Human Rights and Portrayal of Women in Indian English Fiction

Abstract

Human Rights” are those rights which belong to an individual as a consequence of being a human being. It is birth right inherent in all the individuals irrespective of their caste, creed, religion, sex and nationality. Human Rights, essential for all round development of the personality of the individual in society and therefore, ought to be protected and be made available to all individuals. Literature has substantially contributed to the protection of human rights. Literature can inspire us to change our world and give us the comfort, hope, passion and strength that we need in order to fight to create a better future for us. The literary creation such novels, short-stories etc. are the mirror of society. The novelists of Indian writing in English are keenly aware of the fundamental incongruities which life and world are confronting us in day to day life. The heroes of R.K. Narayan present the ironies of life and the heroines expose the deprivation of common housewives who are denied equal rights in their day to day life. Mulk Raj Anand is a great humanist and his prime concern is human predicament. Manohar Malgoankar presents the pathetic life of the labourers of tea-plantation of Assam. Kamla Markandeya highlights pitiable conditions of peasants of India. Anita Desai shows the denial of social justice to women. Khuswant Singh and Salman Rushdie draw attention towards sexual abuse of children. Thus, literature carries the human experience which reaches the heart of those who have been treated improperly by denial of basic human rights