Draupadi – The ‘he’ in ‘her’: A blend of the Sinister and the Gentle

Abstract

Draupadi, the co-wife of the Pandava brothers, is an important character in the epic. She is known to have been the quintessence of beauty and femininity. Her life has largely been a plausible canvass of determination and a majestic display of integrity. She is often regarded as the first feminist voice who had raised concerns about women’s rights, wife’s rights and husband’s authority over the wife. Yet, there has been an enigmatic aspect to her character. The more one delves deeper into her character, the more one is confounded with Draupadi’s heroism. Her strength of character and unyielding will makes her a hero, more heroic and greater than the others. And hence, the paper tries to explore the heroic nature of Draupadi’s character- to unravel the ‘he’ in ‘her’.