MUKHERJEE’S NOVELS: A STUDY OF PSYCHOLOGICAL INFLUENCES OF PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY ON INDIVIDUALS

Abstract

This research has been done to explore the psychological effects on the life of female characters of Mukherjee who is living in a patriarchal society. Mukherjee fore grounds the experiences of humans especially a woman who is forced to confront her marginalization within her own (Indian) culture, while attempting to forge an identity within an alien (American) culture. Qualitative research has been adopted and the major works of Mukherjee has been taken as primary resources. Her female protagonist seems to involve in a battle of survival where her own identity is at stake. The paper finds that the psychological effects of male dominated society are very strong and undeniable on the lives of female characters in Mukherjee’s works. The study recommends that individual female characters must struggle for recognition of the self no matter how painstaking it is for a female to get identified in a patriarchal society.