Intersectional Feminism in Contemporary English Literature
Abstract
Intersectional feminism has proved to be a crucial approach today in the analysis of English literature, as it provides a complex perspective of gender and its interrelation with other statuses of identity, including race, classes, caste, sexuality, and nationalism. Initially formulated by Kimberlé Crenshaw, the idea of intersectionality critiques the previous feminist movements, which considered the experiences of women as universal and homogenous. The present research paper discusses the reflection and reprocessing of intersectional identities in the modern English literature in terms of various thematic issues and novel narrative techniques. Based on the theoretical reflection of the works by bell hooks and Chandra Talpade Mohanty, the paper discusses the selected works of authors like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Jhumpa Lahiri, Arundhati Roy and Meena Kandasamy. The article examines the ways these authors represent the relationship between oppression and identity, with the authors discussing migration, caste discrimination, class inequality, and queers. It also emphasizes how literature can be a place of resistance and social change, with the voices of the marginalized fighting the dominance of certain power dynamics and re-writing the cultural scripts. Finally, the paper claims that intersectional feminist literature is not only a mirror of the existing socio-political reality but also a source of developing a more inclusive and fair literary discourse.
How to Cite This Article
Christabel Gardener, Shipra Mishra (2023). Intersectional Feminism in Contemporary English Literature . International Journal of Multidisciplinary Comprehensive Research (IJMCR), 2(6), 78-84. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54660/IJMCR.2023.2.6.78-84