பாமா அவர்களின் ‘மனுசி’ நாவலில் தலித் பெண்ணியச் சிந்தனைகளும் தனித்து வாழும் பெண்ணின் சமூகப் போராட்டங்களும்: ஒரு விரிவான ஆய்வு

Dalit Feminist Thought and the Social Struggles of Single Women in Bama’s Novel Manusi: A Comprehensive Study

Abstract

Focusing on the novel Manusi (2012) by writer Bama, one of the most significant figures in contemporary Tamil literature, this article extensively explores Dalit feminist perspectives. Although remnants of matriarchy from ancient Tamil society persist today, female subjugation continues in modern contexts through the denial of education, child marriage, and social exclusion.

The novel’s protagonist, Rasathi, is portrayed as a revolutionary woman who, remaining unmarried past the age of thirty, achieves autonomy through her education and labor. This study analyzes Rasathi’s life struggles, caste-based oppression, and the psychological challenges she faces using Sharmila Rege’s Dalit Feminist Standpoint Theory and P. Mangalam’s concept of Spatial Autonomy.

The core themes discussed include:

• Liberation through education.
• The assertion of authority by building one’s own home.
• Rebellion against the institution of marriage.

Furthermore, through comparative tables, this study illustrates how Manusi serves as a continuation and a matured political vision of Bama’s previous works, such as Karukku and Sangati.