A Study on the Reinterpretations of Sita in 21st Century Indian English Fiction: Feminist and Postcolonial Perspectives
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This study reviews the ways in which Sita has been unveiled in 21st-century Indian English literature by applying the lenses of feminist and postcolonial views and emphasizes her character as a lot more of an independent and rebellious force than a conventional archetype. In modern novels including The Forest of Enchantments, Bhumika, The Liberation of Sita and Sita: Warrior of Mithila, Sita has been redefined and reversed into a warrior, conquering force and independent lead protagonist in the novels. Traditionally, Sita has been an archetypal symbol of sacrifice, devotion and fidelity. These reinterpretations symbolize more massive societal shifts in gender consciousness because they challenge the ideas of a patriarchal culture and rebrand Sita as one of empowerment. It gives the woman freedom, power and symbolism to the study as she reduces femininity in her redefinition of femininity in the Indian literature, which places her in the position of feminism. The postcolonial interpretations also accentuate her importance as a recovered voice in that it transfigures myth to identity, justice and freedom discourse. The analysis shows how the reinterpretations of tradition and modernity by Sita can be connected with the help of two books that introduce fresh perspectives into female subjectivity in Indian English novels. Finally, the conclusions confirm that the legend of Sita is living, which is rewritten every day to mark postcolonial reclamation, feminist resistance and memory of culture; she is a emblematic figure of feminist discourse.
Language: English
Subfield: Literature and Literary Theory
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Gender equality
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7224941120