Sakuntala

Sakuntala turns up again and again across South Asian writing, and her most well-known appearances are in the Mahabharata and in Kalidasa's Sanskrit drama of the fourth century, Abhijnanashakuntalam. Across these works her character shifts from a self-possessed, independent woman into an ideal of meekness and obedience. Romila Thapar argues that this change says a great deal about how femininity within Hinduism was shaped and later came to define much of South Asian culture.

Rather than treating these texts in isolation, Thapar examines selected passages from the play and the epic, along with the many forms the story takes in other settings. Her approach brings together literary study, historical context, culture and gender to show how this influential figure was built over time. Along the way the book considers a particular understanding of female identity that grew out of these retellings.

Written by a historian of ancient India, the book suits readers interested in classical Indian literature, the Mahabharata, and the social history of gender. It offers a close reading of a familiar heroine for those who want to see how a literary character can carry cultural meaning across centuries.