Draupadi as the ‘Other’: A feminist reading through Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex

Draupadi, a central figure in The Mahabharata , is often celebrated as a symbol of defiance, yet her narrative is profoundly shaped by patriarchal structures that regulate women's agency. This study examines Draupadi as a transhistorical figure whose experiences aligns with Simone de Beauvoir's theorization of woman as the ‘Other’ in The Second Sex . Using a qualitative feminist hermeneutic approach, the article applies Beauvoir's existential framework to three pivotal episodes: Draupadi's Swayamvara, her polyandrous marriage, and the attempted public disrobing, to examine how her identity is constructed, constrained, and negotiated within intersecting systems of male authority and social expectation. The analysis demonstrates that Draupadi's narrative embodies the forms of marginalization de Beauvoir identifies, while also revealing how she transforms imposed humiliation into moral and political agency. By situating Draupadi within a global feminist discourse, the study highlights the continued relevance of mythic narratives for understanding autonomy, embodiment, and women's negotiations with power across cultural and historical contexts. Extending Beauvoir's existential framework to a South Asian epical narrative, the article contributes to feminist theory by showing that epic figures can illuminate ongoing debates about gender, freedom, and female subjectivity.