The Masculine of ‘Virgin’: Stories by Sarah Joseph

One of the most important literary figures in contemporary Malayalam literature, Sarah Joseph is a writer whose engagement with women’s issues has evolved over time. This collection includes twenty-one of her best short stories written over a period of almost four decades.

Informed by a deep sense of compassion, these stories depict her opposition to all structures and institutions that formalize power-be it the family, the church, or the government-and seek to naturalize oppression wherever it exists. From maternal figures existing on the margins of society who offer resistance to a ruthlesssly exploitative patriarchy to incisive sketches of the history of patriarchy that is based not on historical accounts but on powerful reinterpretations of myths, these stories are centred on strong-willed women who oppose of all kinds injustices.

J. Devika’s translation captures the nuances, moods, and tone of the complex, multi-layered narrative and symbolic language of the original srories. Insightful and rigorous, the Introduction discusses Sarah Joseph’s work within the present women’s discourse in India, with special reference to the scenario in Kerala.