A Psychological Exploration on Unseen Phases of Cinderella Complex

Abstract

This study explores the phases of the “Cinderella Complex,” a psychosocial construct developed by Colette Dowling (1982), through the character of Tulsi in K.R. Meera’s The Poison of Love (2017). Tulsi represents the consequences of social conditioning on Indian women, where dependency masquerades as romantic love, complicating their understanding of marriage as part of their identity. The research investigates how conditioned mentality and neurobiological mechanisms foster Tulsi’s emotional dependence on her husband, Madhav. By integrating Dowling’s psychoanalysis of feminine dependency with Helen Fisher’s interdisciplinary approaches on romantic attachment and obsession, the study explores the causal effect of psychological and neurobiological factors that shape Tulsi’s emotional trajectory. This analysis reveals how entrenched ideals of love contribute to Tulsi’s marital turmoil and eventual filicidal tendencies. The findings highlight the need for a critical re-evaluation of romantic narratives to promote healthier relational patterns and advance discussions on female autonomy and emotional resilience.

Highlights:

1- This study examines how the "Cinderella Complex" drives psychological dependency in women, using the protagonist of K.R. Meera's The Poison of Love as a case study.
2- It integrates feminist psychoanalysis with neurobiological theories to explain the intense grip of romantic attachment and emotional entrapment.
3- The research demonstrates how social conditioning and brain chemistry intertwine to disguise toxic emotional dependency as romantic love.
4- It highlights how an extreme fear of abandonment, fueled by unmet romantic expectations, can lead to tragic consequences like maternal filicide.
5- The findings advocate for a critical re-evaluation of traditional fairy tale romance to promote healthier relational patterns, female autonomy, and emotional resilience.