Lacanian Psychoanalytic Reading of Shashi Deshpande’s The Shadow

ABSTRACT

20th century is said to be the period of inquiry and opening of new avenues in almost all walks of life and especially with literature.  Literature inculcated many disciplines of studies into its umbrella and psychology happened to play a major role in interpreting literature.  Sigmund Freud and Carl Yung were the ones who applied their psychological experiments and inferences in the field of literature.  Neurosis, individualistic and collective, could be the word that would capsule their entire contribution.  In the later part of the century, Jacques Lacan, a French psychoanalyst reconceptualised Sigmund Freud using the role of language as been discussed by structuralism.  Shashi Deshpande, an Indian born English writer, has written many short stories and novels.  All her novels revolve around Indian familial bonds created by the woman, who is naturally the nucleus of a family.  Many researches have been done in Shashi Deshpande’s works under feminism, search of identity, postcolonial studies and humanism.  This research article is attempts to give a different shade to her short story, The Shadow – Lacanian Psychoanalytic Reading.

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