The Subjugation of Muslim Women as ‘other’ in Qaisra Shahraz’s The Holy Woman

Authors

  • Daniya Mumtaz, Jasmeen Kaur, Dr. Mukuta Borah

Abstract

The research identifies the suffering of Muslim women through the character of ZarriBano in The Holy Woman, representing the socially constructed norms under the umbrella of religion to provide the certain directions to the women. The research scrutinizes the patriarchal institution that governs the cultural and religious practices with the purpose of sustaining the male hegemony existing in the society. The novel depicts the role of women and it’s objectification in the society of Pakistan. The research examines how women’s stature is confined to the role of mother and daughter in Pakistani society, however when they detract from the established standards, their bodies are forced into slavery and identities are disfigured by power mechanisms. Patriarchy uses a range of methods to regulate and subjugate women, notably correlating honor and dignity with a woman's body and perceiving chastity as the ultimate good. The research targets to resolve how ZarriBano survives the social and sexual oppression resisting the existing norms under the name of culture and religion. Simon de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex initiates to analyze the tussle between the women and the society where woman is subjugated as ‘other’ taking into consideration the theory of gender and sex.

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Published

2022-01-22