The Evil for Evil Cycle: Sound − Echo − Bang With reference to Selected Novels of Shobhaa D’e

The aim of the research is to find out the factors for dominance of a Narcissist partner in a manwoman relationship. Narcissism affects marriage adversely. Characters in the selected novels of Mrs. D’e are nymphomaniac. It is seen in the novels of Shobhaa De that central characters are Narcissist. A Narcissist is not loyal. S/he is too self-centered. Their partners are victims who suffer. A Narcissist does not improve as s/he never realizes his/her drawback. The article refers to two novels of Shobhaa D’e: Sethji and Srilaaji. Sethji published in 2012 and Srilaaji published in 2020 present stories of aristocrats who mutually accept adultery. Gas lighting is often used to manipulate the partner. A narcissist plays the victim card and makes the partner believe that s/he is guilty. Amrita, the protagonist of Sethji had to accept the marriage proposal against her wish. She loved MK who was already engaged to Tabassum. MK kept promising her that he would break the engagement but he did not. Amrita did not like Srichand but her mother convinced her to accept the proposal so that Sethji would help them financially. Amrita had to accept the proposal. She was hurt by both MK and her own mother. MK disappeared for many years. Sethji seduced her physically. Amrita used her charm and beauty to dominate the household affairs and even the political matters of Sethji. Sethji trusted her. She smartly handled all the problems. Srichand loved her but she kept avoiding him. Amrita was a victim of paranoia. She did have a troublesome youth but she herself also turned very rude. When trapped by men of Bhau and Jaiprakash Jethia, she managed to save herself and Sethji with the help of MK. She managed her life even after the death of her husband. She became emotionless making her way. Srilaa never got genuine love or care from her parents. Her parents lived in separate rooms. Her mother had a mental problem due to which she did not pay attention on her. Father was always busy with his business affairs. Srilaa did not get enough love or care. She was married to Abu Daya who loved and cared for her. He respected her too. He was a gay. Both partners accepted extra marital relations of each other mutually. Srilaa as a mother was too self- centered. Her children did not get enough love, care or attention. Khushboo in her adulthood realized her mother’s selfishness. She fought with Srilaa. Abu Daya passed away. After his death, Srilaa, instead of paying more attention towards children, turned to fulfill her sexual needs. Many men came in her life. Srilaa did not remain loyal to any partner with whom she had developed relationship. Both Amrita and Srilaa are echoes of what situations came in their lives but they banged the same. They were not aware about their own psyche but they played the same role they hated. Suppressed paranoia turned the ladies too calculative to think and care for others. Mothers of Amrita and Srilaa both were victims of male dominated society that never thought of feelings of women. Srilaa and Amrita both understood and pitied the condition of their respective mothers but they turned rude and calculative. Srilaa herself never cared or gave enough time to her children. The novels show how a Narcissist influences echoes and later those echoes turn into the same Narcissistic voice. It is a vicious cycle where echo becomes the sound that turned into similar bang.