Gurusinghe, L.

Abstract

The novel is a literary genre which depicts social reality, its discomforts, and political underpinnings.  By looking at three Sinhala novels published in 2019, this paper investigates how the woman is portrayed through a patriarchal lens in literature. The chosen novels are Nishkranthiya by Sunethra Rajakarunanayake, Kumara Kobei by Shamel Jayakody and Thee Haa Thaa by Surath de Mel. They have unique narrative styles and a noteworthy representation of femininity. The study is based mainly on the following themes of feminist theory: patriarchy, sex, and gender. The main characters of all three novels are women and patriarchy plays a major role in their lives. All three novels present patriarchy as the norm and it is reinforced through issues concerning domestic violence, gender, and reproduction.

Keywords: Feminism, gender, patriarchy, sexuality, Sinhala novel