Women’s Rights and Gender Discrimination in Selected Works of Munshi Premchand

Abstract

This study examines Munshi Premchand’s compassionate yet critical portrayal of women’s rights and gender discrimination in early twentieth-century Indian society. Through an analysis of Nirmala, Godan, Kafan, and Sadgati, the paper explores how Premchand reflects and questions entrenched patriarchal structures. His works confront the intersecting burdens of dowry, forced marriage, caste oppression, poverty, and restrictive family norms. While Premchand often valorizes patience and sacrifice, his narratives function both as social mirrors and as calls for reform. By situating these texts in their historical and cultural context, the paper underscores Premchand’s enduring relevance in debates on gender equality within South Asian literature and society.