Volume III Special Issue V May 2023

Name of Author : Vishwapriya V

Title of the paper : A Study Heeds Hegemonic Masculinity on Nadia Hashimis Novel The Pearl That Broke Its Shell

Abstract: Afghanistan is an Islamic country where they follow tradition, culture, and religious norms obligatory. Women still fight for the right to freedom. Even after getting freedom does it exist in their life? To some extent, Masculinity blinds the eyes of men to be dominant. The research aims to heed Hegemonic Masculinity rather than feminism. We have to study masculinity to understand feminism. This paper aims to bring out not only the sufferings of women but also to expound on mens behaviour towards women, their physical structure and their dominating position. In this novel, the pearl that broke its shell explicates the dominance and the subordinates. It uncovers the idea of matriarchy. The writer deliberately explains the situations of Afghan women, their freedom, inequality, dominating power of men in the family, society and the exploitation of womens identity. The dominance happens in the name of religion, protection, tradition, and culture. Women were compelled to do everything their identity has been exploited and restricted to go out of the house. Bacha posh plays a vital role in Afghanistan where girls feel its a short time of freedom before marriage, until they get to marriageable age they can be a Bacha posh where they can get an education. The novel explains the prolonged cruelty that happened to Shekiba and Rahima. Both were Bacha posh Rahima was influenced by the story of Shekiba.

Keywords : Masculinity, Hegemony, Gender Inequality, Freedom, Suppression, Domination, Oppression, Bacha Posh, Discrimination, Disguise, Child Marriage.

DOI :

Page Number : 94-97