Kanthapura and the Suppression of Women in Relation to Caste and Class
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Sophomore
Major
English/Rhetoric and Philosophy
Minor
Legal Studies
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Julie Cyzewski, PhD
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
This paper attempts to analyze Raja Rao's Kanthapura through a Marxist Feminist point of view, showcasing the intersectionality of caste, class, and gender in the novel. In this paper I find that women in the caste system are treated as ‘other’, or as a caste of their own, and with caste mimicking the way class functions in the Marxist viewpoint. I note that while Kanthapura in itself is not a novel specifically calling for the dismantling of the patriarchy and class, it does help highlight why it is necessary for this to take place by representing the mistreatment of the women in the novel.
Fall Scholars Week 2025
English and Philosophy Panel
Kanthapura and the Suppression of Women in Relation to Caste and Class
This paper attempts to analyze Raja Rao's Kanthapura through a Marxist Feminist point of view, showcasing the intersectionality of caste, class, and gender in the novel. In this paper I find that women in the caste system are treated as ‘other’, or as a caste of their own, and with caste mimicking the way class functions in the Marxist viewpoint. I note that while Kanthapura in itself is not a novel specifically calling for the dismantling of the patriarchy and class, it does help highlight why it is necessary for this to take place by representing the mistreatment of the women in the novel.