Portrayal of Women in Medieval Marathi and Hindi Literature

DOI: https://doi.org/10.63345/ijrhs.net.v13.i7.2

Tanya Arora

Independent Researcher

Uttarakhand, India

Abstract
The portrayal of women in medieval Marathi and Hindi literature reflects complex socio-cultural dynamics that shaped gender norms and identity constructions. This manuscript examines textual representations of female characters across devotional, narrative, and didactic genres from the twelfth to the eighteenth centuries. Emphasis is placed on how women’s roles—as devotees, heroines, sages, and moral exemplars—were articulated by male and female authors, and how these articulations both reinforced and contested patriarchal structures. Through comparative analysis of key works such as the abhangs of Tukaram and Janabai, the hagiographies of Sant Dnyaneshwar, the Rasa literature of Rajasthan translated into Braj, and early Hindi rāgānugā bhajans, this study elucidates evolving conceptions of femininity, agency, and morality. Findings indicate that while devotional contexts afforded women spiritual agency, narrative and courtly genres often constrained female autonomy, reflecting broader social hierarchies. Methodologically, the study employs thematic coding and intertextual comparison, supplemented by historical contextualization. Results highlight recurring motifs of purity, sacrifice, and devotion, alongside occasional subversive narratives that foreground women’s resilience. Concluding remarks underscore the need to reassess medieval gender constructs in light of these literary portrayals, suggesting avenues for further research into regional variations and the role of oral traditions.

Keywords
medieval Marathi literature, medieval Hindi literature, gender representation, devotional poetry, narrative texts, women’s agency, patriarchal norms

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