Bangladeshi Women and the Concept of Agency in Monica Ali’s <i>Brick Lane</i>: Patriarchy, Love and “Sisterhood”

Abstract

Although mainly set in London, an important part of the action in Monica Ali’s novel Brick Lane (2003) focuses on the protagonist’s sister Hasina and on the latter’s life realities back in Bangladesh. This paper explores Bangladeshi women and their attempt at gaining agency in a society portrayed as still highly patriarchal, in which women are forced to accept and perpetuate a principle based on fate rather than on personal choice. Ali’s view of Bangladeshi society is therefore tough, portraying men as dominant, oppressive and unreliable. At the same time, women who want to make their own decisions in life by “kicking against [their] fate” have to face discrimination and social repudiation both by men and women of their society/communities. This paper analyses these women’s struggle to gain agency while applying a variety of approaches to agency, in connection with the concepts of patriarchy, love and “sisterhood.” The transgression of boundaries by the protagonist, disapproved of by society, may be interpreted as an attempt at performing agency. However, this still has to be investigated within the context of patriarchal oppression and Muslim communities. The analysis illustrates that women’s agency is constantly obstructed by patriarchy because man still occupies the position of the legitimate, authoritarian figure that does not allow women to progress. “Sisterhood” may be seen as women’s agency and as a potential solution that challenges patriarchy. Love can be understood as existing within the framework of marriage or heterosexual relationships.