In this presentation, I explored the theme of feminism in Kamala Das's poem. I delved into how the poet addresses gender equality, women's empowerment, and societal expectations. Together, we uncovered the essence of feminism embedded in Das's evocative verses. Thank you for joining me on this exploration of such a powerful theme.

1. Feminist
Reading in
Kamala
Das's 'An
Introduction
'
Prepared by Bhavyata Kukadiya
1

2. Name: Bhavyata Kukadiya
Roll No: 4 Enrollment No: 4069206420220018
Sem: 3
Paper Name: Indian English Literature - Post Independence
Paper Number: 202 Code :
Topic: Feminist Reading in Kamala Das’s ‘An Introduction’
Submitted to:Smt S.B Gardi ,Department of English, M.K.B.U.
E- mail: bhavyatakukadiya@gmail.com
2

3. References
INTRODUCTION
of Author
Conclusion
01
Brief
Introduction of
poem
02
06
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What is Feminism
03
3
05
04
Feminist Reading
in the Poem

4. ● born March 31, 1934 - died May 31, 2009, Pune, India
● Kamala Das was an Indian writer who talked openly and
honestly about women's feelings and desires.
● She,and her fellow writers chose to share their personal stories
rather than writing about India during British rule.
● Kamala Das wrote poems, stories, memoirs, and essays. Her
writings were known for being bold and unapologetic.
● Most of her poetry was in English, and it gained a lot of
attention.
● She broke away from English modernist techniques and
embraced a distinctly Indian persona. Her poetry is deeply
emotional and raw.
● Her writings challenged the traditional roles and expectations
for women. Some people admired her, but others were upset by
her openness about subjects like sexuality and women's
experiences.
● Kamala Das had a big impact on Indian literature, especially in
the realms of feminism and postcolonial literature.(Britannica)
(Akhter Tawhida)
Kamala Das
(Malayalam pen name
Madhavikutty, Muslim name
Kamala Surayya)
4

5. Brief Introduction of Poem
● The poem "An Introduction" explores powerful feminist
themes, highlighting the need for equal rights and freedom for
women.
● Kamala Das's poem serves as a clear feminist statement
advocating for free choice in all aspects of women's lives.
● The poem places particular emphasis on the institution of
marriage, shedding light on the constraints it imposes on
women.
● Das compares and contrasts the roles of men and women in
society, highlighting the disparities and expectations placed on
each gender.
● The poet reveals how societal rules and norms infringe on the
5

6. What is Feminism?
Feminism is the set of beliefs and ideas that belong to the broad
social and political movement to achieve greater equality for
women. As its governing ideology, feminism gives shape and
direction to the women's movement and, of course, is shaped by it.
Women seek equality in all spheres of life and use a broad array of
strategies to achieve that goal. (Fiss, Owen M.)

7. poem's challenge to traditional gender norms
Nighat Fatima said that….
The poem "An Introduction" is much anthologized poem, can be studied from the feminist concerns
We can study it in terms of women's culture, which includes things like biology, language, and the
way people think, in connection to the society it talks about.
Her rebellion against patriarchy is to secure an identity for herself in a male dominated world.
The poem begins
, “I don‟t know
politics, but I know the names of those in power”
(Das 1973, p.26) ,
showing lack of concern for politics in a country where politics is generally considered a domain
for men ; and where a woman is just a victim of it.
6
Feminist Reading in the Poem

8. I was child, and later they
Told me I grew, for I became tall, my limbs
Swelled and one or two places sprouted hair. When
I asked for love, not knowing what else to ask
For, he drew a youth of sixteen into the
Bedroom and closed the door. He did not beat me
But my sad woman-body felt so beaten.
The weight of my breasts and womb crushed me. I shrank
Pitifully.(Lines 23-31)
The poetess sheds light upon the temporal sequence of growth and maturity of hers who represents
every woman. She candidly writes about the process of maturity and manifestation of changes in
woman’s body. When a girl gets maturity she longs for love. In a traditional society like India she
gets married to a man who is inexperienced in the art of love making and is in dark about the psyche
of woman. Hence in Das’s first sexual encounter with he husband she gets irritated and feels that in
matters of sex male dominates. This sense of subordination makes her a rebel.(Dr. Kalikinkar
Pattanayak)

9. Dress in sarees, be girl
Be wife, they said. Be embroiderer, be cook,
Be quarreller with servants. Fit in. Oh,
Belong, cried the categorisers. Don’t sit
On walls or peep through our lace-draped windows.
Be Amy, or be Kamala. (Line 33-38)
In traditional Indian society, women are told to wear sarees. When they become wives, they are
expected to take on various roles, like doing embroidery, cooking, and sometimes even arguing
with household helpers. The main idea is that they must adapt to their surroundings. Even their
actions, how they sit or move, are often influenced and controlled by the men in their lives. This
passage describes a conservative society where women are expected to be passive and obedient.
● There are many don’ts that Indian married women are to follow.
The poetess writes:
Don’t play pretending games.
Don’t play at schizopherenia or be a Nympho.
Don’t cry embarrassingly loud when Jilted in love.... (Lines 40-43)(Dr. Kalikinkar Pattanayak)

10. CONCLUSIONS
In Kamala Das's poem "An Introduction," we see how women's rights
and freedom are explored. It challenges old ideas about what women
should do and be, especially in marriages. It also makes us think
about our own lives and whether we have any advantages that we
might not have noticed. The poem still matters today and helps us
talk about fairness and freedom for everyone.

11. References
Akhter, Tawhida. “Kamala Das: The Voice Of Indian Woman's Quest For Liberation.” ResearchGate,
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INNOVATIVE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT, May 2013,
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tawhida-
Akhter/publication/337388100_Kamala_Das_The_Voice_Of_Indian_Woman's_Quest_For_Liber
ation/links/5ea6e8ed299bf1125612a164/Kamala-Das-The-Voice-Of-Indian-Womans-Quest-For-
Liberation.pdf . Accessed 17 October 2023.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Kamala Das". Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Oct. 2023,
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kamala-Das . Accessed 17 October 2023.
Das, Kamala. “';;.'” ';;' - YouTube, Poetry Atlanta, Inc., 9 March 2019,
https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=LitRC&u=googlescholar&id=GALE%7CA288430548&v=2.1&it=r&
sid=googleScholar&asid=a450dc6b . Accessed 16 October 2023.

12. References
Fiss, Owen M. "What is feminism." Ariz. St. LJ 26 (1994): 413. March 9, 2019
https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/arzjl26&div=27&id=&page=
Accessed 17 October 2023
Nighat, Fatima. “A Feminist Approach to Kamala Das’ Poems: “An Introduction” and “The Old
Playhouse.”” CORE, Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, February 2014,
https://core.ac.uk/reader/229680700 . Accessed 17 October 2023.
Pattanayak, Dr. Kalikinkar. “KAMALA DAS’S AN INTRODUCTION : A FEMINIST READING.”
citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/, International Literary Magazine, 9 March 2019,
https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=dac8faaae602f627a1547d
23494ef2a789a40487#page=121 . Accessed 17 October 2023.

13. Thank You!