A portrayal of violence, obstacles and agency of Muslim female characters in the novels, Woman at Point Zero and My Feudal Lord

Abstract

This thesis is based on the feminist theory of patriarchy. My theoretical base is Deniz Kandiyoti’s theory, “Patriarchal Bargain”. I will also relate the theories of Western feminism, post-colonial feminism, Muslim feminism, etc. in order to get a varied perspective on the issues discussed. Moreover, I will address how and why both these women protagonists, Tehmina and Firdaus, were oppressed and tortured by their husbands and by other men. In addition, as both Tehmina and Firdaus belong to two different social classes, one is a rich house-wife and the latter is a poor prostitute, I will concentrate on the similarities and differences in the treatment of their body where the topic of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) will also be addressed. Finally, I will analyze these two Muslim women protagonists’ way of utilizing their ability to make choices, to take decisions and to take actions in order to get their agency, which emerges out of conditions. This will then lead to the examination of to what extent they get their agency – whether they get it fully in order to deal with their gender inequality and to find a stance in their respective male dominated societies.