Patriarchy's unlikely victims

Men as unconscious victims of patriarchal society in ‘That Long Silence’ by Shashi Deshpande

Abstract

The focus of this research paper is to deconstruct certain prominent theories associated with patriarchy. From time immemorial, men have been portrayed as the victimizers of women in the society. Men were also looked upon as the law- makers, the decision makers and the ultimate power in a patriarchal society. The inexpressible dimension of history reveals that men too were the victims of patriarchy. Men in the contemporary world are over- burdened with many psychological and patriarchal conflicts. Modern men urge to deconstruct these ideologies and persevere as self- reliant individuals, rather than succumbing himself in a male- dominated irrational society.  This study brings out the silent sufferings and turmoil of men in That Long Silence by Shashi Deshpande.