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Fiona Tsang
FIQWS 10105
Professor von Uhl
November 16, 2016
Gender role in the character of Devi
Gender roles are social construct. When we attempt to assign strengths and weaknesses
to either gender, we literally cut our potential as human race in half (Thatcher). In the society
that we live in, gender roles are commodities we are exposed to from birth. From recent
occurrences, many of us have come to understand that we must accept the differences within
both genders; it may be quintessential that a male should be a male and a female should be a
female, but with the way society has been developed, individuals have realized it should be their
choice to choose whom they want to be. Often times, there is a set standard for individuals of
different genders to follow, for example it is ideal for a male to be the working machine of the
house and the female to be a stay home housewife, or the female character is benevolent and
delicate, whereas the male projects strength and dauntlessness. Although this is especially shown
in writings, such as fairytales and religious text that project their intolerance of individuals who
does not fit into those social standards, Devi written by R.K. Narayan stated otherwise. In this
tale, Devi was an idol who did not have a specific gender role; while she was able to project her
prepossessing and self-reliant side, she was also able to project the power and strength of a male.
As the tale is retold among many professionals and scholars, Devi was able to defy gender roles;
furthermore, it efficaciously controverts Bettelheims claim that myths strongly differs from

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fairytales, being that myths commonly finishes with a pessimistic approach; however, the tale
Devi finished with an exceptionally optimistic ending.
In the tale of Devi, Devi was a character who was in fact created rather than born into the
world. Devi, being the persona that she was, was able to portray her strength through the
qualities of her heroism. Throughout the tale, Devi embraced her side of diligence toward the
task that she had to get done, which was to kill Mahisha, the demon. Her mission was to make
sure that she was able to see the king himself, and destroy him as the prayers had wished for. As
stated in the tale, The Devi assured them, O gods, fear no more, I am here to end Mahishas
career. Victory and defeat follow in a cycle. No one can claim that he has finally vanquished
God; gods may suffer defeat temporarily but God himself never. Now your turn of suffering
uttered a loud challenge, which reverberated through space and shook the worlds (Narayan 54).
As the tale set forth, Devi continuously terminated the lives of the commanders Mahisha had sent
her, utilizing her eighteen arms that held a different weapon in each. Many of the troops in the
story underestimated her power and strength; they did not believe that a woman would have such
force and power present in this world. You must understand and interpret a womans talk. We
must all understand a woman properly! What are a womans potent weapons? Eyes and curves
(Narayan 56). From this statement, it was acknowledged that during this period of time, men
believed that the only power a woman possessed was the power of her femininity. Through
research, it was suggested by Ajay Skher in Gender, Caste, and Fiction that Devi portrays the
low caste woman both as a victim and as a potentially subversive agent in order of brahmanical
patriarchy (Sekher). Within that society, women are often labeled by the social norm and be told
how they should behave, along with being ordered to accomplish what the men or elders asked

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them to do. Though many did not speak up about this system, Devi was able to express the
power of her gender role through an unrealistic matter by featuring her strength.
In this following tale, though, Devi was a character, an individual, and goddess who were
worshipped by multifarious individuals, she also caused disbelief in the community. She was
created for one purpose and that was to execute Mahishasura. In the very beginning, because
Mahisha underestimated the power of a woman, he was very confident that if he was ever to be
killed it would never be by cause of a woman. Of all the demonly requests, the strangest was
that of Mahisha, who had prayed for a thousand years , asking of Brahma that he might continue
to live until a woman appeared, capable of killing him in a fight (Narayan 50). When created,
Devi was seen with eighteen arms and a different weapon in each hand, causing terror amongst
the commanders who were sent to her. Being known as the the highest form of beauty and
energy, (Narayan 47) Devi was in fact able to break that code of a female and defeated Mahisha.
Throughout history and present time, many professionals and scholars were able to
identify that there was a clear difference between fairytales and myths. Philosophers such as,
Plato and Aristotle were one of the few who had developed ideas about it. Plato believed that
the future citizens of his ideal republic begin their literacy education with the telling of myths,
rather than with mere facts or so called rational teachings, (Bettelheim 35) and Aristotle
believed that The friend of wisdom is also a friend of myth. In this reading, it is very coherent
that Bettelheims claim about fairytales is that they project the relief of all pressures and not
only offer ways to solve problems but promises that a happy solution will be found
(Bettelheim 36). In other words, fairytales are seen as pieces of work that projects optimism and
can be seen as an everyday situation, whereas myths are seen to typically involve superego
demands in conflict with id-motivation action, and with self-preserving desires of the ego

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(Bettelheim 37). Myths are normally more on the pessimistic side. While myths do create a
pessimistic atmosphere, it also creates a more realistic lesson for us as individuals to follow. A
myth is not a cautionary tale like a fable which, by arousing anxiety, prevents us from acting in
ways which are described as damaging to us (Bettelheim 38). Due to this fear that is impacted
on us after reading such writing pieces, we tend to change the way we act in our behavior to
prevent the effects that are shown. Though it may teach us a lesson, myths are fantasies that
cannot possibly happen to anyone. As stated in the article, Try as hard as we may, we can never
live up fully to what the superego, as represented in myths by the gods, seems to require of us
(Bettelheim 37).
With this explanation of Bettelheims claim, it is very evident and apparent that the story
Devi cannot superficially support his claim; therefore it cannot be categorized as a fairytale or
myth. In his article, Bettelheim states that myths consist of a pessimistic atmosphere, but in this
case, Devi did receive a happy ending. She was able to accomplish what she was called to
complete (Narayan 63). Devi may also not be seen as a fairytale due to the presence of violence
in this epic story. Generally in fairy stories nobody else has a name..., but as seen this is not
the case in this piece of writing. The characters, except the commanders were all addressed a
name. This did not support the claim of a happy ending nor did it teach lesson that can be an
everyday use. Many fairytales end happily, whereas Devi ended in an aggressive and vicious
scene. Normally, when we picture a goddess, we visualize someone with a soft heart, who solves
complication through words and not violence.
On the other hand, there are individuals who may believe that Devi supports Bettelheims
claim of Fairytale vs. Myths, through the actions of her heroism. Through this characteristic, it

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can be seen as an ending of optimism. Devi was able to generate happiness to the prayers that
called for her help. With this point, we can also conclude that it is very evident that gender role
plays a tremendous part to this tale; it is understandable as to how and why women play an
important role in any society.
Through many research that has been done, it can be concluded that not only was Devi
able to defy gender roles, this tale effectively controverts Bettelheims claim that myths strongly
differs from fairytales, being that myths commonly finishes with a pessimistic approach;
however, the tale Devi finished with an exceptionally optimistic ending. Devi is a character who
is worshipped by many of her followers. Not only did this bring us to a realization of how myths
and fairytales differ through the analysis of this tale, we have now also come to understand, that
when we do not distinguish the tasks among either the male or the female, greater things can
happen and can be achieved.

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Works cited
Ajay Sekher. Gender, Caste and Fiction: A Bahujan Reading of Mahasweta Devi's
Rudali. Economic and Political Weekly, vol. 41, no. 42, 2006, pp. 44224425.
www.jstor.org/stable/4418829.
Bettelheim, Bruno. The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairytales. New
York: Vintage, 2010. Print
Narayan, R.K. Devi Gods, Demons, and Others. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1993. Print.