Volume II,Issue IV, March 2026
Volume-II, Issue-IV, March, 2026 |
Received: 15.03.2026 | Accepted: 17.03.2026 | ||
Published Online: 31.03.2026 | Page No: | ||
DOI: 10.69655/atmadeep.vol.2.issue.04W. | |||
সমকামী ও রূপান্তরকামী আত্মপরিচয়ের নির্মাণ: স্বপ্নময় চক্রবর্তীর ‘হলদে গোলাপ’ উপন্যাসের আলোকে
তুলিকা মণ্ডল, ছাত্রী, বর্ধমান
বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, ভারত |
Tulika Mondal, Student, The University of Burdwan, West Bengal, India | ||
ABSTRACT | ||
This paper examines the representation of
homosexual and transgender identities in Bengali literature through a critical
reading of Swapnamoy Chakraborty’s novel ‘Holde Golap’. Although Bengali literature has historically reflected diverse
social realities such as class conflict, caste divisions, and gender
inequality, issues of sexual orientation and gender identity have largely
remained marginalised. In most literary works, homosexual and transgender
characters appear only as peripheral figures or symbolic curiosities, leaving
their struggles for identity, social acceptance, and dignity underrepresented.
In this context, ‘Holde
Golap’ emerges as a
significant literary intervention that foregrounds the lived experiences of
queer individuals within the Bengali cultural sphere.
The study employs a qualitative textual
analysis of the novel, drawing upon theoretical frameworks from Michel
Foucault’s discourse on sexuality, Judith Butler’s concept of gender
performativity, and Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann’s theory of the social
construction of reality. Through these perspectives, the paper explores how
social norms construct and regulate ideas of “normality,” often marginalising
non-heteronormative identities. The analysis focuses on four central
characters—Manabi Bandyopadhyay, Parimal/Pari, Ivy, and Dulal/Dulali—whose
narratives collectively reveal the complexities of self-identification, social
exclusion, and resistance within a heteronormative society.
The paper argues that ‘Holde Golap’ not only portrays the personal struggles of
queer individuals but also challenges the dominant cultural assumptions
surrounding gender and sexuality. By presenting these experiences with empathy
and realism, the novel transforms marginalised voices into subjects of serious
literary and academic discourse. Ultimately, this study highlights the
importance of ‘Holde
Golap’ as a cultural
text that expands the scope of Bengali literary criticism and contributes to
broader discussions on gender diversity, identity formation, and social
inclusion. | ||
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