Book Details

• Author: Isha Pal
• Publisher: Bangiya Sahitya Samsad
• Language: Bengali
• ISBN: 9789382012948

About the Book

Lokkathar Meyera O Annanya (Bengali Version) is a thought-provoking collection of research essays that reinterprets Bengali folk tales through the perspectives of gender studies, folklore, and cultural criticism. The book examines the often-overlooked role of women in the creation, preservation, and transmission of folk narratives while exploring the social realities reflected within these traditional stories.

A central argument of the volume is that a significant portion of folk tales originated in or were preserved through women's oral storytelling traditions. However, despite their vital contribution to the survival of folk literature, women are frequently portrayed within these narratives as figures marked by suffering, deprivation, sacrifice, and social marginalization. The essays critically investigate how patriarchal values shaped both the representation of women in folk tales and the cultural conditions under which these stories evolved.

Moving beyond gender analysis, the book also explores the broader social imagination embedded in folklore. It demonstrates how folk tales express the aspirations, dreams, anxieties, and collective desires of ordinary people. Through symbolic narratives and imaginative storytelling, these tales reveal the hopes of communities seeking justice, prosperity, dignity, and emotional fulfillment.

The volume further expands its scope by examining other popular cultural forms. It discusses the stories of Gopal Bhar as reflections of popular wit, social criticism, and common people's intelligence. The author also analyzes how the aspirations and values of modern urban society are expressed through the language of advertising, drawing fascinating connections between traditional folklore and contemporary modes of cultural communication.

Combining folklore studies with gender theory, cultural studies, and literary criticism, Lokkathar Meyera O Annanya offers fresh perspectives on the enduring relevance of folk narratives in understanding society and culture. The book encourages readers to reconsider familiar stories by uncovering the complex social structures, power relations, and human experiences that lie beneath their seemingly simple narratives.

An important resource for students, researchers, folklorists, gender studies scholars, and readers interested in Bengali folk culture, this volume makes a valuable contribution to the interdisciplinary study of folklore and its continuing significance in both traditional and modern contexts.