The Angry Young Woman and

Protest
In Dina Mehta’s Brides are not Meant for Burning
 Introduction

● Position of women in india

● Growth of women dramatist in India
● Mahasweta Devi, Uma Parameswaran, Dina Mehta, Poile Sengupta, and
Manjula Padmanabhan
● Indian English drama intersects with feminist
Dina Mehta
● She raises her voice in protest against
a host of crimes against women such
as the evil of dowry, female foeticide,
rape, child abuse, subjugation of
women, and so on. In her plays, she
dramatises real life incidents to bring
to light these social issues.
● Thought-provoking manner in the
main thread of her plays, in their
theme, characterization, and dialogue.
 Brides are not for Burning

● Brides are Not for Burning is a theatrical

presentation of the domestic violence against
women perpetrated by the family or the in-
laws, throwing particular light on dowry
death.
● The Voice of Laxmi
● The play goes beyond the typical feminist
agenda
● Mehta’s spokesperson Malini Desai
 ● Malini is presented as an incarnation

The Angry of protest, an embodiment of

resistance.

Young Woman ● She is “the stuff militants are made of”

(Mehta,. 92).

Malini Desai ● Malini wages a war against the

prevailing social order that condones
the crime.
 ● Malini brings to Anil’s notice the
cases of a husband’s family coming
into a lot of money after such
accidents as Laxmi’s:
The Angry ● “Last year 350 women died of

Young Woman burns in the city alone, some of

them over-insured wives” (Mehta,
1993, p. 15).
1. Insurance Claim
● Laxmi’s life was also insured for a
sum of 80,000 rupees.

●
 ● She is frustrated with the inaction of
government in her sister’s case.
the slowness of government which only works
The Angry
●
and decides ones fate on the basis of proof
● “I’ve come to the conclusion that the weakness
of democracies is that they move too slowly in
Young Woman ●
the right direction” (21).
“They decided Laxmi’s sari was soaked in
kerosene by accident. A match was set to it by
2. Judgement of the Law accident” (15).
● “I spit on your law courts! Playthings in the
hands of the exploiters and reactionaries, they
deal out one kind of justice to the rich, another
to the poor” (18).
 The Angry ● Malini, like Roy, believes that violence is action,
and that her brother’s idealism is ineffective.
● “I see now that if I follow you, I only exchange
Young Woman one servitude for another. The boot in the face
for a place in the kitchen; Brides will not stop
burning when you take over the world, Roy. All
3. Malini’s Marxist Ideal I can learn from you are new dishonesties, so
GO” (Mehta 1993:94)
 ● Mehta strikes a note of optimism when

The Angry
The Men of ●
she stresses the support or involvement
Malini,
of male
● and“Yes,
like characters.
that her
Roy, believes that violence is action,
brother’s
a new inquestidealism
willis certainly
ineffective.
● “Ibring
see nowout thatnew
if I follow you,little
I onlybreaches
exchange
Young
Brides Woman
are not one
ofservitude
the lawforthat
flaws,
another.
wereTheoverlooked,
boot in the face
for a place in the kitchen; Brides will not stop
little erosion of truth” (62).
for Burning
2. Malini’s Marxist Ideal
burning when you take over the world, Roy. All
● Anil plays a pivotal role of male voice
I can learn from you are new dishonesties, so
against dowry.
GO” (Mehta 1993:94)
● “That brides are not for burning! Not as
a ritual sacrifice on the altar of avarice
and greed” (63)
 Conclusion
To “all angry young women who can be whatever they choose to be” (Mehta, 1993, p. 5).
References
● https://www.academia.edu/42234202/Domestic_Violence_and_Dowry_Death
s_in_India_A_Voice_of_Resistance_in_Dina_Mehtas_Brides_Are_Not_for_Bur
ning
● http://www.davidpublisher.com/Public/uploads/Contribute/551e3086a0eb5.p
df
● http://epgp.inflibnet.ac.in/epgpdata/uploads/epgp_content/S000013EN/P001
426/M019425/ET/1487327119Paper9,Module28,EText.pdf
● https://archives.palarch.nl/index.php/jae/article/view/8881/8259
Thank You!