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- Title
Re-defining Sexuality: From Object to Subject in Ismat Chughtai's Lihaaf.
- Authors
Thakur, Shikha
- Abstract
This paper demonstrates the imposed sexuality of women in patriarchal society, by collating varied renowned feminist writers' views to uncover the female sexuality. The paper not just challenges the conventionally patriarchal institution of marriage but also explores multiple cultural and psychological problems underwent by women post marriage. Through protagonist of the story, Begum Jan, Chughtai, aims to voice the unvoiced and unleash the leashed. The paper primarily represents the sexuality of women as a means to re-define her identity, by challenging the traditional sexuality conferred to her, that in turn makes her grow from an object of despondence to the subject of agency. paper portrays the intricate relationship between the agency of gender and culture by marking Begum Jan's journey with stigmatization, commoditization and double marginalization in the institution of marriage; which in turn results in robust subversion of the culturally gendered patriarchal ideology. Henceforth, Judith Butler's 'Resignification', Mikhail Bakhtin's 'carnivalesque' and Michel Foucault's 'heterotopia' aptly substantiate Begum Jan's gradual movement from object of victim to subject of power. Her imposed debilitating femininity, and negation of humanity, eventually results in transgression of the patriarchal protocols, thereby, vindicating the fact, greater the oppression stronger the rebellion.
- Subjects
LIHAAF (Short story); CUGHTAI, Ismat, 1915-1991; LESBIAN relationships; SEXUAL intercourse in literature; LESBIAN romance fiction
- Publication
Language in India, 2018, Vol 18, Issue 1, p577
- ISSN
1930-2940
- Publication type
Short Story Review