INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION (IJRSI)
ISSN No. 2321-2705 | DOI: 10.51244/IJRSI |Volume XII Issue IX September 2025
Page 3913
Voices from the Margins: Kamala Das’s My Story and the Feminist
Autobiographical Act
Ms. Aditya K
Department of English, Central University of Kashmir, India
DOI: https://doi.org/10.51244/IJRSI.2025.120800350
Received: 02 Sep 2025; Accepted: 09 Sep 2025; Published: 14 October 2025
ABSTRACT
This article examines Kamala Das’s seminal autobiography, My Story, through the lens of feminist
autobiography and the concept of “voices from the margins.” Das, a trailblazing figure in Indian English
literature, utilized her life narrative not merely as a personal document but as a deliberate act of literary
intervention that unsettled entrenched patriarchal norms and traditional expectations of female authorship in
India. By candidly recounting her experiences as a woman from Kerala’s Nair aristocracy, Das challenges the
confines of female subjectivity and asserts an autonomous narrative voice that was largely absent from Indian
literary discourse of the 1970s. The article contextualizes My Story within a socio-cultural milieu where
women’s autobiographical writing was rare and radical, highlighting how Das’s articulation of personal desire,
marital disillusionment, and societal constraints ignited both controversy and critical debate. The narrative’s
bold treatment of sexuality and emotional turmoil foregrounds the pressures faced by women navigating the
intersecting forces of tradition and modernity. Additionally, the article explores how Das’s autobiography
serves as a critique of the marginalization of women, both spatially and symbolically, within Indian society,
while also providing a platform for subsequent generations of women writers to articulate their own truths. By
foregrounding the complexities and contradictions of female agency, My Story emerges as a revolutionary text
that redefines the boundaries of women’s self-representation. Ultimately, the article positions Kamala Das’s
autobiographical act as both an assertion of individuality and a catalyst for the ongoing reimagining of
women’s literary and social identities in contemporary India.
INTRODUCTION
Kamala Das and the Margins of Representation
Kamala Das stands as a pivotal figure in Indian English literature, her work distinguished by a rare candor that
challenged conventional notions of female authorship and identity. Hailing from Punnayurkulam, Kerala, Das
wrote across genres, but it is her autobiography, My Story—first published as Ente Katha in Malayalam (1973),
then in English (1976)—that remains her most influential and debated text. This work transcends personal
memoir to become a deliberate literary intervention, foregrounding the experiences of women on the margins
of Kerala’s sociocultural landscape. Through her unapologetic self-narrative, Das exposes patriarchal
constraints, interrogates the boundaries of female subjectivity, and sets a precedent for subsequent women
writers to articulate their own truths.
Dr. Sandhya Tiwari’s book titled Displacements and Alienation of Indian Diaspora, resonates deeply with
female characters who have experienced marginalization. Tiwari masterfully captures the emotional
complexities and sense of longing that often accompany turmoil, evoking a powerful response from readers
who share similar experiences. Through its poignant exploration of estrangement, Tiwari’s work offers both
comfort and insight, making it a significant contribution to not only diaspora literature but in general women’s
portrayals. (Tiwari 2011: xii)
In 1970s India, a woman’s autobiography was itself a radical acts . Patriarchal literary traditions relegated
women to secondary roles and denied them narrative agency, confining their voices to domesticity or moral
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION (IJRSI)
ISSN No. 2321-2705 | DOI: 10.51244/IJRSI |Volume XII Issue IX September 2025
Page 3914
instruction. Das disrupts this paradigm, transforming personal experience into public declaration and relocating
women’s lives from private to public spheres. She demands recognition for women’s complexity and agency,
challenging simplistic portrayals of female existence.The history of Indian women is full of pioneers, who
have broken gender barriers and worked hard for their rights and made progress in the field of politics, arts ,
science,law etc.”(Tiwari 2019)
The concept of “voices from the margins” is critical to understanding the revolutionary nature of My Story. In
India, “margins” are not only spatial but also social, cultural, and gendered. Traditionally, women’s
perspectives were considered secondary in public discourse. For women writers, articulating such experiences
required both inventiveness and courage to face societal resistance. Das’s narrative emerges from this liminal
space, articulating the dissatisfaction of a woman unfulfilled by prescribed social roles. Her autobiography thus
becomes a defiant assertion of individuality against collective identity.
The initial reception of My Story was marked by shock and criticism, as Das’s open discussions of marriage,
desire, and disillusionment transgressed social norms. Her explicit articulation of sexual and emotional
experience was seen as an affront to cultural propriety, but the controversy only heightened the work’s impact,
establishing it as a focal point for debates on female autonomy, sexual liberation, and self-expression in a
conservative context.
More than a personal document, My Story provides a socio-cultural critique, illuminating the pressures faced
by women in mid-twentieth-century Kerala. Das’s Nair aristocratic background brought both privilege and
constraint, and her early marriage exemplified the lack of agency afforded to young women. Through her
narrative, Das critiques arranged marriage and its prioritization of familial and societal expectations over
The notion of “voices from the margins” is instrumental in appreciating the revolutionary nature of My Story.
In India, “margins” are not solely spatial but encompass social, cultural, and gendered dimensions.
Traditionally, women have been confined to these symbolic margins, their perspectives deemed secondary to
public discourse. For women writers, articulating such experiences required both the invention of a new
language and the fortitude to confront societal resistance. Das’s narrative emerges from this liminal space,
articulating the discontent of a woman unfulfilled by the roles society prescribed. Her autobiography thus
becomes a defiant assertion of individuality against collective identity (Chavan 65–70).
The initial reception of My Story was marked by shock and censure, as Das’s frank discussions of marital life,
desire, and disillusionment transgressed prevailing social mores. The explicit articulation of her sexual and
emotional experiences was perceived as an affront to cultural propriety. However, this controversy only
magnified the work’s impact, establishing My Story as a critical locus for debates on female autonomy, sexual
liberation, and self-expression in a conservative context (Nair).
More than a personal document, My Story functions as a socio-cultural critique, offering insight into the
specific pressures endured by women in mid-twentieth-century Kerala. Das’s aristocratic Nair background
afforded both privilege and constraint, and her early marriage at fifteen exemplified the lack of agency
afforded to young girls. Through her narrative, Das critiques the institution of arranged marriage and its
prioritization of familial and societal expectations over individual contentment (Das, My Story 22–23).
This article undertakes a critical analysis of My Story by examining its deployment of autobiography as a tool
for dissecting the female experience from a marginalized perspective. The discussion encompasses the
confessional mode, the interrogation of patriarchal structures, the exploration of female sexuality, and the
deliberate crafting of language and identity, culminating in a synthesis of Das’s enduring legacy.
Theoretical Framework
The analysis of My Story is grounded in two principal theoretical paradigms: Feminist Autobiographical
Theory and Feminist Existentialism. These frameworks facilitate a nuanced reading of Das’s narrative
strategies and her critique of patriarchy.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION (IJRSI)
ISSN No. 2321-2705 | DOI: 10.51244/IJRSI |Volume XII Issue IX September 2025
Page 3915
Feminist Autobiographical Theory
Feminist Autobiographical Theory interrogates life writing through a gendered lens, recognizing that women’s
narratives often diverge from the linear, coherent self-presentation typical of male-centered autobiographies
(Smith and Watson 16–24). Historically excluded from public discourse, women writers have developed
alternative strategies to represent the self, frequently foregrounding relationality, fragmentation, and
subversion. This lens illuminates how Das utilizes autobiography as an act of resistance, transforming personal
confession into a public critique of societal norms (Anderson 45–51).
Feminist Existentialism
Drawing on Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex, Feminist Existentialism explores how gendered
constructions of identity restrict women’s freedom and self-realization (Beauvoir 267–71). Women, defined as
“the Other,” are denied full subjectivity and autonomy. Das’s narrative is read as a struggle for
transcendence—an effort to move beyond the immanence imposed by biology and societal roles toward
authentic selfhood. Her candid discussions of sexuality, artistic ambition, and resistance to marital expectations
exemplify this existential assertion of agency (Showalter 13–19; Beauvoir 267).
The Confessional Voice: Articulating Intimacy and Breaking Silence
The confessional mode is central to the literary and political force of My Story. Das’s narrative is characterized
by an unvarnished honesty that exposes her vulnerabilities, desires, and frustrations. In a cultural milieu that
valorized female modesty and discretion, such directness constituted a radical departure. The confessional
voice, in Das’s hands, is not mere self-exposure but a deliberate strategy to subvert dominant narratives and
reclaim female subjectivity (Das, My Story 22; Jose et al. 5014–15).
Das’s recollection of her early marriage—particularly the lack of preparation for conjugal intimacy—
highlights the systemic failures of education and the exploitation of vulnerability inherent in child marriage.
Her account is not sentimentalized but presented as a critique of the institutionalized disregard for female
readiness and consent (Das, My Story 22).
Throughout My Story, the theme of marital discord and emotional neglect is persistent. Das’s yearning for
tenderness and connection is met with indifference, revealing the emotional costs of arranged marriage and the
suppression of women’s needs. Her narrative challenges the idealized image of marriage, exposing the hidden
wounds inflicted by emotional neglect (Sunita and Deep). The burden of domesticity and its impact on creative
and intellectual freedom is another recurring motif. Das’s confession regarding her struggle to balance
domestic obligations with artistic pursuits underscores the systemic devaluation of women’s intellectual labor.
The domestic sphere, rather than a site of fulfillment, becomes a cage that stifles aspiration (Das, My Story 81;
Satchidanandan 45). Perhaps most revolutionary is Das’s exploration of female desire. Her articulation of
longing—both emotional and physical—defies the prevailing conception of women as passive recipients of
affection. By voicing her needs, Das challenges the taboo surrounding female sexuality, creating a discursive
space for future writers to address these silenced experiences (Das, My Story 102–04; Picciucco 94).
The act of narrating these experiences transforms private suffering into a public protest. Das’s confessional
voice is not a lament but a strategic assertion of agency, demanding empathy and introspection from the reader.
In this sense, the personal becomes political, and My Story emerges as a seminal text for the articulation of
marginalized voices in Indian women’s literature (Smith and Watson 35).
Challenging Patriarchal Structures: Asserting Female Agency
My Story offers a pointed critique of the patriarchal structures that define and regulate women’s lives is
remarked by Sandhya Tiwari in her article. The institution of arranged marriage, as experienced by Das,
exemplifies the denial of agency and the commodification of women for familial alliances. Her narrative
interrogates the ethical and emotional costs of such practices, exposing the ways in which tradition overrides
individual autonomy (Das, My Story 23–26). Beyond marriage, Das scrutinizes the rigid gender roles enforced
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION (IJRSI)
ISSN No. 2321-2705 | DOI: 10.51244/IJRSI |Volume XII Issue IX September 2025
Page 3916
within her household and community. The expectation of female silence and devotion to domesticity is
depicted as a mechanism of control. Das’s resistance—her pursuit of literary expression despite familial and
societal disapproval—constitutes an act of rebellion and a quest for intellectual freedom (Chavan 71–74;
Satchidanandan 47).As Tiwari (2021)explains, “Gender is the most discussed issue in feminism and
postmodern literary world with wide and varied implications . Gender is not defined biologically;thus, it
should not be limited to one’s biological aspects or perceptions .
Das’s agency is not solely enacted through overt defiance but also through the act of narration itself. By
refusing to internalize societal shame and by broadcasting her experiences, she subverts the mechanisms of
silencing and shaming that underpin patriarchy. (Tiwari, 2013)
Her narrative thus becomes a counter-discourse, exposing the violence—emotional and psychological—
inflicted by gendered expectations (Heilbrun 28–31). While not foregrounded, the theme of financial
independence is implicit in Das’s assertion of autonomy. Her ability to earn a livelihood, however modest,
enabled choices unavailable to women wholly dependent on their families or husbands. Economic freedom, as
Das’s life suggests, is foundational to other forms of agency (Jeffrey 103–08).
In redefining love and relationships, Das rejects the limited emotional scope permitted by patriarchal norms.
Her pursuit of intellectual and emotional intimacy, even when unfulfilled, is an act of self-determination. My
Story thus reveals the complexity of female desire and the right to define one’s own emotional landscape.
(Tiwari, 2018)
The Body, Sexuality, and Social Stigma: Breaking Taboos
The most subversive dimension of My Story is its forthright engagement with female sexuality and the body.
In a context where women’s sensuality was either ignored or stigmatized, Das’s narrative is groundbreaking.
She interrogates the societal regulation of women’s bodies, exposing the taboos that render female desire
unmentionable. Her account of early sexual experiences—marked by ignorance, lack of consent, and the
absence of pleasure—highlights the reduction of the female body to a site of reproduction or male desire. As
her narrative progresses, she articulates a more complex understanding of desire, emphasizing its emotional
and intellectual dimensions as well as its frequent unfulfillment. The social condemnation that Das endures as
a result of her disclosures is a recurring theme. By recounting the public opprobrium she faced, Das critiques
the double standards of a society that polices female expression while excusing male transgressions. Her
willingness to bear the costs of truth-telling underscores her commitment to breaking silences (Nair; Kumar
112–15).
The female body is a battleground where personal desire and societal control collide. Her descriptions reveal
both the vulnerability and the potential agency inherent in bodily autonomy. Plea for the reclamation of the
female body is a call for personal sovereignty and a challenge to the objectification that denies women control
over their own corporeal existence. (Tiwari, 2019)
Das’s treatment of sexuality is complex, intertwining love, lust, and spirituality. Her longing for a union that
encompasses body, mind, and soul elevates the discourse beyond mere sensuality, transforming it into a
philosophical inquiry into human connection. By refusing to conform to simplistic binaries of virtue and vice,
Das furthers the feminist project of demystifying female sexuality.
Language, Identity, and the Crafting of a New Narrative
My Story is as much a linguistic as it is a personal and political achievement. Das’s bilingualism and her
choice to write in English for a broader audience reflect a calculated effort to transcend regional constraints
and insert her narrative into the canon of Indian English literature. Her prose is marked by clarity, directness,
and a poetic sensibility. Her stylistic choices—eschewing ornamentation for emotional precision—underscore
the authenticity of her voice. The interplay of poetic imagery and conversational tone lends her confessions
both immediacy and aesthetic depth. The evolution of the narrative voice in My Story mirrors Das’s personal
development from naivety to self-assertion. As the autobiography progresses, her tone shifts from bewildered
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION (IJRSI)
ISSN No. 2321-2705 | DOI: 10.51244/IJRSI |Volume XII Issue IX September 2025
Page 3917
endurance to critical reflection and eventual defiance. This dynamic voice reflects her growing self-awareness
and her determination to reclaim agency.
For Das, writing is an existential necessity—a means of constructing and affirming identity in the face of
reductive societal roles. The act of narration itself is an assertion of selfhood, a declaration that her experiences
are worthy of public record. Rhetorical strategies, such as direct address and rhetorical questioning, further
engage the reader, challenging complacency and inviting complicity. Das’s willingness to provoke is
instrumental in catalyzing discussion and dismantling taboos. Her language is thus both descriptive and
argumentative, serving as a vehicle for social critique. (Tiwari, 2023)
CONCLUSION
The Enduring Legacy of a Marginalized Voice
My Story endures as a foundational text in Indian literature, notable for its radical honesty and its articulation
of voices from the margins. Das’s autobiography redefined the parameters of women’s writing, asserting that
the personal is inseparable from the political. Her willingness to break silences and expose inconvenient truths
has established My Story as a touchstone for subsequent generations of women writers. The confessional voice
in My Story functions as both a literary device and a political act, unveiling intimacy and challenging
entrenched silences. Das’s critique of patriarchal structures and her assertion of female agency are interwoven
throughout the narrative, exemplifying the resilience required to resist societal constraints. Her foray into the
terrain of sexuality and bodily autonomy shattered taboos, creating a precedent for authentic engagement with
female desire and identity. Das’s linguistic experimentation and her deliberate crafting of narrative voice have
profoundly shaped the trajectory of Indian women’s literature. By choosing English and employing a
confessional, poetic style, she enabled her narrative to reach beyond regional boundaries and inspire a new
literary tradition. The legacy of My Story is not merely the opening of a door but the creation of an enduring
space for marginalized voices to assert their truths. Das’s courage in writing her own story granted permission
for others to do the same, transforming Indian literary discourse and establishing her as a literary genius who
spoke for many.This aligns with the modern understanding of women’s rights, “Gender Equality’ and
‘Women’s Empowerment’are considered significant for sustainable development.This is an important agenda
of international human rights , reiterated by the
International organizations like the United Nations (UN).But, this has not been the case earlier . Women have
struggled to get justice, fought for their rights as they were discriminated against and subjugated to their male
counterparts .(Tiwari 2020)
WORKS CITED
1. Anderson, Linda. Autobiography: The New Critical Idiom. Routledge, 2001.
2. Beauvoir, Simone de. The Second Sex. Translated by Constance Borde and Sheila Malovany-
Chevallier, Vintage, 2011.
3. Chavan, Sunanda P. “The Moderns II: Kamala Das.” A Study of Indian Women Poets in English, The
Fair Voice, Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1995, pp. 65–75.
4. Das, Bijay Kumar. Postmodernism in Indian English Literature. Atlantic Publishers, 2006.
5. Das, Kamala. My Story. Translated by the author, DC Books, 2004.
6. Dwivedi, A. N. Papers on Indian Writing in English. Vol. 1, Atlantic Publishers, 2002.
7. Heilbrun, Carolyn G. Writing a Woman's Life. W. W. Norton, 1988.
8. Iyengar, K. R. S. Indian Writing in English. Asian Publishing House, 2000.
9. Jeffrey, Robin. Politics, Women and Well-Being: How Kerala Became a Model. Macmillan Press,
1992.
10. Jose, Jasmine, et al. “Reading and Re-reading: A Review of Interpretations on Kamala Das’s My
Story.” International Journal of Applied Engineering Research, vol. 11, no. 7, 2016, pp. 5014–15.
11. Kumar, Radha. The History of Doing: An Illustrated Account of Movements for Women's Rights and
Feminism in India, 1800–1990. Kali for Women, 1993.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION (IJRSI)
ISSN No. 2321-2705 | DOI: 10.51244/IJRSI |Volume XII Issue IX September 2025
Page 3918
12. Marcus, Laura. Auto/biographical Discourses: Theory, Criticism, Practice. Manchester University
Press, 1994.
13. Nair, V. B. C. “My Story Made Kamala Surayya Celebrity: Malayalanadu Editor.” The Times of India:
Trivandrum, 1 June 2009. Accessed 2 June 2020.
14. Picciucco, Pier Paolo. Kamala Das: A Critical Spectrum. Atlantic Publishers, 2001.
15. Satchidanandan, K. Relocating My Story. Microprints, 2018.
16. Tiwari, Sandhya. "Feminist Issue Intertwined with Autobiographical Elements in the Works of Fay
Weldon." Towards Excellence, vol. 9, no. 1, 2017, pp. 86-93.
17. Showalter, Elaine. A Literature of Their Own: British Women Novelists from Brontë to Lessing.
Princeton University Press, 1977.
18. Singh, Sewak, Charu Singh, and Sheel Singh, editors. Women About Women: In Indian Literature in
English. Anmol, 1998.
19. https://doi.org/10.59136/lv.2024.2.1.85
20. Singh, Sushila. Feminism and Recent Fiction in English. Prestige Books, 1991.
21. Smith, Sidonie, and Julia Watson. Reading Autobiography: A Guide for Interpreting Life Narratives.
University of Minnesota Press, 2010.
22. Tiwari, Sandhya. "Introduction. Postmodern Indian Women Writers in English: Critical Concerns and
Trends: Critical Concerns and Trends." (2018).
23. Sunita S., and Deep S. “Kamala Das’s My Story: An Intimate Narrative.” Impressions,
http://impressions.50webs.org/jul11/ar_sunitas_deeps.html. Accessed 8 July 2025.
24. Tiwari, Sandhya (2011). Displacements and alienation of Indian Diaspora in the selected works of
Chitra Divakaruni, Bharati Mukherji and Jhumpa Lahiri . Research India Press. New Delhi.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/368756782_DISPLACEMENTS_AND_ALIENATION_OF_
INDIAN_DIASPORA_DISPLACEMENTS_AND_ALIENATION_OF_INDIAN_DIASPORA_In_the
_Selected_Works_of_Chitra_Divakaruni_Bharati_Mukherji_and_Jhumpa_Lahiri_Sandhya_Tiwari_DE
DICATED_D [accessed May.24, 2025]
25. Tiwari, Sandhya. 2017. Constituents and issues of identity construction among diaspora communities in
Amitav Ghosh's novel sea of poppies. IJELLH. ISSN-2321-7065. Volume V, Issue VII July 2017.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/361990918_CONSTITUENTS_AND_ISSUES_OF_IDENTI
TY_CONSTRUCTION_AMONG_DIASPORA_COMMUNITIES_IN_AMITAV_GHOSH'S_NOVEL
_SEA_OF_POP PIES [accessed Jan.18, 2025]
26. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4637039
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/SandhyaTiwari9/publication/374022934_Indian_Knowledge_Syst
em_IKS_as_a_Significant_Corpus_of_Resources_Useful_for_Personal_and_Professional_Developme
nt/links/6509ad0982f01628f032b9a2/Indian-Knowledge-System-IKS-as-a-Significant-Corpus-of-
Resources-Useful-for-Personal-and-Professional-Development.pdf
27. Tiwari, Sandhya."Feminist Issue Intertwined with Autobiographical Elements in the Works of Fay
Weldon." Towards Excellence, vol. 9, no. 1, 2017, pp. 86-93.
28. Tiwari, Sandhya. "GENDER ROLE AND FEMINIST CONCERNS IN POILE SENGUPTA'S PLAY
MANGALAM." 2021. DOI: 10.6084/ m9.figshare.20311161.v2.
29. Tiwari, Sandhya. "Introduction. Inspirational Indian Women Achievers." (2018).
30. Tiwari, Sandhya. Displacements and Alienation of Indian Diaspora: In the Selected Works of Chitra
Divakaruni, Bharati Mukherji and Jhumpa Lahiri. Research India Press, 2013.
31. Tiwari, Sandhya. "TRANSFORMATION OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN FROM VOICELESS
OBSCURITY TO DOMINANT INDIVIDUALITY IN ALICE WALKER'S THE COLOR PURPLE."
2020, pp. 127-132. DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.20311467.v1.
32. Tiwari, Sandhya. "Treatment of Female Independence, Womanhood and Gender Bias in the Select
Works of Fay Weldon." (2023).
