https://doi.org/10.67147/literariness.v1i2.102
A Queer-Centric Archetypal Reading of The Ministry of Utmost Happiness
AISWARYA B.
Research Scholar
PG & Research Department of English
Sri Ramakrishna College of Arts & Science, Coimbatore- 641006
DR. R. KARUNAMBIGAI
Head & Associate Professor
PG & Research Department of English
Sri Ramakrishna College of Arts & Science, Coimbatore- 641006
Abstract: India is a land of paradoxes, home to the marginalized community of the Hijras. The hijra community’s identity and belonging have always been in the light of literary and mythical interest. One such literary work that explores the complex narrative of a Hijra through its protagonist is Arundhati Roy’s The Ministry of Utmost Happiness. The story of Anjum, the hijra protagonist, reflects the fluidity of identity and the human quest for self-acceptance. Through the story of Anjum, Roy explores gender dynamics, societal expectations and individual desire. Anjum’s journey to transformation in the novel embodies the quintessential archetypal journey. The present paper delves into Anjum’s queer journey through the lens of Dahkotav Kaye Beckham’s The Queeroe’s Journey, revealing how Anjum’s journey aligns with the archetypal queer journey yet remains distinct of its own.
Keywords: Queer, Hijra, Queer Journey, Gender, Transformation
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