Resistance against Patriarchy and Political Oppression: A Comparative Study of Mahasweta Devi’s Draupadi and Isabel Allende’s The House of the Spirits

Abstract

Literature serves as a mirror to every nuance of change, providing the key to the labyrinth of history. Bengali author Mahasweta Devi’s Draupadi (1978) is narrated in the context of the Naxalite movement in British India. Chilean author Isabel Allende’s debut Spanish-language novel, The House of the Spirits (1982), is set during the repressive regime of Augusto Pinochet. Although these novels are set in different national contexts, they give voice and visibility to women's struggles and convey the interplay of politics, patriarchy, and the brute force of State power. The female protagonist Draupadi in Mahasweta Devi’s Draupadi and Alba in Allende’s The House of the Spirits are victims of sexual violence perpetrated by state authorities for political reasons. The intersection of gender, violence, and political circumstances is central to the stories of the people from the periphery, as Kimberle Williams Crenshaw proposes that a particular section of society is marginalized by oppression based on different types of identity markers, such as race, gender, class, sexual orientation, religion, etc. The assaults on Alba and Draupadi represent acts of terror to gain control over not only isolated women but also the communities of women in general. Despite the hardships they endure, both characters demonstrate resistance that defies their victimization. Alba’s inner strength and Draupadi’s courageous rebellion highlight the layered nature of female agency within oppressive circumstances. The depiction of their suffering, followed by defiance in the face of fear, offers a powerful commentary on the potential for reclaiming agency in mid-1970s Bengal and the early 1980s Chilean context of systemic oppression. By comparing the experiences of the female protagonists through the lens of intersectionality, this study highlights common themes of marginalisation, suffering, and resilience, while also acknowledging the distinct cultural and political contexts within each narrative.