From Fire to Voice: Feminine Subjectivity in Chithra Divakaruni’s The Palace of Illusions

Abstract

Retellings of mythology serve as powerful instruments for writers to infuse ancient narratives with contemporary concerns, especially those surrounding gender, identity, and agency. In Indian literature, the epic figure of Draupadi, queen, wife to five legendary warriors, and central character in the Mahabharata, has continually inspired reinterpretation. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s The Palace of Illusions presents a compelling feminist retelling, where Draupadi’s silenced voice and subjective experiences are foregrounded, challenging patriarchal narratives that have long shaped her image. This paper examines Divakaruni’s reimagination of Draupadi as a woman torn between societal expectations and personal agency, emphasising the gendered constraints that define her life from birth to death. It explores how Draupadi’s voice becomes a vehicle of resistance, reclaiming her emotional, physical, and intellectual selfhood within a deeply male-dominated world. The study investigates Draupadi’s imposed polyandry, her complex relationships with Kunti and the Pandavas, and the burden of beauty and chastity she is made to carry, all of which reflect a broader critique of patriarchal constructs.