MARITAL DISHARMONY IN MANJU KAPUR’S NOVEL 'CUSTODY' (Pages 180-186) by Ms. P. Elizabeth Kalpana in THE ENGLISH RESEARCH EXPRESS / ISSN:2321-1164 (Online); 2347-2642 (Print)

Marriage is one of the greatest events in the life of any individual. It marks the beginning of a new existence. All societies have viewed it as the most important event not only for the individual, but also for the survival and well being of the community. Thus every society has most carefully defined and regulated the customs concerning this event. Sadly, the current social scene of the modern Indian society shows a great change in the traditional idea of marriage. Emancipation of woman has given them opportunity to take up higher education and gainful employment, which has compelled them to fight for equality with men even in their married life. This conflict between tradition and modernity is the sole trend of the transition era and has been dealt frequently as the main problem of the institution of marriage. The changing views of love, soon after marriage shows the traditional concept of love, which used to give birth to a family through it a society, is fast fading out from the life of human beings. They fail to contemplate the far reaching consequences of their maladjustments. They drift apart when they are unable to sort out their problems which result in the strain and tension in their relationship. Divorce is the final tragic denouement of family disorganization. Manju Kapur’s latest novel Custody is a story of marriages that disintegrate and intertwine with cruel and heart-rending consequences. Absorbing, moving and beautifully written, it explores the lengths we go to for the ones we love. The novel describes the marital life and marital discord of both the protagonists Shagun and Ishita giving minuscule details. Key words: Emancipation, Modernity, Disorganization, Distasteful, Transition, Maladjustment.