Modern Urban Life and Marital Relationships: A Study of Two Selected Twenty-First Century Novels/ আধুনিক নগর জীবন ও দাম্পত্য সম্পর্ক : একুশ শতকের নির্বাচিত দুটি উপন্যাস

Abstract

The journey of twenty-first-century Bengali novels continues a long literary tradition while reflecting the profound transformations of contemporary society. In this century, the multifaceted impact of globalization has deeply affected every layer of social and cultural life. Alongside changes in the external world, the inner lives of individuals have also undergone rapid transformation. Human relationships increasingly appear mechanical and fragmented, shaped by the complex, multidimensional networks of the digital age. Just as the internet can instantly connect the entire world, it simultaneously immerses human existence in intricate patterns of tension and contradiction.

           Contemporary Bengali writers capture this changing reality through their stories. Their novels explore new social attitudes, work culture, ideas of love, moral and ethical concerns, and the subtle workings of the human mind. These narratives show how modern life brings both challenges and possibilities. Marital and gender relationships, in particular, are no longer fixed. Concepts of marriage, mutual expectations, relational breakdowns, and reconstructions are constantly changing.

           Traditionally, women’s roles in marriage were mostly limited to household responsibilities and raising children, while men provided economic security. This created male dominance in society. Women had little scope to express their personal desires, largely due to their lack of economic independence. Over time, especially under the influence of globalization, these relationships have undergone significant changes. Marriages once considered lifelong bonds are now renegotiated; women assert their sexual and personal agency, and couples making decisions such as divorce without social hesitation if mutual compatibility is absent.

           Understanding how contemporary Bengali fiction represents these transformations requires examining specific works. This study focuses on two selected novels: Pracheta Gupta’s ‘Dhulo Balir Jibon’ and Sukanta Gangopadhyay’s ‘Tista Jabei’. Both novels reflect the evolving nature of personal relationships, the negotiation of autonomy within partnerships, and the broader cultural shifts influencing modern love, marriage, and intimacy. Through these narratives, readers gain insight into how twenty-first-century Bengali literature engages with the complexities of marriage, gender roles, and emotional life in an era of rapid social change.