A Married Woman

It is typical tendency of the Indian man that he does not understand the emotional needs of his wife. Instead, he blames her that she is more demanding and expecting from him. It is also important to note that there should be mutual understanding between any relationships to keep it long-lived and meaningful. Hemant and Astha, both fail to understand each other. Though she has all in life, she feels something is missing which makes her restless and distressed. When she tries to share her feelings with her husband, he neglects her and feels alienated and lonely in her life. She finds no room of her own in her own house. Joya Chakaravarty’s observation in “A Study of Difficult Daughters and A Married Woman” is important in this context, she observes:

The author explores the changing mentality and failure to adjust the surroundings. Hemant too changed from liberal America returned man to typical Indian man. At the time of the first baby, he told his wife and other family members that he never differentiates between a girl and boy-baby but for the next time he adheres to have a boy-baby. Kapur has described the typical mentality of a man who says, “I want to have my son soon,” declared Hemant, looking emotional and manly at the same time. “I want to be as much a part of his life as Papaji is of mine” (Kapur 61). He becomes typical orthodox Indian man who thinks only son as his heir. He declares to Astha that he wants his son soon, but when she asked if not son then what he would do. It is very noteworthy to state a typical mentality of an Indian man. Hemant says, “Of course we will have a son, and we don’t need to stop at two” (Kapur 51). Joya Chakravarty comments in “A study of Difficult Daughters and A Married Woman” about the typical orthodox views of a man:

Hemant’s desire to have a son and his insistence that he would not stop until he has one, makes Astha dissatisfied and uneasy, she cannot fathom her man” (Chakravarty 202).

Astha dreamed of an ideal husband who valued her, respects her views but all her dreams became shattered. His views towards her changed. He became typical Indian husband after birth of the first baby. Astha becomes distressed due to the changed attitude of her husband. She feels alienated and finds no room of her own in her married life. However, Astha continues her search of happy life. Then Astha’s life changes by the entry of Aijaz Akhtar Khan, a theater artist in her