PATRIARCHY AND WOMEN’S OPPRESSION: A FEMINIST STUDY OF THE CHARACTER SHAHZADA FROM QAISRA SHAH RAZ’S THE HOLY WOMAN

Abstract

This study focuses on the diplomacies that men use to subdue their women to make them submissive within their households. To achieve the purpose, the writer analyzes the character of Shahzada from a feminist perspective. The character is from the novel The Holy Woman which is a realistic portrayal of Pakistani Society. To provide a proper background to the study, the writer is going to explains the concept of Feminism, comparing the status of women in Pakistan and the status of women in Islam i.e. the state religion of Pakistan. Under the paradigm of qualitative research methodology, the researcher applies the feminist approach to support the main character Shahzada to challenge patriarchy. This study discloses how women areoppressed and exploited by their male counterparts and what are the factors that support male domination, in Pakistani society. The researcher has concluded that Patriarchy and the wrong customs and beliefs that prevail in Pakistani society are the root causes of women subjugation.