Women in Partition Literature

Abstract

This chapter is a comparative analysis between partition literature from Bengal and Punjab showing how even though there is a minor divergence in literature from these two sides owing to the political realities, for the most part literature from these two sides shows overwhelming convergence. In order to draw a comparative analysis, the author uses eight pieces of partition literature—four each from Bengal and Punjab. The chapter is divided into three sections: The first section discusses the relevance of Partition literature for studying Partition and how partition was experienced different by Punjab and Bengal in the political sense. The second section presents the analysis of the one most significant divergence between literature from the two sides, and the final section presents a discussion of the overwhelming convergence between women's experience of Partition on both sides and how it is not a surprising fact.