Derivations of Motherhood; an Analytical Study of Motherhood in Difficult Daughters by Manju Kapoor

Abstract

The concept of motherhood has been regarded as both natural and cultural construct, shaped by the intersection of biological instincts and social expectations. In Manju Kapur’s Difficult Daughters, motherhood emerges as complex, multilayered experience deeply embedded in patriarchal ideology and societal conditioning. The novel portrays motherhood not merely as a biological function but as amoral and cultural duty imposed upon women. Through the characters of Virmati and Kasturi, Kapur explores how maternity becomes a site of negotiation between personal desires and collective responsibilities. Kapur’s narrative illustrates how patriarchal control transforms maternity into a mechanism of female subordination. The mother’s love, through nurturing, is also disciplinary, enforcing obediencethrough emotional guilt and moral duty. The novel also underscores how societal conditioning moulds female identity, making motherhood a cultural performance rather than a purely emotional bond. In portraying motherhood as a product of power relations, Kapur critiques the societal structures that limit women’s agency. The study thus interprets motherhood as a dynamic, evolving process shaped by cultural and ideological forces. Ultimately, Kapur’s treatment of maternity calls for a redefinition of womanhood beyond the confines of patriarchal norms.