Volume II Issue III July-September 2022

Name of Author : Dr. R. S. Regin Silvest

Title of the paper : Womens Resistance and Agency in Shauna Singh Baldwins What the Body Remembers

Abstract: This present study portrays a powerful exploration of womens resistance and agency within a patriarchal society shaped by social traditions and historical upheaval. Set against the background of the Partition of India, the narrative highlights how women negotiate identity, power, and survival in a male dominated cultural framework. Through the lives of the central female characters, particularly Roop and Satya, the novel portrays different forms of resistance that challenge oppressive gender norms. Roops journey illustrates a quiet yet persistent struggle for self assertion within the constraints of marriage and social expectations. Although initially submissive, she gradually develops emotional strength and a sense of independence. Her resistance is not always overt but is expressed through inner resilience, moral courage, and her determination to protect her dignity. In contrast, Satya represents a more direct form of agency. Her assertiveness and refusal to fully conform to traditional roles reveal how women can challenge patriarchal authority and assert control over their own lives. Baldwin also demonstrates how the female body becomes a symbolic site of memory, suffering, and resistance. Baldwin portrays womens bodies as spaces where personal trauma and historical violence intersect, particularly during the turbulent period of national division. Despite these hardships, the women in the novel continually negotiate their identities and reclaim their voices. Baldwin emphasizes that womens resistance can take many forms silent endurance, emotional strength, and open defiance. By foregrounding female experiences, Baldwin reclaims womens narratives within history and highlights their agency in shaping both personal and collective memory.

Keywords : Womens Resistance, Female Agency, Patriarchy, Gender Identity, Partition of India

DOI :

Page No. : 76-81