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Resilience and Empowerment: Victorian and Pakistani Women’s Struggle for Equality

Hira Javed (17) and Javeria Qamar (25)

Department of English, University of Sargodha
ENGL-5116: Fiction II
Dr. Barira Nazir
June 14, 2024
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Resilience and Empowerment: Victorian and Pakistani Women’s Struggle for Equality

The Victorian and Contemporary Pakistani society are the mirror images of each

other. They juxtapose in numerous ways but the most common of those is the treatment of

women in both societies. In Victorian society, women were restricted within the bounds of

societal norms and had to face the staunch class system that pre-defined their role in society. In

Contemporary Pakistan, women are still restricted within these very bounds. The melancholy lies

in the fact that what Victorian Women faced more than a century ago, Pakistani women still face

it. This essay will explore the divergence yet the submergence of these two quite different still

very similar societies, and how these complexities shaped the character of women in both cases.

Simone de Beauvoir, in his book, The Second Sex said: “One is not born, but rather

becomes, a woman.” Women face discrimination and inequality in societies all around the world,

in various forms, the intensity varies across nations depending on cultural norms and social

standing. The European and North American nations face less disparities as compared to women

in the Asian and African regions. However, in the contemporary world, Feminist moments are

advocating for the rights of women and their protection. A United Nations survey, “We the

Women,” shows that despite a global backlash against women’s rights, a majority of women are

determined to advance their rights and participation in government. The survey, which included

responses from over 25,000 women across 185 countries, found that 85% are advocates for

women’s rights and believe in the importance of women’s representation in leadership roles.

The Victorian law was extremely unkind to women. They could not be voters, could not

bring a lawsuit, or possess property once married. This started to change by the Married

Women's Property Acts of 1870 and 1882, which enabled women to keep their earnings and
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belongings post-marriage. Before this act was passed, under the English common law, upon

marriage, a woman's legal property rights and obligations were incorporated by those of her

husband. Women who left these marriages were too little better off, and divorce laws often left

them broken living on little or no money. In Tess of the d’Urbervilles, following John

Durbeyfield’s death, the Durbeyfield family was threatened with eviction from their home. The

house was taken up by a much larger family. This meant that the Durbeyfields had to move too,

and by doing so brought attention to the extremely fragile nature of their lives and to the slim

protections that any social welfare during the Victorian age could offer.

In Victorian society, marriage was considered the most significant aspect of a

woman's life. Jane Austen's infamous opening line of Pride and Prejudice, "It is a truth

universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a large fortune needs a wife."

Marriage was considered the most notable accomplishment of a woman's life. Similarly, in

Pakistani society, marriage remains a central focus. Regardless of a woman's accomplishments or

fulfillment, societal pressure often revolves around finding a suitable match. The pursuit of

marriage is considered the most important quest of a girl's life. This norm reaffirms the similarity

between the two societies. In "The Mill on this Floss", it is evident how Victorian society was

preoccupied with marriage, especially after Maggie's return from the near elopement with

Stephan, society rejected such a woman who has fallen from grace, but it would have been

acceptable if she had married Stephan, just as Lydia Bennet was accepted after she eloped with

Wickham, because they got hitched. These were the dual standards of the Victorian society.

(Shoaib, Safa. (2020). Victorian Society and Pakistani women.)

Comparing the marriage situation in Pakistani society with that of Victorian society
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reveals both similarities and differences, shaped by cultural, historical, and legal contexts. In

both societies, marriage is seen as a crucial social institution that is also seen as the portrayal of

the social standing. Victorian women often had little say in their marital decisions and choices, a

situation that can still be observed in parts of Pakistani society, particularly where arranged

marriages are prevalent and in the rural and conservative parts of the country and it is mostly the

women or mothers of bride who are taking such decisions for her and they are always seen from

a financial point of view regardless of individual's choice, same goes for the man too. (Shoaib,

Safa. (2020)). Economic factors play a crucial role in marriage decisions. In Victorian times,

dowries and financial arrangements were considered important, and similar considerations can

influence marriage in Pakistan, where financial stability and family connections are considered

important and crucial for a woman's future.

In Pakistan, deeply codified patriarchal control exists in institutionalized behavioral

codes for men and women, gender segregation, and ideologies linking family honor to female

virtue1. Women have always been denied their fundamental rights, and regressive social norms

and stereotypical gender views have barred their way into society, leading to various forms of

discrimination and violence. Though there is a strong women's movement and the government

puts in various efforts to bring about gender equality, the stark fact remains: many Pakistani

women remain bound by ultra-patriarchal structures.

Victorian women lived in a society with explicitly marked gender roles where the

ideology of Separate Spheres defined that men and women resided in separate domains of

influence. The Victorian ideology restricted women more and more to the household, justifying

it not only in moral terms by emphasizing their moral superiority but also in physical terms by

claiming that they were too weak in every way to play a full role in the more demanding areas of
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society. Women's advocacy groups striving for equality hardly took off, and most women went

through control and sometimes even cruelty at the hands of their husbands without having much

to say.

The women of Pakistan and Victorian women were, in their times, subject to

patriarchal control, but the manifestations and responses of that control have changed, and

molded into different cultural and societal norms. Across different societies, the struggle for

equal rights of women continue even today.

In many Victorian novels, women were depicted within the bounds of the domestic

sphere, their roles were largely defined by their relationships to men as daughters, wives, and

mothers. The concept of the “Angel in the House” was common, idealizing women’s purity,

selflessness, and moral influence within the home, while simultaneously limiting their agency

and self- independence. The women who advocated their rights and deviated from the path of

social norm were considered "Fallen Angel" (Elizabeth Langland).

In "Pride and Prejudice", Jane Austen gives a very subtle display of patriarchy through

the character of Elizabeth Bennet, who through her wit and presence of mind tackles the

predominance of men and their ways in the Victorian era. With financial considerations

promoting marriage in her life, Elizabeth resists the implications of patriarchy raised against the

essence and nature of proposals that do not meet her standards of mutual respect and love. In

Thomas Hardy's "Tess of the d'Urbervilles", the notion of patriarchy is represented much more

harshly, as the protagonist Tess suffers from the cruel linings of the male-dominated society. It is

a tragic story of Tess, but it demonstrates clearly how women are being victimized and provided

double standards, especially in issues concerning moral concerns about sexuality as well as

freedom and independence. "The Mill on the Floss" by George Eliot tells the story of Maggie
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Tulliver, a girl who craves for knowledge and a life beyond the margins of the hearth. This novel

exposes the patriarchal regime as extremely limiting to the woman's intellect and her desires in

life, which finally proved to be her undoing. In societies across South Asia, especially in

Pakistan, patriarchy serves as a fundamental and systematic mechanism of control, often leading

to the oppression of women. This study primarily focuses on analyzing the effects of patriarchy

on women’s lives. Despite their recognized potential and diverse economic contributions,

women in Pakistan continue to grapple for equal treatment in social, political, and economic

domains. The socio-cultural norms rooted in patriarchy still result in their isolation and

exclusion, barring them from reaping the benefits of development.

The reflection of patriarchy is a major theme within the realm of Pakistani literature,

explored by different authors through different narratives and perspectives. Literature is

reflective of the societal norms and the impact that patriarchy has on people's lives, particularly

women. The role of women in a patriarchal society is a great theme in most Pakistani

postcolonial literature. Most of the authors have portrayed the challenges that women undergo

due to societal demands and the trauma of immigration, which has highly affected Muslim

women in Pakistan. For example, the Progressive Writers' Movement changed the representation

of women and the family, with authors like Sajjad Haider Yaldram, Azeem Baig Chughtai, and

Ismat Chughtai portraying exploitation within the patriarchal system.

"My Feudal Lord" by Tehmina Durrani is a poignant and unflinching memoir that

testifies to the brutalities of living in a patriarchal and feudal setup in Pakistan. Durrani's account

unveils the structural repressions—physical and emotional abuse, social alienation, and

deprivation of elementary rights within the setup of marriage and society in general. The novel

peeps into Durrani's life as the wife of one dominant feudal lord, Mustafa Khar, from subjugation
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to revolt and then to freedom. One of the striking facets of the dominance is the sexual

exploitation that commonly prevails in marriage where women are used merely for the man's

pleasure and as reproductive objects. (Feminist Resistance in Tehmina Durrani’s “My Feudal

Lord” Somya Joshi).

Thomas Hardy described the role of Victorian Women in agricultural produce in

his novel Tess of the d'Urdervilles and he also described the treatment of working-class women

in the patriarchal society. A quote from the text is: "For some probably economical reason it was

usually a woman who was chosen for this particular duty.” (Tess of the d’Urbervilles). The

"economical reason" is of course the lower wages that were set for women, the fearless women

also protested against this injustice. According to a report, in the second half of the 19th century,

various protests were conducted by women, for instance, 'In 1867 women had gone on strike in

Oxfordshire over their wages. The men’s wages had risen by loads in a week and they did not

see why theirs should not go up by the same amount.’

However, these protests were often met with resistance from employers and

authorities, making it difficult for women to achieve their rights in their working conditions.

“They were represented by the paper in a patronizingly ironic language “... the ‘gentler’ sex ...”

[12] and as “The ‘ladies’ ...”. [13] In other words, their political assertiveness doubly damned

them: they were workers and therefore not gentle, also on strike and as therefore not ladies; they

lost all claim to femininity.” (Karen Sayer (1993)). Even after the industrial revolution, and shift

of focus from agriculture to factories, women were still prone to low wages, hard labor, and

harsh treatment.

A similar situation is observed in Pakistani society. Agriculture is the backbone of Pakistan and

The sector employs a significant portion of the population, approximately 68% of women,
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compared with only 28% of men, to think of Pakistan as a male-dominated society but still

women are treated unequally in financial matters. Pakistan is known for suppressing the rights of

women, “studies on women in Pakistan have largely been written in the context of the struggle of

elite and urban women against the anti-women laws and structural changes that have adversely

affected women's lives” (Ali, 2004:129).

In societies governed by patriarchy, women are often prone to various forms of

oppression. Men, on the other hand, enjoy privileges and are placed at the forefront because of

inequality. They are given the freedom to project their opinions, express their feelings, and

pursue their dreams, all thanks to the autonomy granted by the male-centric system. Conversely,

women are pushed to the margins. Writers who uphold patriarchal views tend to portray women

as delicate, vulnerable, passive, compliant, and emotionally driven, suited for conventional ideals

associated with women and their particular sex. (Saeed, Nadia & Shaikh, Muhammad & John,

Stephen & Haider, Kamal. (2020).) Thomas Hardy highlighted the misery and despair faced by

women in his novels, of all his characters "Tess" stands out the most. 'Hardy revealed a very

harsh reality of a Victorian society where it was useless for a woman to raise her voice for

justice. Hardy highlighted the dark side of modernity as Shires (1999) viewed it, “Tess of the

d’Urbervilles is not only the richest novel that Hardy ever wrote, it is also the culmination of a

long series of Victorian texts which identity, enact, and condemn the alienated condition of

modernity”.

'Pakistani male writers continue to stigmatize women. This study shows that

although gender roles are changing, women remain subjugated.' (Amna Khan, 2023). 'Pakistani

Anglophone fiction often portrays women as weak, helpless, vulnerable, docile, and suppressed'

(Waheed, 2019, p. 12). Males are given the sole dominant voices. Pakistani Dramas also play a
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huge role in shaping societal norms, for instance, a Pakistani Drama will always show misery,

and suffering and has no decisive authority over her life.

In Pakistani television dramas too, there are many instances like Tess and

Maggie. Ruswai (2019) is a Pakistani television drama that revolves around the themes of rape,

victim-blaming, and societal attitudes towards survivors of sexual assault. One similarity

between Ruswai and Tess of the d'Urbervilles is the portrayal of the struggles and injustices

faced by women in society. The drama serial "Phaans" had a story very similar to Hardy's novel

Tess, the drama's protagonist is Zeba, who belongs to the working class just like Tess, assaulted

by a man and later on becomes pregnant, though Tess's child dies in infancy, Zeba's child dies

unborn. Both stories offer a critique of societal norms and prejudices. They highlight the

challenges faced by women in patriarchal societies and underscore the need for change.

The situation of women got a lot better after the Victorian Era. The position of

women in England was much bettered after the regions of Victoria through a chain of social,

legal, and political changes. The process of suffrage had already started and reached a great

surge. Gradually the Representation of the People Act was passed in 1918, which provided

voting rights to those women who were at least 30 years old and owned some property. This was

further given an extension in 1928 to women over 21 years old. In this way, they were provided

equal rights with men. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw an increase in women's

education. Coeducational universities were founded, and in 1878, the University of London

became the first university in the UK to grant degrees to women. Better careers were open to

women. The Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 made it a criminal offense for employers

to turn down an application for work on the grounds of gender. Improvements in women's
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conditions were also due to activism for legal changes, which resulted in the protection of

women's rights in the fields of ownership and divorce laws, among other areas.

The status of women in Pakistani society is evolving, but its tempo is not

uniform among all regions and classes. Some women's movements, like the Aurat March, have

reinvigorated debates on women's rights. They also introduced calls against violence against

women and gender/sexual minorities, accessible health rights, as well as economic rights. There

have been attempts to build a legal regime for the protection and promotion of women's rights

through legislation on domestic violence and harassment. Still, implementation strategies are

lagging. Women's presence in political spaces has gradually increased, with more women in

legislative assemblies, vital for the mainstreaming of gender-specific concerns at the level of

policy. Occupational and wage inequality in paid and unpaid work is also being challenged

through calls for safe working spaces for diverse women and equal opportunities in jobs.

However, gaps are still very far from bridged. Mechanisms meant to improve illiteracy and lack

of educational opportunities for females are still very low, and this is vital for any meaningful

progress towards empowerment. Despite changes, there has been massive backlash and

resistance from conservative sections of society and also some visible threats in the form of

extremist religious forces, which is a vivid indicator of the energy that the women's movement

generated. The situation is mixed, with progress in some elements, and relations of the nation

with severe challenges in others. The overall level of violence against women and their well-

being remains still to be a matter of concern. Pakistan ranks among the world's worst performing

countries on the Women, Peace and Security Index.

In conclusion, the comparison and contract between the two societies refer that

they are similar in many ways. The alarming thing is that European women faced these problems
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a century ago which Pakistani women are facing in the twenty first century. However, the

predominant issue of the Pakistani society is lack of awareness and education. Pakistani society

is growing, but this growth is in chunks and not a growth as a collective nation. The Urban

women are somehow aware about their rights and have privileges, however the rural women are

prone to misjudgment and they are unaware of their rights and they don’t teach their next

generation about the rights as well and it is running like a never ending cycle. Women rights

protection activists are doing their fair part in educating the young ladies about their rights within

the bounds of Islamic law. There are many extremist groups too who misuse this opportunity, but

on the whole they are successful on a certain level. Pakistani society needs a lot of work to create

a safe and healthy environment for women but it is not impossible that one day all women in

Pakistan will live in equality and harmony with the male gender.
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References

Karen Sayer (1993) Field-faring women: the resistance of women who worked in the fields of

nineteenth-century England, Women's History Review, 2:2, 185-198, DOI:

10.1080/09612029300200029: Field-faring women: the resistance of women who worked in the

fields of nineteenth-century England: Women's History Review: Vol 2, No 2 (tandfonline.com)

Saeed, Nadia & Shaikh, Muhammad & John, Stephen & Haider, Kamal. (2020). Thomas Hardy:

A Torchbearer of Feminism Representing Sufferings of Victorian Era Women. International

Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature. 9. 55. 10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.9n.3p.55.

(PDF) Thomas Hardy: A Torchbearer of Feminism Representing Sufferings of Victorian Era

Women (researchgate.net)

Güngör, Turan. (2020). Maggie Tulliver as a new woman in George Eliot's The Mill on the

Floss. Spring. 71-80. 10.9775/kausbed.2020.005.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342241484_Maggie_Tulliver_as_a_new_woman_in_G

eorge_Eliot's_The_Mill_on_the_Floss

Shoaib, Safa. (2020). Victorian Society and Pakistani women. (PDF) Victorian Society and

Pakistani women (researchgate.net)

PATRIARCHAL IDEOLOGY AND MARGINAL MOTHERHOOD IN VICTORIAN

NOVELS BY WOMEN

ELIZABETH LANGLAND PATRIARCHAL IDEOLOGY AND MARGINAL

MOTHERHOOD IN VICTORIAN NOVELS BY WOMEN on JSTOR