UNEARTHING THE DOUBLE MARGINALIZATION: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF INTERSECTIONAL DISCRIMINATION IN THE POETRY OF MAYA ANGELOU AND MONICA RUWANPATHIRANA

Abstract

Maya Angelou and Monica Ruwanpathirana are two modern women writers from different ethnic, geographical, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds. As a Black American, Angelou is a representative of the ethnic minority whilst Ruwanpathirana belongs to the ethnic majority, namely, Sri Lankan Sinhalese Buddhist. ‘Is there a compatibility and a contestation between the poetry of Maya Angelou and Monica Ruwanpathirana?’; was the research question. The objectives aimed to bring forth the universality of injustice based on gender whilst focusing on the position of women. A textual analysis was conducted with English transcriptions of Sinhala poems. Kimberly Crenshaw’s theory of Intersectionality was utilized as the feminist theoretical framework. Ruwanpathirana’s and Angelou’s focus on the predicament of women was recognized with sexual exploitation, domestication, and intersectionality. The solidarity of Angelou and Ruwanpathirana under women writing was explored in the backdrop of patriarchy and female autonomy. Their defiant mode of expression was utilized to manifest how poetry can be instrumentalized to fight against exploitation. Angelou’s poetry seemed to possess avid popularity whereas Ruwanpathirana’s poetry had not gained their deserved recognition as they are only restricted to Sri Lankan readership. Thus, the suggestions of the research were to introduce Ruwanpathirana to a wider audience and further expose Angelou to Sinhala readership while creating awareness of the commonalities between women writers from diverse contexts.