Authors: Deeksha Khajuria
Abstract: Memsahibs on the Faithful Indian Wife: The Outsider’s Perspective on the Other explores how British colonial women (memsahibs) constructed and interpreted the identity of Indian wives during the colonial period. Through travel writings, memoirs, and personal narratives, memsahibs often portrayed Indian women as submissive, loyal, and confined within rigid cultural and domestic boundaries. This study critically examines these representations as products of colonial ideology, shaped by cultural bias, imperial power structures, and a sense of Western superiority. It highlights how such narratives contributed to the “othering” of Indian women while simultaneously reinforcing colonial authority. By analyzing these outsider perspectives, the paper reveals the intersection of gender, race, and colonial discourse, and questions the authenticity and implications of these portrayals in shaping historical and cultural understanding.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19283949
