Language, Ideology, and Social Power in Dina Mehta's Brides Are Not for Burning: A Critical Discourse Perspective

• Author(s): RAJAN; Dr. Nizamuddin
• Paper ID: 1719659
• Page: 1028-1031
• Published Date: 10-07-2026
• Published In: Iconic Research And Engineering Journals
• Publisher: IRE Journals
• e-ISSN: 2456-8880
• Volume/Issue: Volume 10 Issue 1 July-2026

Abstract

Dina Mehta's Brides Are Not for Burning (1979) stands as a searing indictment of dowry-related violence and the patriarchal structures that sustain it in Indian society. This paper examines the play through the lens of Critical Discourse Analysis, exploring how language functions simultaneously as an instrument of ideological control and a site of resistance. The analysis reveals how Mehta's linguistic choices—in dialogue, characterization, and dramatic structure—expose the power dynamics that reduce women to commodities while simultaneously carving out spaces for critique and subversion. The play demonstrates that language is never neutral; it carries within it the weight of social hierarchies, gendered expectations, and the quiet violence of everyday speech. Through its unflinching portrayal of dowry-related deaths and the complicity of families in perpetuating such violence, Brides Are Not for Burning continues to resonate as a vital work of feminist theatre that challenges audiences to confront uncomfortable truths about the relationship between language, ideology, and social power.

Keywords

Critical Discourse Analysis, Dina Mehta, Dowry Deaths, Patriarchy, Feminist Theatre, Language and Power

Citations

IRE Journals:
RAJAN, Dr. Nizamuddin "Language, Ideology, and Social Power in Dina Mehta's Brides Are Not for Burning: A Critical Discourse Perspective" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 10 Issue 1 2026 Page 1028-1031

IEEE:
RAJAN, Dr. Nizamuddin "Language, Ideology, and Social Power in Dina Mehta's Brides Are Not for Burning: A Critical Discourse Perspective" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, vol. 10, no. 1, Jul. 2026

APA:
RAJAN, Dr. Nizamuddin (2026). Language, Ideology, and Social Power in Dina Mehta's Brides Are Not for Burning: A Critical Discourse Perspective. Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 10(1).

MLA:
RAJAN, Dr. Nizamuddin "Language, Ideology, and Social Power in Dina Mehta's Brides Are Not for Burning: A Critical Discourse Perspective" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, vol. 10, no. 1, Jul. 2026.

BibTeX

@article{1719659,
author = {RAJAN, Dr. Nizamuddin},
title = {Language, Ideology, and Social Power in Dina Mehta's Brides Are Not for Burning: A Critical Discourse Perspective},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2026},
volume = {10},
number = {1},
pages = {1028-1031},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1719659.pdf},
abstract = {Dina Mehta's Brides Are Not for Burning (1979) stands as a searing indictment of dowry-related violence and the patriarchal structures that sustain it in Indian society. This paper examines the play through the lens of Critical Discourse Analysis, exploring how language functions simultaneously as an instrument of ideological control and a site of resistance. The analysis reveals how Mehta's linguistic choices—in dialogue, characterization, and dramatic structure—expose the power dynamics that reduce women to commodities while simultaneously carving out spaces for critique and subversion. The play demonstrates that language is never neutral; it carries within it the weight of social hierarchies, gendered expectations, and the quiet violence of everyday speech. Through its unflinching portrayal of dowry-related deaths and the complicity of families in perpetuating such violence, Brides Are Not for Burning continues to resonate as a vital work of feminist theatre that challenges audiences to confront uncomfortable truths about the relationship between language, ideology, and social power.},
keywords = {Critical Discourse Analysis, Dina Mehta, Dowry Deaths, Patriarchy, Feminist Theatre, Language and Power},
month = {July}
}