Volume VI Special Issue V June 2026

Name of Author : A.Nandhitha Anbu

Title of the paper : Self Discovery, Subjugation and Female Solidarity in Anita Nairs Ladies Coupe

Abstract: This paper entitled Self Discovery, Subjugation and Female Solidarity in Anita Nairs novel Ladies Coupe explores themes of identity, patriarchy, shared experience, empowerment, defense and redefining feminity. Anita Nair speaks about the different sections of women in the novel. She depicts the various social constructs laid by the Patriarchal society for women in the novel. Akhila symbolizes freedom, individuality and the way to escape from the marriage. Nair tells about the various experiences and sufferings undergone by the characters of Janaki, Margaret Shanthi, Prabha Devi, Sheela Vasudevan and Marikolanthu. Indian feminist theory is an intersectional framework that analyzes gender oppression through the lens of Indias unique cultural, historical, and socio economic realities. The novel acts as a physical microcosm of Indian society. In the novel, women from different backgrounds, castes, classes and marital statutes come together. Characters like Prabha Devi and Akhila showcase the socio economic reality of the second shift, where women are burdened with performing all domestic chores despite contributing to the household financially. The diverse stories shared in the coupé ranging from the oppressive poverty and trauma faced by the character Marikolanthu to the financial struggles and independent choices of the career driven Margaret Shanti perfectly illustrates intersectional feminist analysis. Each womans oppression is compounded by her specific socio economic status. Characters like Margaret Shanthi realize that the patriarchal language used to define them as wives or caregivers restricts their autonomy. The ultimate resolution of the novel, where Akhila learns to embrace ambiguity and shape her own life independent of societal scripts, strongly aligns with the Post Structuralist belief that subjectivity is flexible and fluid.

Keywords : Microcosm, Indian Feminist Theory, Post-Structuralism, Social Constructs and Patriarchy

DOI :

Page Number : 114-121