উনিশ শতকের নারীর অবস্থান, আধুনিকতার বিপরীত প্রতিচ্ছবি : রাসসুন্দরী দাসীর ‘আমার জীবন’/ The Position of Women in the 19th Century : A Counter-Image of Modernity in Rassundari Devi's ‘Amar Jiban’

Abstract

The nineteenth century was the era of modernity—a modernity that taught us to bypass old beliefs and superstitions, viewing the world and life through a fresh lens, and scrutinizing ancient dogmas and scriptures with a rational mind. During this time, humanity became the focal point of various social and religious reform movements. Furthermore, women emerged at the forefront of the discourse during this transformative period. In the reformist efforts of Rammohan Roy and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, as well as in the literary thoughts of contemporary writers, the voices and social status of women were repeatedly highlighted. Consequently, the emergence of a woman's sense of individuality is considered one of the defining characteristics of nineteenth-century modernity.

​            In other words, the position women held in ancient and medieval society underwent a significant shift during this era. But did the lives of women truly change in reality? For women living in the shadows of obscurity, it was not so simple for everything to change suddenly just because the times demanded it. This reality is documented in one of the most discussed texts of the nineteenth century, Rashsundari Devi’s Amar Jiban (My Life). One could argue that this book captures the actual condition of women in the nineteenth century; it stands as a counter-image to the idealistic portrait of modernity.