Kamala Das: A Confessional Poetess

Kamala Das (1934–2009), one of the most powerful voices in Indian English poetry, occupies a unique position as a confessional poetess who boldly articulated female desire, emotional conflict, marital disillusionment, and the quest for identity. This research paper examines Kamala Das as a confessional poet, analyzing her major poems, themes, language, and contribution to Indian English literature. The study situates her work within the confessional tradition while also highlighting its cultural specificity in the Indian socio-patriarchal context. Through textual analysis of poems such as An Introduction, The Old Playhouse, My Grandmother’s House, and The Sunshine Cat, the paper explores how Kamala Das transforms personal experiences into universal expressions of womanhood, suffering, and resistance. Kamala Das (1934–2009), one of the most powerful and outspoken voices in Indian English poetry, occupies a unique position as a confessional poetess who boldly articulated female desire, emotional conflict, marital disillusionment, 1and the continuous quest for identity. This research paper critically examines Kamala Das as a confessional poet, analyzing her major poems, recurring themes, distinctive language, and overall contribution to Indian English literature. The study situates her work within the broader confessional tradition while simultaneously highlighting its cultural specificity shaped by the Indian socio-patriarchal context. Through close textual analysis of poems such as An Introduction, The Old Playhouse, My Grandmother’s House, and The Sunshine Cat, the paper explores how Kamala Das transforms intensely personal experiences into universal expressions of womanhood, emotional suffering, resistance, and self-assertion.2