Autobiography as Social Commentary
A Reading of Nistarini Debi's Sekeley Katha
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12499211 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Malavika Karlekar (corresponding author) |
| Year | 2007 |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 7-31 |
| Publication date | 2007-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Asian Journal of Women s Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1225-9276 • E-ISSN: 2377-004X |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/12259276.2007.11666019 |
| OpenAlex | W2559951221 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 7 |
This paper discusses a dictated autobiography, written at the turn of the twentieth century. It is the reminiscences of Nistarini Debi, who narrates in no uncertain terms her life as a Kulin widow in Bengal. She describes her childhood, serial polygamy among the Kulins, her unhappy life with various relatives and her joy at living on her own. Through an analysis of her writings, the paper is able to gain insights into an important segment of Bengali society, the position of women and the attempts of Nistarini to carve out a niche for herself amidst an over-weaning sense of despair.Keywords: Autobiographywidowpolygamycastefamilycolonialism
Art · Biography · Linguistics · Literature · Psychoanalysis · Reading (process · Philosophy · Postcolonial and Cultural Literary Studies · Psychology · South African History and Culture
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |