Deconstructing Masculinity: Exploring Male Discrimination in Postmodern Indian English Literature

Abstract

The discourse on gender discrimination has traditionally focused on the oppression and marginalization of women within patriarchal societies. However, contemporary literary studies increasingly recognize that rigid gender structures also subject men to discrimination, emotional suppression, and restrictive social expectations. This study examines the representation of male discrimination in postmodern Indian English literature through a qualitative textual analysis of selected works by Kavery Nambisan and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Drawing upon postcolonial theory and gender studies, particularly the concepts of subalternity, power, and the "Other" advanced by Antonio Gramsci, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Michel Foucault, Edward Said, and Homi K. Bhabha, the paper explores how masculinity is constructed, negotiated, and challenged within patriarchal social structures. The analysis demonstrates that male characters experience various forms of marginalization through cultural expectations, emotional repression, and institutional power despite occupying socially privileged positions. Characters such as Simon, Subbu, and Eugene reveal that patriarchal ideology imposes restrictive standards of masculinity that frequently deny men emotional agency and personal autonomy. Rather than portraying men as victims in opposition to women, the selected texts expose patriarchy as a system that constrains individuals irrespective of gender. The study argues that postmodern Indian English literature broadens the understanding of gender discrimination by presenting masculinity as a socially constructed identity shaped by historical, cultural, and ideological forces. Consequently, these literary representations encourage a more inclusive discourse on gender equality that acknowledges the experiences of both women and men.