Authors: Dr. AMEYA PATIL¹, Dr. MAHESH KUMAR², Dr. RAHUL B. HIREMATH³, Dr. ANKITA BHATT⁴ and Dr. RAKESH YADAV⁵

Abstract

This research paper explores the intersection of trauma and memory in feminism through the lens of illness and societal rejection, focusing on Sudha Murthy’s Mahashweta and Shashi Deshpande’s The Binding Vine. Both novels present deeply personal and gendered experiences of trauma, wherein illness, societal stigma, and sexual violence marginalize the protagonists, leaving lasting emotional scars. In Mahashweta, Anupama, the protagonist, is diagnosed with leukoderma, a condition that subjects her to severe ostracization by her husband and society. Her journey from being rejected due to her illness to regaining her self-worth and autonomy mirrors the larger feminist critique of how women’s bodies are policed and stigmatized by societal norms. In The Binding Vine, alongside the trauma of sexual violence suffered by Kalpana and the emotional repression of Mira, Urmi’s grief over the loss of her infant daughter becomes a central emotional focus. Her trauma, marked by profound loss and mourning, intertwines with her search for meaning, creating a connection between personal suffering and collective female experiences of trauma. This study uses feminist trauma theory to analyze how memory and trauma are interconnected, shaping the female characters' identities, relationships, and healing processes. The paper also examines how these novels reflect societal structures that worsen women’s suffering through silence and erasure, highlighting the emotional and physical impacts of illness, violence, and societal rejection. The research aims to show how these works critique patriarchal oppression while illustrating the resilience of women in the face of trauma.

Keywords: Grief, Patriarchal Oppression, Sudha Murthy, Shashi Deshpande.

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