An Analysis of Self-Identity in Anita Nair’s Mistress

Abstract

Indian women novelists have contributed significantly to giving a new dimension to Indian literature. The literary tradition has been enriched by several talented female writers who portray Indian realities with a sense of dignity and cultural refinement. Anita Nair, a contemporary postmodern Indian writer in English, is one of the most notable among them. Her writings mainly focus on themes such as social conditions, human relationships—particularly between men and women—as well as loneliness and the lack of communication. In Mistress, Anita Nair explores the changing dynamics of marital relationships in society. Her idea of a “free woman” goes beyond economic and social independence, emphasizing instead her mental and emotional strength and well-being. The female characters in her works undergo continuous struggles, striving to sustain themselves as self-defined individuals within society. The aim of this paper is to examine the theme of self-identity in Nair’s Mistress.