Anxiety, Identity and Resistance in Karen Horney’s Neurotic Theory through Manju Kapur’s Protagonist

This research paper explores the psychic condition of Karen Horney’s psychoanalytic theory of neurosis, focusing on Manju Kapur’s three vital protagonists named as ‘Virmati’ from Difficult Daughter, ‘Nisha’ from Home and ‘Nina’ from The Immigrant. Karen Horney, being a prominent psychoanalytical feminist, challenged Freudian concept of “repressed sexuality” by proposing that the basic anxiety is caused by disrupting interpersonal relationships particularly in early childhood. She introduced the three major neurotic trends as ‘compliance’, ‘aggression’ and ‘detachment’ each misrepresents the replication of anxiety and insecurity. Manju Kapur, a pioneer contemporary Indian novelist, proudly known for her intimate portrayal of women that manoeuvre the cultural expectations, patriarchal norms and personal trauma. This paper deeply analyzes the protagonist of Kapur’s distinct neurotic pattern that reflects their psychological responses towards the gender oppression by patriarchal dominance and societal expectation. The protagonists: Virmati, incorporates the ‘Compliance theory’ seeking the security through approval and submission; Nisha, manifests the ‘Aggressive theory’ by asserting autonomy and control in defiance of restrictive norms; while Nina, amalgamate into emotional isolation, epitomize the ‘Detached theory’. This study reveals how these women’s neuroses are not merely personal tribulation but manifestation of deeper cultural and familial anxieties, positioning them as both victims and quiet resistors within social worlds through the view of psychoanalytic feminism.