Exploring Noetic Space in Shashi Deshpande’s That Long Silence

Abstract

Space is defined as something void and available. It extends its liminality to time, physical, and mental boundaries. Virginia Woolf’s notion of women’s productivity depending on space, freedom, and economic independence is much quoted in feminist writings. Influenced much by Virginia Woolf, Shashi Deshpande, writes mainly on the conundrums of Indian familial scenarios focused on women. Her writings are notable for the quest her characters undergo to replenish their ‘self’. The study aims to probe the prerequisite availability of space in the context of women in the family (married women) to nurture their self-psyche. The idea that women are not getting enough space to do so is the underlying argument of the study. This article finds out the notion of space being a necessity for assessing the self, vital in conceiving the quest for the same to be possible in Shashi Deshpande’s That Long Silence. The Conceptualization of mind speculates a philosophical framework that advocates for the delineation of a distinct spatial realm for women, primarily aimed at fostering the cultivation and development of their intellectual faculties. This designated space, termed as "Noetic Space" within the context of this scholarly inquiry, serves as a dedicated environment conducive to the nurturing of a woman's cognitive and contemplative capacities. This conceptualization reflects the nuanced interplay between Confucian philosophical doctrines and the deliberate spatial considerations envisioned for the optimal intellectual advancement of women.