A TROPE OF FEMALE RESISTANCE, REMOULD AND RECUPERATION: AN APPRAISAL OF DOCILE CHARACTER AHALYA FROM 'RAMAYANA': AN ANALYTICAL STUDY (Pages 25-34) by Ms. M. Selvalakshmi* and Dr. P. Ilamaran** in THE ENGLISH RESEARCH EXPRESS / ISSN:2321-1164 (Online); 2347-2642 (Print)

The words ‘feminist’ or ‘feminism’ are political labels indicating the support for the aims of new women’s movement which has emerged in the late 1960s. Feminism comprises a number of social, cultural and political movements, theories and moral philosophies concerned with gender inequalities and equal rights for women. With the rise of new wave of feminism across the world, a new generation of Indian feminists has emerged. Contemporary Indian feminists fight for individual autonomy, equal rights, exemplary freedom and independence in equal pay, maternity leave and education and also rebel against sexual and gender discrimination and abortion, reproduction control of the female body, divorce. In keeping with modern trends in the world literature, Indian writing in English also analyses the various facets of imagery of myth in women’s life. Indian writers in English present varying and conflicting images of women in their works. Recent writers’ particularly Indian women writers writing in English repudiate these images of epic women in their works. Panchakanya is a group of five iconic heroines of Hindu epic. They are Sita, Ahalya, Draupadi, Kunti, Tara and Mandodari. Many Contemporary writers discuss about these Panchakanya in their works. Especially the submissive character of Ahalya and her tolerance has been portrayed by different authors in a different dimension.he words ‘feminist’ or ‘feminism’ are political labels indicating the support for the aims of new women’s movement which has emerged in the late 1960s. Feminism comprises a number of social, cultural and political movements, theories and moral philosophies concerned with gender inequalities and equal rights for women. With the rise of new wave of feminism across the world, a new generation of Indian feminists has emerged. Contemporary Indian feminists fight for individual autonomy, equal rights, exemplary freedom and independence in equal pay, maternity leave and education and also rebel against sexual and gender discrimination and abortion, reproduction control of the female body, divorce. In keeping with modern trends in the world literature, Indian writing in English also analyses the various facets of imagery of myth in women’s life. Indian writers in English present varying and conflicting images of women in their works. Recent writers’ particularly Indian women writers writing in English repudiate these images of epic women in their works. Panchakanya is a group of five iconic heroines of Hindu epic. They are Sita, Ahalya, Draupadi, Kunti, Tara and Mandodari. Many Contemporary writers discuss about these Panchakanya in their works. Especially the submissive character of Ahalya and her tolerance has been portrayed by different authors in a different dimension.Keywords: gender inequalities, generation, submissive, tolerance and Hindu epic.