FALLEN WOMEN
The fallen woman is those who are disowned by the husband, or parents or guardian. The rejection of a barren lady can pose a more serious problem both to the society and the individual. Mrs. Kamala Markandaya’s presentation of barren ladies and their rejection by society is very vivid. Irawaddy, a daughter of peasant woman (Rukmani) in “Nectar in a sieve” is rejected by her husband because she is barren. Her husband is condemned because he behaves in accordance with the traditional social norms. He says “I intend no discourtesy but this is n ordinary visit. You gave me your daughter in marriage. I have brought her back to you (Nathan and Rukmani). She is a barren woman”.
As far as the minor women characters in the novel is concerned, Old Granny is a very pathetic character who faces poverty to the last breath. She starves but does not lose her faith in God. So is the cause of Ammu who is deserted by her husband (Murugan) to become a fallen woman since he has no source of money. Ammu doesn’t lose her courage and patience. She supports her children in a splendid manner. When Rukmani went to city to search her son (Murugan), finds Ammu “was a very young girl, frail beyond most, deserted by her husband and doing her best to feed herself and her children. It is a vindication of rural women towards the acceptance and tolerance of sufferings. Indeed, the author’s realism is purposeful and her intention is to awake the polite society to the real problems.
Irawaddy is