Feminist Reading of Leila Aboulela’s “The Ostrich”

Abstract

The marginalized and oppressed women in Sudan, alongside the subaltern women living on the margin, are depicted in the current work. “The Ostrich” by Laila Aboulela shows the protagonist’s life of Sumra both in Khartoum, Sudan, and London in the UK. Sumra represents Sudanese women struggling hard to find their place in a patriarchal society. The structure of this article can be articulated in two arguments; the empowerment of patriarchal supremacy and the power of tradition implanted in Sudan and most third-world countries to marginalize and silence the role of women so that they can never be heard. Although women have got their studies at universities, they are still marginalized and have no full right to decide for themselves. Appropriating the analytical descriptive approach, the current study aims to demonstrate the marginalization and oppression of women in Sudan.