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Upadhyay, Purvi N., 2008, “Portrayal of Woman in the Short Stories of Shashi
Deshpande and Varsha Adalja: A Comparative Study”, thesis PhD, Saurashtra
University
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PORTRAYAL OF WOMAN IN THE
SHORT STORIES OF
SHASHI DESHPANDE AND VARSHA ADALJA :
A COMPARATIVE STUDY
DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO
SAURASHTRA UNIVERSITY
RAJKOT
FOR THE AWARD OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
IN
ENGLISH
Supervised by: Submitted by:
Kamal Mehta Purvi N. Upadhyay
Smt. S.H.Gardi Institute of Lecturer,
English and Comparative Matushri Virbaima Mahila
Literary Studies, College of Comm., Mgt.
Saurashtra University, & I.T.,
Rajkot. (Gujarat) Rajkot. (Gujarat)
2008
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that this dissertation on PORTRAYAL OF
WOMAN IN THE SHORT STORIES OF SHASHI DESHPANDE AND
VARSHA ADALJA: A COMAPARATIVE STUDY is submitted by Miss
Purvi N.Upadhyay for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy,
in the faculty of Arts of Saurashtra University, Rajkot. No
part of this dissertation has been submitted for any other
degree or Diploma.
Rajkot.
Date : / / 2008.
Supervisor
(Kamal Mehta)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Words always prove to be too weak to express the sincerest gratitude.
This research has seen the light of the day after the unforgettable help of a
number of people to whom I record my sincerest obligations.
I sincerely acknowledge, at the outset, my debt of gratitude to my
supervisor, Kamal Mehta, Professor and Head, Department of English and
Comparative Literary Studies, Rajkot, for his encouragement and support
during the composition and completion of this thesis. But for his scholarly
guidance and constructive suggestions as my supervisor, it would have been
difficult to complete this research work. He supervised my research with
profound patience in spite of his various pre-occupations and busy schedule.
I owe a debt of gratitude to Ms. Sheelaben Chandrani, the managing
trustee of Shri Jalaram Uchcha Kelvani Mandal, Rajkot and Ms. Kirtiben
Chandrani whose constant grace, blessings and keen interest in my academic
progress have enabled me to achieve this success.
I would like to acknowledge the academic support and invaluable
suggestions of the faculties of the Department of English and Comparative
Literary Studies like Professor Avdhesh Kumar Singh, Dr.Jaydipsinh Dodiya,
Dr.Sanjay Mukherjee and Mr.Ravisinh Zala.
I owe thanks to Ms. Binaben Dave, the Director of MVM College of
Comm. Mgt. & IT., Rajkot, for motivating and supporting me in all my
academic endeavours. I thank Dr. Ushaben Chotai, Dr. Nilaben Shah, Dr.
Jaylakhami Jadeja and Dr. Chetnaben Kakkad who have always been
cooperative and willingly supportive.
I am also deeply indebted to Dr.P.R.Terajya who gave me insights into
Gujarati literature by way of supervising my M.Phil dissertation, and providing
his in depth scholastic knowledge of Gujarati Literature. I also acknowledge
the support of Dr.Anantbhai Dave who provided all the Gujarati reference
books for my study.
I would like to express my heartfelt sense of gratitude to my
respected parents Shri.N.T.Upadhyay, Ex.Principal, Dharmendrasinhaji Arts
College, Rajkot and Smt. Lataben Upadhyay who are the moving spirit behind
my research work. I am deeply beholden to them for instilling confidence in
me with constant words of encouragement, for putting up with much
inconvenience during the preparation of this research, for urging me to pursue
my studies further and for all their blessings and prayers for my success.
My grateful thanks are due to my brother Mr. Rushikesh N. Upadhyay
for procuring relevant material for my research and my Bhabhi Mrs. Shivani R.
Upadhyay for providing me time necessary for anyone who undertakes such a
research. Without their sound co-operation the present study would not have
been possible.
I must not forget to mention abundance of thanks to my sister Hina
T.Rajayaguru and my niece Meera and nephew Darshan who have been, as
they always are, a source of enormous encouragement. Finally I put on record
my thanks to my friends Hina Thakar, Dipal Mehta and Soni Sheth who never
let me feel isolated and often encouraged me to pursue academic work.
I thank Mr. Vishal Joshi for computer job work and assistance.
Ms. Purvi N.Upadhyay
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Chapter I INTRODUCTION
Chapter II INTRODUCTON OF SHASHI DESHPANDE
AND VARSHA ADALJA AS WRITERS
Chapter III PORTRAYAL OF WOMAN IN THE SHORT
STORIES OF SHASHI DESHPANDE
Chapter IV PORTRAYAL OF WOMAN IN THE SHORT
STORIES OF VARSHA ADALJA
Chapter V CONCLUSION: A COMPARISION OF
DESHPANDE AND ADALJA
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
CHAPTER I
Introduction
CHAPTER-I
INTRODUCTION
I
(cid:1) Origin and roots of the short story.
No art is more spontaneous than that of the short story, and though it
may be proved that lyric poetry came earlier to the dignity of literature, it is
certain that stories of some sort were told as soon as man became articulate.
The short story is one of the most spontaneous and one of the most
entertaining of literary forms that is developed considerably during the recent
years. Of course it would be wrong to assume that it is a very new form.
Stories are as old as the earliest literature. For ages in each and every
country of the world, stories have been in existence in one or the other form,
e.g. anecdotes, jokes and brief narratives.
If we look into the history of any literature in the world, we find stories in
different forms. For example, fables, parables, allegories, ballads as well as
the Falk tales that dealt with legendary matters or with magic and
enchantment. We find, in India, stories of the Panchatantra and the
Hitopadesh and in the West we have Aesop's fables as well as the tales of the
Old Testament and Apocrypha. Stories in the Arabian Nights and Boccaccio's
Decameron are some other examples of this art, which is as old as mankind.
Thus, the history of the short story is indeed fairly long. It has passed through
many stages, the chief among them being myth, legend, fable, parable as well
as the novella. In form, content and technique, of course, these old stories did
differ a lot from the modern short stories. However the fact is that this form is
traceable to the classical romance and has developed through such medieval
types as 'fabliaux', 'novella' and ' exemplum '.
When looked at the stories in the old time and the modern period, the
difference is startling. The crude narrative of old has given place to a
1
sophisticated story throbbing with human interest written in a style that is quite
polished and artistic. In a way, the short story has followed the march of
human civilization and has become one of the cultured means of expression.
Though short story has not or ever will be allowed to die, the mode itself has
been neglected from time to time. The Elizabethans preferred drama, the
eighteenth century the Romantic poem, the Victorians the novel.
As an art form, the short story properly developed during the 19th
century with such writers as Poe and Hawthorne in United States;
Maupassant and Balzac in France; Pushkin, Gogol and Chekhov in Russia
and Sir Walter Scott in England. These writers, with their contribution in this
genre, have put the short story on the literary map very impressively.
It is not an exaggeration to say that since the beginning of civilization
there has been no break in the tradition of tale-telling: the demand for stories
is as strong and insatiable in man to-day as it was before he discovered how
to make stone weapons.(Clark and Lieber: Preface) However, during the last
fifty years the short story has developed in scope and variety more rapidly
than during the preceding five centuries. There is no other form of imaginative
writing in which the twentieth century has discovered so many possibilities of
art, interpretation of life and entertainment. Thus short story has become a
distinct literary form.
(cid:1) Development of Short Story in Indian Literature:
The short story as a literary form is a 20th century innovation in India. It
has become an ever growing aspect of Indian literature ever since Indian
writers started experimenting with their newly found literary genre. The short
story has now taken deep roots in all the languages of India and has
blossomed considerably well. This form has its roots in ancient Indian
Literature. But it has also been shaped by the impact of modern Western
masters of this genre.
2
India is one of the very few countries with an ancient tradition in story-
telling…depicting with kaleidoscopic colours and patterns the soil and life of
India. (Mohan: 1) The Ramayana and the Mahabharata, the fables and
parables in the Panchtantra, the Jataka Tales and the Kathasaritsagara and
the folk tales of India are a fascinating world of stories by themselves. Both
the ancient Indian fable and the ancient Indian popular tale have helped the
Indian short story writer in giving his stories a definite shape. They have been
influenced by the ancient literature. According to Manjri Isvaran,
India was the nursery of story and fable and the
Indian story-teller was as fertile in tales inculcating
practical wisdom as in illuminating epic and
religious myth. (Isvaran: vii)
Earlier this form of literature was described variously as katha, akhyan,
upakyan, afsana and dastan. Today the short story as a form is considered as
the youngest child of modern literature, though it has its roots in ancient India.
The short story has now taken deep roots in all the languages of India and
has blossomed considerably well. In this genre, as in other fields, the poet
Rabindranath Tagore was the great pioneer.
(cid:1) Development of Short Story in Indian Writing in English
Indian English literature has established its credentials all over the
world. Indian writers in English have been using almost all forms of literature.
The Indian short story in English can be said to have begun to take definite
shape in the 1920s, and is thus hardly more than eighty years old, but its
development so far unmistakably indicates a distinct possibility of its
becoming one of the most significant forms in the field of Indian writing in
English.
If the Indian short story writer sought inspiration in his ancient classics,
he has also come under the influence of the short story writers of the West to
3
Description:enchantment. We find, in India, stories of the Panchatantra and the. Hitopadesh and in the West we have Aesop's fables as well as the tales of the. Old Testament and Apocrypha. Stories in the Arabian Nights and Boccaccio's. Decameron are some other examples of this art, which is as old as mankind.
