Divya is set in the first century BC. Though the novel has a historical background, Divya is not a historical character but represents a woman of the era who is in quest of her identity, her desire to be accepted in society on equal terms—as a human being.

Yashpal raises basic questions of woman’s empowerment in a society segregated by caste and colour (varna). He goes back in time, delving deep into history to trace the roots of the oppression of women. History, for him, is not merely a repertory of past events. It provides an insight into the present and allows us to visualize, even prepare for, changes in the future. For any society, logical analysis and an evaluation of history are essential for its polity. Distortion of history by parties or people who have vested interests often becomes a tool for power and ultimately strengthens the divisive forces, especially in a multicultural, pluralistic society.

When Yashpal started writing, it was a time of great turmoil. In the preface to Divya, he says, ‘History is not a matter of belief, but of analysis.’ Belief expands into faith and faith into blind adoration. History is important because it gives knowledge of the process of development of human civilization so that one can analyse the present composition of society and indicate the future course of development. From a historical perspective, the life portrait of Divya throws light on the socio-political structure of India at the time. It also depicts the plight of women, their social and religious bondage, and their struggle for independence.

In Indian literature, ideological discussions on women-related issues started taking place in the early twentieth century, but murmurs could be heard even in the period known as the Indian Renaissance. The impact of reform movement during the Indian struggle for freedom was significant on various social groups. There are diverse images of this period. On one side, the oppressed working classes, artisans and peasants were opposing British exploitation; on the other, revolutionary groups were fighting for independence. In addition, the leaders of the reform movement were fighting against inhuman Hindu customs like sati and child marriage. The Brahmo Samaj of Bengal and its leaders Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Keshav Chandra Sen among others, worked relentlessly and succeeded, with the help of British governance, in enforcing laws, banning sati and raising the age of consent. After much work, the law allowing widow remarriage was also enforced. These were steps to ameliorate the agony and misery of Indian women. Orthodox upholders of religion vehemently opposed these actions. A section of the educated public and those who were enlightened or sensitive also resisted these reforms because they considered them to be British interference in the traditions and culture of India. These reform movements all over the country also raised voices in support of female education, supported the Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act and opposed child marriage.

The national freedom movement was not only for the end of British rule. It also called for women’s liberation and the upliftment of untouchables and dalits who were denied basic human rights by the caste-ridden Hindu society. The growth of Western education was creating an atmosphere of enlightenment among the emerging middle class and people were getting acquainted with terms like equality, freedom, fraternity and democracy. Mahatma Gandhi had emphatically declared that a freedom which does not carry the participation of half its population should not be contemplated. It was due to Gandhi’s charismatic influence that a large number of womenfolk came out of their confinement and participated in the various phases of the freedom movement. The change in attitude was visible. Contemporary newspapers and magazines were highlighting women’s issues. They were showing concern about the miserable condition of widows and the repercussions of child marriage. Some of the magazines had women editors and others had regular women contributors writing on various gender-related subjects.