Research Proposal for PhD

Female Subjugation by the Male-Dominated Society: A Comparative

Study of Roy’s and Deshpande’s Select Fiction

By

Abdul Aziz

PhD English Literature Research Scholar

Nationality: Pakistani

Date of Birth: 18-03-1981

Contact: +92 300 657 7287

Email: aziz.zav@gmail.com

Govt. Islamia College Lahore-Pakistan

Area of Research: Contemporary English Fiction

Key Research: Subjugation, Despotism, Social Norms, Malevolence, Patriarchal

Society

Department of English Language & Literature

 CONTENTS

Chapter 1
Introduction 03

Background and Significance of the Study 05

Research Objective & Research Questions 06
Delimitation of the Study 07
Chapter 2
Literature Review 07

Research Methodology 10

Chapter 3
Close study & Analysis of the selected texts 10
Female Subjugation 11

Assimilation of a Despotic Position 11

The Role of the Male-dominated Society 11
Complicit Norms & Practices of the Patriarchal Society 11

Chapter 4
Data Analysis & Discussion 12
Comparative & Discursive Analysis of the Select Material 12
Redefining Role for the Woman 12
Chapter 5
Conclusion 12
Tentative Timelines 10
Bibliography 13

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Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

The condition of the modern woman has been portrayed by many contemporary
novelists of Pakistan and India and urged to change her plight. This research explores
thematic representation of female subjugation through discursive analysis of the major
literary works of two prominent contemporary Indian feminist writers, Arundhati Roy
and Shashi Deshpande.

The recurrent focus of this study is discourse analysis of female subjugation by

the male-dominated Asian and the Sub-continental patriarchal societies. The poignant
picture of the modern woman portrayed by the writers and novelists of the same era
exposes suffrage through segregation and suppression by her male counterpart.

The lot of the woman of today has become lamentable which Fuller (2002) best
describes here: ”The lot of woman is sad. She is constituted to expect and need
happiness that cannot exist on earth. She must stifle such aspirations within her secret
heart, and fit herself, as well as she can, for a life of resignations and consolations.”
The point of female subjugation raised by this study in the works of Arundhati
Roy and Shashi Deshpande created through language and silence, represented as a
result of the outcome of her struggle for survival and getting free from cruel bondage
of the malevolent patriarchal society. This research takes major literary works of Roy;
The God of Small Things (1997), The Algebra of Infinite Justice (2002) and The
Ministry of Utmost Happiness (2017), and Deshpande’s works; That Long Silence
(1988), The Dark Holds No Terrors (1980), If I Die Today (1982) and The Binding
Vine (1992) to study miserable condition of women. Apart from the physical
afflictions, mental torture and social discrimination, and further the injustices
prevalent in the Sub-continent; Pakistani and Indian social arenas are presumably
beyond calculation.

The novelists under study, Arundhati Roy and Shashi Deshpande, seem to go so
far in portraying female subjugation that they urge a malevolent poise on the part of
the woman. The deviations on the part of the novelists under study seem to assume for
female-gender a despotic role in a man-manipulated society which has happened to be
extremely oppressive. After the thorough exploration of the primary texts, this study

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goes so far to redefine role for the modern woman in the patriarchal society which
should be her appropriate and rightful place in order to live a satisfied life where there
should be acknowledged her part in her social arenas.

The present study explores all such instances existed in the writings of the two
Contemporary authors of the same national as well as representing the same gender,
by authenticating the claims, resolving the questions it raises and consolidating its
objectives.

The study will deal with some key terms in order to better understand the main
exponents of the social norms prevalent in the sub-continental societal milieu
discussed in the study. It will be apt to have a brief description of those ones.

Subjugation

By subjugate we mean to bring under control or to get control of something with

power, especially by conquest and subduing other people. The study deals with this
term in the implication of man’s subduing woman. Since the Sub-continental society
is dominated by man who defines woman’s identity and place howsoever he wants to.
The woman is completely dependent on that definition, and whatever the role in the
social arenas set by man. Whole of preceding human history has been going on after
this defined role of woman. This point has been substantiated by the textual references
of the primary sources. These works present a clear picturesque of man’s full exercise
of his will in subjugating his counterpart. The selected fiction presents thematic
representation of those malignant upheavals which have been observed in man’s
conduct as well as practice. The modern era, however, has observed an imbalance of
the power which is now bending to its decline in reverse order. The contemporary age
has emerged as leading to a state of halt in relation to the previous practices of female
subjugation. Women are now endeavoring hard to fight for their rightful place in the
society which they demand nothing less than the equal status to man.

Malevolence

According to the Oxford dictionary (11th Ed.) definition, “malevolence” means,

“wishing evil to others”. This study takes this term in the implication of

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‘male-dominated’ and in the practices of man’s subjugating female gender by the
maltreatment of the latter. Since man has been keeping on with his dominance in all
the affairs, the woman has, on the other hand, been holding on the secondary role in
the social set up for centuries. The male-dominated society formally or informally
privileged man to exercise full powers over woman and these powers have always
been highly inhuman. Man’s exploitative conduct and the maltreatment of woman can
aptly be declared as “malevolent” in the actual sense. Hence, the female has also been,
centuries long, accepting his dominant role willingly or unwillingly. Interpreting the
thematic representation of the works under study, man’s malevolent role has been
implied more specifically in the Asian, and sub-continental background rather than
generally applying it to the other parts of the world, especially the Western societies.

Despotism

According to the Oxford dictionary (11th Ed.), “despotism” means, “ruling with
exercising absolute power, especially in a cruel and oppressive way”. This study uses
this term in interpreting ‘violence or getting violent’ implying the woman’s getting
violent in reaction to man’s cruel and inhuman dominated conduct. The selected
literary works of Roy and Deshpande are a blessed representation of the female
suffrage and segregation, and seem to revolt against man’s exploitative practices. The
works under study have been traced creating a ‘Despotic’ woman reacting,
challenging and revolting against man’s dominant position, which will be sufficiently
referenced from the selected material.

Background and Significance

In the contemporary feminist writings of the native as well as non-native writers

and theorists propounding their thoughts in English language, primary focus has been
on urging a respectable place for the woman. The writers of this era seem to be
endeavoring to suggest a very productive, stimulative and effective role to the female
gender. The works of Arundhati Roy and Shashi Deshpande are among such literature
that picks these points. This study raises one of the most important issue pertaining to
the female gender and deals with the problem of great concern for the Woman; the
issues of Subjugation, Identity-crisis and the treatment in a despotic way irrespective
of the inclusion of her role in the man-dominated society. And that she represents

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more than half section of the society. The study is a thematic representation of the
most striking works of these two writers of the contemporary world, and also in
redefining role for the modern woman. This new ‘redefinition’ has been suggested, in
the Asian societal background in particular, and in the Western one in general, as not
to be ‘despotic” but “acquiescent” and “amicable” in order to achieve a respectable
position for the female gender.

The current status which female gender is trying to assume is further causing her
re-subjugation by being an easy prey to the prevalent Asian patriarchy which has
some very strange traditions. It is in the first place, essentially a male-dominated
society, then it has been malevolent and despotic towards its counterpart, and finally,
it has never thought its counterpart less than a sub-human. The present study explores
all such instances existed in the writings of the two contemporary authors of the same
national and representing the same gender as well as, by authenticating the claims,
resolving the questions it raises and consolidating its objectives.

Objectives

The objectives of this study are as follows:

1. To explore the elements of malevolence and subjugation practices represented in

the sub-continental patriarchal society which negate the woman’s rightful status
through the interpretation of the select material.
2. To redefine the role for the modern woman which could substantiate her rightful
place by eliminating the prevalent social norms of the male-dominated society.

Research Questions

This study addresses the following questions:

1. How the woman is subjugated by the male-dominated patriarchal society?

2. Where does the contemporary fiction lead the modern woman getting despotic in
making or marring her lot?
3. What role modern woman should assume in order to achieve her rightful place
and respectable role in a patriarchal society?

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4. What do the terms, “Malevolence”, Subjugation” and “Despotism” imply in
redefining the woman’s role?

Delimitation

This study will analyze major works of Aundhati Roy and Shashi Deshpande
sharing thematic representation of female subjugation and identity issues, and the
conduct of the modern female gender. The selected works of these novelists, The God
of Small Things (1997), The Algebra of Infinite Justice (2002) and The Ministry of
Utmost Happiness (2017) by Arundhati Roy, and Shashi Deshpande’s, That Long
Silence (1988), The Dark Holds No Terrors (1980) and If I Die Today (1982) are
written in the contexts of female concerns. The study will analyze the primary texts
yoked in the theme of female suffrage and the subjugating conduct of the despotic
patriarchal society. Apart from studying the fiction of contemporary feministic
concern, this research will be limited to the literary works sharing thematic
representation of the elements dealing with female-identity challenges and what part
these patriarchal social norms do play in relation to the exploitation of the woman. In
this way, other themes of the select fiction plus the occasionally published papers,
articles & features, press audios (especially by Roy) and other non-fiction as well as
the non-published material like screen stuff and media adaptations etc. of the writers
will be beyond the scope of this study.

Chapter 2

Review of Literature

Having undertaken a very important theme of great concern over the years, the
researcher of this study is much excited to deepen his understanding of the role
assumed by the modern woman through the interpretation of the major works of
contemporary interest. Previous scholars have identified varied attitudes and norms
which have dealt with the woman’s role and identity issues faced by the woman.
Arundhati Roy and Shashi Deshpande share the thematic representation of female
gender, and her role in a male-dominated patriarchal society of the Sub-continent
which has bound her in the familial configurations in such a way that it has squeezed
her faculties altogether. Here, it has been given the related literature recently
published on Arundhati Roy and Shashi Deshpande.
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Review of Deshpande’s literature:

Priya (2016) has analyzed Shashi Deshpande’s That Long Silence on the feminist
perspective. The paper deals with the feminist aspect from political, cultural and
economic perspective in order to survive in an oppressive society and to secure
women’s rights on the one hand and love, respect, sympathy and understanding from
the man on the other. The researcher of this paper tries to make the woman able to
attain her lawful rights and deals with the woman’s status, her failures in the
socioeconomic milieu of the Sub-continent. The researcher has written about the
conflict between tradition and modernity in relation to women in a middle class
society.

Then, Vijaya Rani (2016) has analyzed the struggling of the women in the
contemporary society for freedom. Focusing Deshpande’s major novels, the
researcher maintains the view that the Indian woman seeks to be emancipated. Even
though poor, she wants to be independent though bound by affection, she craves for
deliverance from manipulation. In short, what a woman wants, in Indian Subcontinent,
is the same emancipation for the female as for the male. The question of superiority or
inferiority to man is irrelevant. What is relevant, is the modern woman’s endeavor to
grapple with the her conditions and circumstances. This is precisely Deshpande’s
message, louder and clearer.

Santhi (2016) in her paper, “The Synthesis of the Dualism of Tradition and Modernity
in Shashi Deshpande’s Roots and Shadows” maintains that the impact of changing
social forces started redefining the traditional myths of idealized images of
womanhood. With her awareness of the plight of the Asian woman caught in the cross
currents of tradition and modernity bearing the burden of family and familial
relationship and making desperate efforts to make the alternate spaces, she explores
new horizons in contemporary English fiction arenas.

In “Authentic Female Characters in the Novels of Shashi Deshpande”, Dr. Neeta

Sharma (2014) has maintained that Deshpande has created authentic female characters,
for instance, the characters with recognizable credentials. She believes in presenting
life as it is and not as it should be. There are a number of Indian novels that deal with
woman’s problems, but the treatment is often peripheral and the novels end up
glorifying the stereotypical virtues of the Indian woman, like patience, devotion and
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abject acceptance of whatever is meted out to her. The heroines are totally different in
the sense that they explode the myth of man’s superiority and the myth of woman
being the paragon of all virtues.

“The New Woman in Bharati Mukherjee’s Wife and Shashi Deshpande’s That Long
Silence: A Comparative Study” has been analyzed by Kumara Sami (2015)
comparatively analyzing the problem of communication’ in the novels of Mukherjee
and Deshpande. The study sheds light on the predicament of an Indian wife finding
her self-identity. It highlights household duties imposed on the woman and criticizes
the conduct of the husbands and says; “they remain silent probing into their past,
struggling with their present and trying to establish a rapport with their future”. There
are similarities thematically as well as significant differences.

Review of Roy’s literature:

The research work done on Roy’s works is not less both in volume and content.
The research done with immediate relation and concerns by-passing the particular
point by the current study will be given here.

A study does appear with the title,“Feministic Analysis of Arundhati Roy's

Postmodern Indian Fiction: The God of Small Things” identifies the feminist strains
in the postmodern Indian Fiction, The God of Small Things. The study investigates
Roy’s novel with the aim to seek feministic values. The researcher claims that the
novel by Roy generates a line of clash between the older and the younger generation.
Family and political customs play a key role in disadvantaging women. Social
constrains are so built up as to sanctify the persecution of women. It is because most
of the societies are patriarchal which segregate the opposite gender and thinks it a just
right to do so assuming for itself dominant position.

A similar research also does exist with the title, “Narrativity in Postmodern Text: A
Study of Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things” which traces the progress of
narratology in modern perspective where the discipline went through a narrative turn
and flourished into a universal expansion.

“An Application of Strain Theory in Aravind Adiga’s Postmodern Indian Fiction: The
White Tiger” undertaken, deals with the individuals who commit crime for their
societal pressure to achieve high standard of life. The study applies the “Strain
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theory” to the contemporary literature because only the contemporary literature
sanctions the liberal ethics.

Gnanamon (2017) has viewed the same thematic representation in postmodern

tendencies have been reflected in Indian writing in English over the past few years.
This paves way for the creation of new sociocultural and political situation and
circumstances that push the marginal or the extreme marginal to the centre stage.
Feminism as it is an accompanying issue of postmodernism is the product of such a
sensibility.

A transgender study has been done by Taskeen (2018) through comparative analysis
of Roy’s and Faiqa Mansab’s novels; The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, and A House
of Clay and Water respectively. The “Role of Language in the Lives of the
Transgender Protagonists in Arundhati Roy's The Ministry of Utmost Happiness and
Faiqa Mansab's A House of Clay and Water: A Comparative Analysis” evaluates the
critical reaction of Roy and Mansab to the plight of the transgender population in
India and Pakistan. It also explores the role played by language in the lives of these
marginalized people.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Data Collection

As the scope of this study pertains to arts and humanities and it uses a Theoretical
framework in nature, it hence qualifies the Qualitative method of research. This
qualitative study is analytical and descriptive and uses the tools of textual and
discourse analysis for this end. In this way, no questionnaires, interviews or
simulations, etc. will be applicable to the study for the collection of data. The study
will use the existing data for analysis from the selected literary works of Arundhati
Roy and Shashi Deshpande. So all the possible sources for collecting the concerning
data will primarily be the selected texts of the chosen authors, and additionally,
Libraries, eLibraries, Seminars, Conventions, Annual events, Literary sources as well
as discussions, and the Internet will be made into use as secondary source.

9
Data Analysis

In order to analyze the data, theoretical framework will be used. Discourse analysis
and the Feminist literary theories of Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986) and Betty
Friedan (1921-2006) will be adopted. The study will be analyzed from the Feminist
theories based on de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex and Friedan’s The Feminine
Mystique.

Chapter 3

Interpretation & close study of the select data

Chapter 4

Data Analysis

Chapter 5
Conclusion & Findings
Tentative Research Plan:
Chapter-1
Introduction
Female subjugation and secondary role in male-dominated society
Study of the despotic and malevolent norms of the society
The role of the female gender: Despotic or Acquiescent
Chapter 2
Review of Literature
Chapter 3
Norms & Practices of the Patriarchal Society
Chapter 4
Data Analysis and Discussion
Comparison of the selected material
Redefining role for the Woman
Chapter 5
Conclusion and Findings
TENTATIVE TIMELINES:

Reception and Welcome:

08:00–12:30 Health Centre Registration

10
12:30–13:30 Graduate School Welcome

14:30–16:30 Library and IT Induction

13:00–14:00 PGR Induction Meeting:

Welcome and overview for the new Postgraduate Research

students (presumably by the Director of Graduate Studies
and Postgraduate Student Advisor etc)

11:00–13:00 Coffee and Cake at the Social Sciences & Arts Graduate
Center

14:00-14:45 PGR Induction for Research Students:

Welcome and induction for students

14:45-15:20 School of English induction

Introduction to School IT matters and other key research

administration (For all new School of English PGR
students)

15:30-16:00 PGR/PGT Welcome Reception

16:00-17:00 PGR/PGT Seminar:

First seminar of the term –welcome for all PG students

Students’ Union Welcome Fair

The Welcome Fair and the events of the welcome programme. (Presumably taking
place on 23rd & 24th of September at the Sports Village, full of societies, sports clubs
etc.)

-Taught Module

Provision of Help and support

Great fun & Gala -exciting moments and events with starting of the university with
full support and guidance on coming proceedings.

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1st Year: Mandatory Taught Module (RTM)

Start dates--

 Taught & class-work

 Participation in Seminars, Conventions, Annual events, Discussions groups

etc.

 Completion of Taught Module

 First-Term exams

End of the Taught Module…….. End dates--

-Research Module

2nd Year: Mandatory Research Module (RM)

 Close study of the selected material

 Partly taking part in occasional Seminars, Conventions, and Annual events etc.

 Using Libraries, eLibraries, Literary sources & the Internet

 Composition of the Dissertation draft

3rd Year:

 Completion of the dissertation draft

 Approval from the Internal/Potential Supervisor

 Presentation & Defense, and PG Degree Award

 Participation in the final year Annual events

End dates & Departure

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 Bibliography

Primary Sources

Roy, Arundhati. The God of Small Things. India: Penguin Book Publishers,

1997.Print.

---. The Algebra of Infinite Justice. New Delhi: Penguin Random House, 2002.Print.

---. The Ministry of Utmost Happiness. New Delhi: Penguin Random House,

2017.Print.

Deshpande, Shashi. The Dark Holds No Terror. New Delhi: Penguin, 1980.Print.

---. That Long Silence. New Delhi: Creative Books, 1988.Print.

---. If I Die Today. New Delhi: Orient Longman, 1982.Print.

---. The Binding Vine. New Delhi: Penguin, 1993.Print.

Secondary Sources

Adhikari, Madhu Malati. Power Politics in The God of Small Things.web

Cali-Madell, Jane. Gender issues in The God of Small Thing. Web.

De Beauvoir, Simon. (1978). The Second Sex. London: Penguin.

Dhawan, R.K.(Edt.) Arundhati Roy, The Novelist Extraordinary.p.41.

Harish, Ranjana. Her Body was Her Own: A Faminist note on Ammu’s Female Estate

in Indira Bhatt, Indira Nityanandam. Edts. Explorations Arundhati Roy’s The

God of Small Things. (New Delhi: Creative Books, 1999) p.47.

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Indian English Fiction (1980-90): An Assessment. Ed. Nilufer E. Bharucha and Vilas

sarang, New Delhi: B. R. Publisher, 1994. pp. 108-109.

Premila Paul, ‘The Dark Holds No Terror: A Women’s Search For refuge’, Indian

Women Novelist. Set 1, vol. v. Ed. R.K. Dhawan, New Delhi, Prestigue, 1995, p.

64.

Purdah in The Subcontinental Novel In English. Ed. Jasbir Jain and Amina Amin

(New Delhi: Sterling, 1995), p. 200.

Rani Dharker, ‘Girl-Wife-Mother: The marginalized in the text of Shashi Deshpande

and Bharti Mukharjee’. R. K. Dhawan, New Delhi, Prestige, 1991, p. 67.

Shashi Deshpande. Women’s Complexities being lost, The New Indian Express, 2001,

p. 4.

Van Dijk, T. A. (2001). Critical discourse analysis. Retrieved from

http://www.discourses.org/OldArticles/Critical%20discourse%20analysis.pdf on

23-05-2018.

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