Volume III Special Issue III March 2023

Name of Author : Mohammed Jaffer Sadiq

Title of the paper : Toxic Masculinity in Pinjar by Amrita Pritam

Abstract: The notion of Masculinity stems out of the concept of gender. Unlike sex which is a biological concept, gender is culturally constructed. This classifies men and women into masculine or feminine The characteristic traits that form the binary are rational emotional, strong weak, self- centred sacrificing, aggressive caring, vocal quiet, dominant tolerant etc. Masculinity refers to characteristics or qualities which are considered typical or appropriate to man constituted by history, politics and culture. Hegemonic traditional features of masculinity include physical strength, aggression, no expression, of emotions impulsivity and anger. Masculinity has to do with certain behavioural trait and psychological qualities rather than with biology. R W Collins has the following equivalents for masculinity Male, Manful, Manlike, Manly, Mannish, Virile, Bold, Brave, Butch, Gallant, Hardy, Macho, Muscular, Powerful, Red blooded, resolute, robust, Stout hearted, Strapping, Strong, Vigorous, Well built. This list gives us the idea of the physical and behavioural traits a society expects from men. Mapping Masculinities during political crisis is to frame and analyse how men and masculinity have been shaped during historical events. These events have further remapped masculine bodies with different effects. The significant historical movements includes colonialism and resistance to colonialism, state formation, civil wars, religious conflicts and migration. Political crisis is one of the important events in which the construction of masculinity can be analysed and understand to what extent the masculine ideology has affected men and shaped their activities and responses. The focus on masculinity in historical moments of crisis enables us to look at the constructed nature of masculinities which are otherwise assumed to be Given normal Natural. In other words, crisis divests masculinity of its naturalization and calls for heterogeneous conceptualization of the everydaynormal practices and experiences of being a man

Keywords : Toxic Masculinity, Hegemonic traditional and Historical events

DOI :

Page Number : 179-182