Female Body as a site of subjugation and violence A study of the selected works of Emma Donoghue Bapsi Sidhwa and Meena Kandasamy

Abstract

The idea of superiority, inferiority, weakness or strength; all such domains or newlineparameters of personality and comparison between any two or more human categories is a newlinematter discussed in different streams of knowledge from time to time. According to The newlineBible Genesis 1 verse 27, So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he newlinecreated him; male and female he created them , i.e. men and women are created as equal newlinepartners by God from his own image. Moreover, he himself created these two sexes in newlinecontrast to each other. Where on one side, Male body is strong in masculine strength, newlineemotional control and certain motor skills; on the other hand, Female body is made delicate, newlinesoft, and ready to stretch to make room for a new life inside her womb. These qualities make newlineboth the opposite sexes equally unique and exclusive in their respective approach. newlineNevertheless, as a result of patriarchal conditioning, there exists a deeply embedded belief newlinewithin human nature and psyche due to which males consider their muscular firmness as a newlineself-acclaimed dominance upon the female body. This is why the female body is amidst all newlinethe subjugation and dominance that has happened with females from ancient times till date. newlineRight from Mary Wollstonecraft to Elaine Showalter and later, to Judith Butler and newlineLuce Irigaray; the crux of all feminist theories lies in the female body. It is the p newline