Role of Women in Selected Novels of Manju Kapur

Abstract

Feminism is a political movement as well as theory emerged in 1960s. It asserts that women should have same rights such as legal, political, educational, cultural, economic, etc. like men. Feminist movements have campaigned and continue to campaign for women's rights, including the right to vote, to hold public office, to work, to earn fair wages or equal pay, to own property, to receive education, to enter contracts, to have equal rights within marriage, and to have maternity leave. Feminists have also worked to ensure access to legal abortions and social integration, and to protect women and girls from rape, sexual harassment, and domestic violence. Changes in dress and acceptable physical activity have often been part of feminist movements. Although feminist advocacy is, and has been, mainly focused on women's rights, some feminists, including bell hooks, argue for the inclusion of men's liberation within its aims because they believe that men are also harmed by traditional gender roles.  Feminist theory, which emerged from feminist movements, aims to comprehend the nature of gender inequality by probing women's social roles and lived experience; it has developed theories in a variety of disciplines in order to respond to issues regarding gender.