Introducing a New Literary Theory: Reactive Defensive Oppression through the Lens of Mahesh Dattani’s Bravely Fought the Queen and Alice Walker’s The Color Purple

Abstract

Literature is a quiet representation of artistic work, and literary theory works as the regulator that handles the way of the text. This paper introduces Reactive Defensive Oppression (RDO) as an original literary theory that redefines oppression as an emotional defence mechanism, rather than a stable exercise of hegemonic power. Where classical frameworks often read oppression through systems of patriarchy, race, and colonialism, RDO shifts its focus towards the psychological necessity behind those oppressive acts, especially those triggered by emotional instability, fear of dethronement, or emotional fragility. The theory argues that many oppressive characters do not act out of dominance, but from a deep internal panic, a desperate effort to protect perceived authority, relevance, or identity. RDO is organized into a triadic model: Passive RDO (emotional paralysis), Self-RDO (internalized oppression), and Ideological RDO (performative aggression rooted in insecurity). To demonstrate this framework across cross-cultural and gendered causes, this study conducts a comparative analysis of Mahesh Dattani’s Bravely Fought the Queen and Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, two texts that, despite geographical and cultural differences, reveal strikingly similar emotional patterns of oppression. The paper engages with Freud’s defence mechanisms, Foucault’s theory of power, and Spivak’s subaltern critique, but proposes RDO as a filling concept, bridging a gap where traditional theories often overlook emotionally unstable oppressors. By repositioning oppression as a reactive emotional praxis, RDO offers a new interpretive lens for studying trauma, gender, and power across diverse literary landscapes.