Section 1: Introduction to Kamala Das and the Poem
Kamala Das’s 'An Introduction' is a confessional poem expressing rebellion, identity, and
emotional nakedness. Written in post-independence India, the poem exposes the struggle
of a woman finding voice in a patriarchal and colonial society. It reflects the poet’s dual
battle: with gender norms and linguistic colonialism, combining personal confession with
social critique.
Section 2: Themes of Identity and Selfhood
The poem explores the crisis of identity in a patriarchal and postcolonial context. Das
asserts her individuality through rebellion: ‘I am Indian, very brown, born in Malabar.’ This
line reclaims brownness and belonging. She questions imposed roles (‘Be wife, they said’)
and finds her true identity in speech and emotion. The struggle between self-definition and
societal control becomes the poem’s backbone.
Section 3: Language and Power
Das’s declaration, ‘The language I speak becomes mine,’ transforms English from a
colonial instrument into a medium of personal truth. Her distorted English reflects both
emotional honesty and defiance. Through this linguistic rebellion, she subverts power
structures, mirroring Ng■g■ wa Thiong’o’s idea of decolonizing the mind.
Section 4: Gender and Sexuality
Das openly discusses female desire: ‘I met a man, loved him.’ She refuses to be shamed
for natural emotion. The poem dismantles the myth of purity and reclaims womanhood
through physical and emotional honesty. Female sexuality becomes a symbol of
autonomy.
Section 5: Confession as Empowerment
‘An Introduction’ is a confessional act — both therapeutic and rebellious. By exposing
vulnerability, Das converts shame into strength. Her self-exposure aligns with Sylvia Plath
and Anne Sexton, whose confessions broke social taboos. For Das, confession equals
liberation.
Section 6: Symbolism and Imagery
Symbols like language (freedom), body (identity), and clothing (social restriction) dominate
the poem. Cutting her hair and wearing male clothes represent psychological and social
emancipation. The poem’s imagery turns private moments into universal metaphors of
resistance.
Section 7: Tone, Style, and Form
The poem’s free verse mirrors her search for freedom. Its conversational tone and
rhythmic fluidity reflect emotional turbulence. Das’s English carries Indian syntax — its
‘queerness’ authenticates voice rather than imperfection.
Section 8: Context and Society
Composed during the 1960s feminist awakening and postcolonial reconstruction, the
poem captures the Indian woman’s struggle to define selfhood. In this context, Das’s
writing becomes a social act, bridging the personal and political.
Section 9: Critical Commentary
Critics like K.R. Srinivasa Iyengar and M.K. Naik note Das’s honesty and rebellion. Iyengar
sees confession as therapy, while Naik calls her voice ‘the new Indian voice —
unapologetic, impure, alive.’ Her defiance marks a shift in Indian English poetry.
Section 10: Conclusion
‘An Introduction’ redefines womanhood and language. Das merges the personal with the
universal, transforming pain into poetic revolution. The poem ends in wholeness: ‘I am
sinner, I am saint,’ symbolizing integration of identity and freedom.
Lens 1: Feminist Reading
Through the feminist lens, the poem becomes a declaration of resistance. Das exposes
how patriarchal roles suffocate individuality and speech. Her defiance of gender norms
(‘Dress in sarees, be wife’) is an assertion of agency. Like Woolf’s 'A Room of One’s Own',
she demands space to exist freely.
Lens 2: Psychoanalytic / Psychosocial Reading
The poem dramatizes a divided self — between social identity and inner truth. Das’s
confessions act as catharsis, releasing repressed emotion. Her acceptance of
contradictions (‘I am sinner, I am saint’) shows Jungian integration of self. The act of
writing becomes therapeutic healing.
Lens 3: Postcolonial Reading
‘An Introduction’ is both feminist and anti-colonial. Das reclaims English as her own,
infusing it with Indian rhythm and identity. She rejects linguistic purity and colonial
authority. Her assertion ‘The language I speak becomes mine’ represents decolonization
of voice and thought.
