(Re)defining Womanhood: Decoding ‘Quest for Love’ in the Verse of Kamala Das

Abstract

Womanhood explores the multifaceted notion that encompasses the biological, psychological, social, and cultural dimensions of being a woman. The exploration of womanhood in Kamala Das’ verse employs an authentic tone by fixating an ‘I’ which lends her poems an intrapersonal connect. This research seeks to redefine the quest for love by the woman in the poetic world of Kamala Das. Rather than applying a theoretical abstraction to the selected poems, the study focuses on the textual intricacies wherein her diction, symbolism and narrative voice is considered to understand the nuances of womanhood and its association with love, sexual desires and longing. The initial section of the paper deals with the constrained portrayal of woman wherein their desires within the framework of marriage remain unfulfilled due to patriarchy. Wherein, the latter part builds upon the escape from the unfulfilled desires and the extra-marital affairs, which then delineates towards how a woman should be. In these verses, Kamala Das’ woman strives for an ideal companion and lover. They talk about the process where the speaker seeks emotional fulfilment and a sense of self through a deeply personal and intimate relationship with the male soul. Through this study, the researcher seeks to reimagine Das’ women and their womanhood not as a fixed role but as an emotionally rich experience where there is ample space for female desires.