The Poetics of In-betweeness: A Study of Selected Poems for Meena Alexander

Abstract

This paper deals with Meena Alexander (1951-2018), one of the most influential Indian English poets. It focuses on her poetry which explores the relationship between Indian culture and the British culture, as well as the bond between memory and present reality. In this paper, a study was undertaken to investigate Alexander's works that dramatize postcolonial tension and resistance in independent India. The many power dynamics that marginalize individuals in the postcolonial ear on the basis of class, culture, gender and religion are discussed. As a result, it is clear that colonial power abuse has vanished, only to be replaced by interior exploitation. This paper also deals with her diasporic experience and her perspectives on creating a home, both living and literary, as well as an independent identity of her own via her literary productions.