Changing Status of Immigrant Women in Bharati Mukherjee’s Jasmine

Abstract

Women have higher social, economic, political, and overall status than they had in ancient times and the Middle Ages. They were perceived as the only way to satiate men’s physical cravings and ensure their progeny. In the social sphere, they observed purdah, were never permitted to choose their partners, and had limited freedom for education. Women were completely denied access to education; husbands were given the status of god for women; polygyny was accepted; and women were prohibited from making sacrifices, praying, and reading religious texts. At the moment, women have significantly more social and legal rights, as well as greater independence, voice and participation in public life. However, it is also true that they are still subjected to exploitation, harassment, humiliation, and discrimination. Ignoring all these, nowadays women are stepping forward and often becoming prominent in the fields of politics, literature, education, and religion, and they are shining in the world.