Comparative Study of New Woman in Manju Kapur's "Difficult Daughters" and Ama Ata Aidoo's "Changes: A Love Story":

Abstract: The study of the protagonist’s metamorphosis and how it affected their evolution is included because the topic of the book evokes the idea of a new woman. The subject emphasizes women’s ongoing battles with various emotions including meekness and repression, as well as their pursuit of freedom and a happy life. We saw how the character perfected themselves through persistent struggle and learned to play the game of life in accordance with their own rules and preferences. They develop into little more than puppets in the hands of the patriarchal society. They demonstrate that they have the power to control their own fate. The current study examines the female protagonists of a selected Manju Kapur and Ama Ata Aidoo novels. They demonstrate their capacity for adaptation and adoption. The study’s primary objectives are to explore issues affecting women and to concentrate on the personalities and pursuits of the heroines. We observe that once suppressed and downtrodden women emerge from the patriarchal system, they are better able to make a name for themselves. Beyond all of these roles, Manju Kapur and Ama Ata Aidoo reveal the woman as a self-sufficient person with free will, and we perceive this self-sufficient woman as the embodiment of the new woman. The chosen topic emphasizes the necessity for women to express themselves and speak out against the patriarchal society by encouraging them to break out of their shells. Breaking out from tradition is vital if they want to understand who they are. They must create their own identities in order to become accepted members of society. Manju Kapur and Ama Ata Aidoo consider the complexity of existence, numerous histories, cultures, and value systems in their works. Physical violence and social rejection are inflicted upon their patriarchally influenced and downtrodden women. Their gender causes them to be more prejudiced and discriminatory. But because they do not want to be social rubber dolls, they are always working to establish their identities. The works by these authors mostly explore the subjects of education, marriage, and polygamy. These female authors generally portray the emergence of new women in their works; these “New Women” are the byproducts of the shifting social environment and are persistent in establishing their distinctive presence in the society and nation to which they belong. These women are rather revolutionary, and they use education to showcase their individuality and independence. They have strong opinions and are independent, tenacious, and goal-oriented. The expressions “new woman,” “new freedom,” and “sexual revolution” all referred to cultural changes that made it possible for young women to leave the Victorian home and enter the previously male-only public sphere. This also caused major emotional issues for women because many of them were unable to manage the new situation or balance their private and public lives in a new and changing society