Splitting Mām̐ in two. A psychoanalytical reflection on the “Madonna/Whore” dichotomy in India

In the field of the contemporary Social Studies, psychoanalysis occupies a peculiar role: while, on the one hand, its epistemological status is still debated, on the other hand it has eminently contributed to shed light on the psychological dynamics of the Indian joint families, so allowing a deeper investigation around the sensitive issue of women vulnerability. As a matter of fact, due to the cultural and religious institutionalisation of motherhood, if a woman complies to its normative requirements she is idealised and respected by the members of the family and by the society, whereas if she is inscribed in the framework of womanhood as such, she is considered as unreliable, treacherous and in need of masculine control or, as many crime news report, of punitive group actions. What are the reasons of this splitting of the feminine (and maternal) figure, as aptly exemplified by the dichotomy Madonna/Whore? The present paper aims at investigating, through the lens of relational psychoanalytical theories, the possible reasons of this ambivalent stance around womanhood and motherhood, comparing multiple narratives, particularly Hindu myths and news reports.