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1 focuses on the subjection of women

1 Introduction                 This paper aims to analyze thepatriarchal system of the society through a feminist perspective.

The studyfocuses on the subjection of women to the male members in their houses. Also, it focuses on the female sufferings due to the man-made traditions that areforcefully imposed on the female body. To interpret the subjection of women tomen, Bapsi Sidhwa’s novel The Bride (1983) have been consulted. This researchpaper tries to explore the issues of marriage, unwillingness of bride, subjugation of women, cultural conflicts, traditional boundaries andsuppression of females due to which they are being subjected by men.

2. Significance of the StudyThis researchadds into the existing researches of matrimonial issues in Pakistan along withthe subjection of female figure. It contributes in rendering help to the newresearchers in exploring the ways of subjection of women. Moreover, thisresearch interprets Pakistan and especially the tribal areas and tribesmen inthe novel written by Pakistani English writer in which females are supposed tostay mute in the discussion of their own marriage.

In this way, this researchlends a great help to the new researchers working on the current or pastsituation of women in Pakistan that how the Pakistani society is harsh, oppressive, repressive for women and justified in the name of culturaltraditions and religion. The scope of this study is vast because theexploitation of women is common not just in Pakistan but also in most of thesocieties.                                             3. Research Objectives                 The objective of this researchis to analyze the theory of subjection and its link to the plight of subjectedwomen in Pakistani society. It aims to trace out the plight of women under theauthority of patriarchal society. This study aims at exposing the issues ofmarriage, cultural conflicts and struggle for identity, subjugation andsuppression of women portrayed by Sidhwa.

Further, it analyzes the status ofwomen in two different cultures. The present research aims to emphasize theimpact of sexual repression faced by female bodies in the novel The Bride(1983).                               4. ResearchQuestionsThe researchtries to answer the following questions:•             How women are being subjected byboth male and female in The Bride (1983)?•             How the subjection of women is auniversal issue?•             How women’s condition becomesmiserable due to their subjection?                                                   5. LiteratureReviewThischapter of the research presents a review of the research studies on The Bride(1983). It encloses a critique of the related works that are kept underconsideration while carrying out this research study. The review of all theseworks owe a great contribution in the analysis of research topic and presentingan interpretation of the data. AStudy of the Stepfather and the Stranger (1990) by Cynthia Abrioux analyses theimages of the stepfather and the stranger in The Pakistani Bride.

The analysisof these images is brought together in the interpretation of the novel as asymbol of Pakistani society where the stepfather, the strangers and Zaitoonrepresent different parties in Pakistani politics. Her article sees novel as anallegory of early Pakistan with Qasim representing the British colonizers aswell as the corrupt political leaders of the new Pakistan and Zaitoonrepresenting the country. Also, she states that the text has a tendency to skimover the top of the novel and not delving deeply enough into the material.

Thearticle is essentialist in that it focuses on “ feminine as positive and themasculine as negative” (Abrioux 4). LataMishra’s “ Gender, Culture and Nation in Bapsi Sidhwa’s novel The PakistaniBride” (2003) presents the ideas of femininity and masculinity which holds avery strong position in the building and rebuilding of a nation. Mishra throwslight on the fact that women are often thought to be an object of sexuality andare also considered as an object to fulfill the needs of their male partners. They are used as a tool to increase the progeny. Moreover, they must show theirmovements according to the desires of their men.

In this work patriarchy iscriticized severely and different stereotypes which are spread in our societyrelated to women that they must be confined to the boundaries which are imposedupon them by using the names of social parameters and in this way women areexploited in one way or the other. Furthermore, she elaborates the relationshipof power and strength via violent imposition of force by representing it invarious forms and shapes. She narrates, “ Sidhwa’s narratives and characters notonly reveal male dominance but also show the sense of revolt from women anddeal with the issues relevant to women such as patriarchy, stereotyping, exploitation, sexual objectification, violence and oppression” (Mishra 4). SofiaDildar Alvi, Abdul Baseer and Sonia Zahoor in “ The Pakistani Bride; AnAlternative Viewpoint in Pakistani Literature” (2007) shared their views aboutgender based society and male dominance over women.

They highlighted the aspectof women lives that is usually dismissed and ignored in almost all the cases. Women are thought to be only puppets in the hands of their male community whohave no specific identity and act exactly according to the gestures made bytheir male partners. In the above mentioned article the researchers focuses onthe struggle of women for maintaining a safe and well recognized identity alongwith performing all the household activities and fulfillment of the desires andwishes of their men. Although some of them bear a lot of physical and mentaltroubles and hardships but still they are not ready to give up the quest fortheir real identification. Researchers state: BapsiSidhwa tells with a very strong interest and involvement about the condition ofwomen in Pakistani gender biased class structure and pushed the concept of thedenial of women which has a significant place in the Pakistani national anddomestic grounds and presented such female characters who resist thelimitations of patriarchal definition of women by showing them as strong to runthe daily affairs of life without spoiling their identity. (Dildar 3).

6. ResearchMethodologyThetheoretical background of this research draws upon the theory of feminism. “ TheSubjection of Women” (1869) is an essay by John Stuart Mill. Mill is best knownfor his work on the rights of individual, work on tyranny of majority and work onwomen’s rights.

In Mill’s time, woman was considered a subject to the whims ofher husband or father. The inequality was due to the social norms which saidwomen were less able than men, both physically and mentally. As subjection ofwomen is considered universal there is no proof to refute this. The subjugationof women divides human race into two, giving male the full authority to controlthe other race i. e.

female. “ In Subjection of Women” (1869), Mill incorporateshis opinion as: Incontrast with this, the system of the subjection of women(1)is universal; there are no vivid examples of prosperous rejections of it; and(2)is immediately gratifying to half of the human race, namely the male half: ‘ Theclodhopper exercises. . . . his share of the power equally with the highestnobleman’.

And it has a third feature that favours its survival over absolutemonarchy, namely. (6)Aperson who wishes to exert his complete desire can fulfill his desire bypracticing his power upon those who are close to him. In other words, for amale to express his ultimate authority over a female, he must seek those whoare common to him. An example we find in The Bride (1983) is of therelationship of father and daughter. Qasim being a father shows his authorityby controlling her major decision of her life, for example marriage. As afather, he subjugates his daughter since she is the only female personality inhis life who is close to him.

Hence Mills stance of.. . Everyone who desires power desires it most over those who are nearest tohim, with whom his life is passed, with whom he has most concerns in common andin whom any independence of his authority is oftenest likely to interfere withhis individual preferences.

. . . Also, the possessors of the power provided bythe subjection of women are better placed than any absolute monarch to preventany uprising against the system (Mill 7). illustrates the subjection of womenThe study incorporates Mill’s argument onsubjection of women and the individual benefits that one may get after gainingfreedom from the shacks of manly control. Through the various female charactersand subjugation by their husbands

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