Iconoclastic Identity of Third Gender: An Exploration into Mahesh Dattani's Seven Steps around the Fire
S.Divya
Abstract:
Hijras in India have acclaimed their identity as a third gender in recent years. But that identity not only seems to be iconoclastic but also a mirage. Gender studies often condemns the society as phallocentric one but the society also proves to be autocratic in nature. The Hijras are abused, marginalized and victimized politically, socially as well as legally by the society. Mahesh Dattani?s Seven Steps Around the Fire articulates the feelings and predicaments of the third gender in the prejudised Indian society. The case of a hijra is focused in the play who secretly marries the son of a minister and has to bear dire consequences. The role of the police, politicians and the society as a whole is questioned. This research paper traces the influence of the play Seven Steps Around the Fire in taking the Indian theatre to polymorphous phase mirroring the myriad challenges of the Indian society in the new millennium.
Keywords: ---
Conference Name: National Conference on Emerging Trends and Experiments in Indian English Writing
Conference Date: 24, January 2015
Pages: 03-04
Paper ID: nceteiew02
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