
As an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner, Menrva Books earns from qualifying purchases. Learn more
The Outcaste, a first-person narrative, is an emotionally violent autobiography of a half-caste growing up in the Mahar community, and the anguish he suffers from not belonging to it fully. A numbing account of the humiliation of a community at the hands of an unthinking privileged class, it is a reflection on the darker side of Indian society. The work brings to light [through bitter critique] the lack of compassion that the lower castes have endured for centuries in our caste-ridden society. First published in 1984, the Marathi original went through four editions, and was acknowledged as a true milestone that publicized the Dalit cause.
This work investigates the psychological and social consequences of being born into a marginalized caste while simultaneously existing on the periphery of that community. Sharankumar Limbale utilizes his own life experience as a half-caste individual to critique the rigid hierarchies of Indian society. By documenting his personal struggle for identity and acceptance, he provides a raw analysis of the systemic humiliation and lack of compassion inherent in the caste system. The text serves as both a personal record and a broader socio-political indictment of historical inequality.
What You Will Find
Experts and scholars recognize this text as a foundational document in the canon of Dalit literature. Readers frequently note the stark, unvarnished nature of the prose, which serves to emphasize the severity of the social conditions described.
Page Count:
156
Publication Date:
2007-09-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0195694066
ISBN-13:
9780195694062
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!