A Voice Scorched by Silence: Feminist and Psychoanalytic Readings of Draupadi's Inner World in The Palace of Illusions

The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni retells the Mahabharata from Draupadi’s perspective, giving voice to a character who is often silenced in traditional versions of the epic. This paper explores the novel through feminist and psychoanalytic approaches to understand Draupadi’s struggle for agency, her emotional complexity, and how she negotiates her place in a patriarchal society. From a feminist perspective, the novel highlights Draupadi’s resistance to gender norms and her effort to assert autonomy. The psychoanalytic approach focuses on Draupadi’s inner world, examining her fears, desires, and conflicts that shape her decisions and relationships. Drawing on theories by Freud, Jung, and Lacan, the study shows how Draupadi’s internal struggles interact with her social reality, shaping her identity. By combining feminist and psychoanalytic lenses, the paper presents Draupadi as both socially aware and psychologically complex, offering a nuanced reading of Divakaruni’s reinterpretation of the epic.