resistance of Devi, her mother Sita, and the maid Mayamma. Devi, after
returning from the United States, finds herself confined within an arranged
marriage. Her search for freedom leads her to challenge societal norms, yet
each act of defiance brings new limitations. Sita personifies the quiet
sacrifices of a traditional wife, while Mayamma endures brutal oppression at
the lowest rungs of the social order. Hariharan fusions myth and reality and
reinterprets the stories of Gandhari and Damayanti to show how myths enforce
female subjugation. The novel presents marriage as a form of confinement, where
women’s worth is tied to their ability to serve and reproduce. Devi’s journey
from compliance to rebellion reflects the struggle of women attempting to
reclaim their voices. This paper examines patriarchal oppression, the role of
mythology, and the search for identity in The Thousand Faces of Night.
It shows how Hariharan challenges rigid gender roles and presents different
forms of resistance.
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Pages:19-22
How to cite this article:
S Soundarrajan, Dr. D Prasad "Breaking the silence: Women’s struggles for freedom in the thousand faces of night". International Journal of English Research, Vol 11, Issue 1, 2025, Pages 19-22
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