Exploration Of Self Through Androgynous Cyclic Nostoi: A Feminist Analysis Of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando

Abstract

This research contends that androgynous identities are presented and developed in Virginia Woolf’s Orlando following the feminist perspective through cyclic nostoi. Androgyny includes the characteristics associated with the manifestation of dual genders traits that are based on stereotypical images of gender and become a symbol of recognition of the assigned gender roles in a patriarchal society. The selected text, Orlando, focuses on identity transformation through androgynous cyclic nostoi. This research includes the feminist perspective which leads to the evolution of the protagonist on geo-cultural and temporal axes. The nostoi of the protagonist determines the fluidity of his gender characteristics as the West and the East both create their influence on him and develop him into androgynous identity. The selected primary text not only encompasses the socio-culturally assigned gender roles but also explores their influence on the formation of knowledge of the androgynous identities through androgynous cyclic nostoi of the novice. This research proves that androgynous mind works in a multi- dimensional way and it also gets changed due to nostoi and other influential socio-cultural patterns.