Different standards of
morality for a male and for a female in society with reference to the English
novel
The Scarlet Letter and Gujarati short-story
Matino Ghado
Abstract
Mind is not the problem but the mindset is problematic.
Whenever it comes to think, what is essential in life, this question becomes
hollow without the identity of a person and crucial question is what this
identity is? Is anything else than social status, self-respect or
self-assurance? Of course nothing more but we live in a society where all
these are part of a person's identity but only if one is a man! If there
is a woman, her self-esteem, honor and status are tied with her husband or
father. Morals are formed out of a person's
values. Values are the foundation of a person's ability to judge
between right and wrong. This research is study of Gujarati Short-story માટીનો
ઘડો
by Jayant Khatri. This research aims to project is
supposed to serve several purpose simultaneously. It studies how double standards in
evaluation of men and women are perceived into the society.
Researcher studies this with genuine curiosity to know about
female’s identity and construdted role in society
Key Words:
double standards, different morality values, Jayant Khatri, Matino Ghado
What
does Gender Roles and social belief
Gender
roles are based on the different expectations that individuals, groups, and
societies have of individuals based on their sex and based on each society's
values and beliefs about gender. Gender roles are the product of the
interactions between individuals and their environments, and they give
individuals cues about what sort of behavior is believed to be appropriate for
what sex. Appropriate gender roles are defined according to a society's beliefs
about differences between the sexes.
Understanding
the term "gender roles" requires an understanding of the term
"gender',
'Gender" is a
social term that is often confused with the term "sex:' Sex and gender are
different concepts. Sex is a biological concept, determined on the basis of
individuals' primary sex characteristics
The
social construction of gender is demonstrated by the fact that individuals,
groups, and societies ascribe particular traits, statuses, or values to
individuals purely because of their sex, yet these ascriptions differ across
societies and cultures, and over time within the same society.
Related
to the sociological perspective, a feminist perspective on gender roles might
assert that because gender roles are learned, they can also be unlearned, and
that new and different roles can be created.
Feminist theory
Broadly
speaking, feminists believe in and advocate for social and political gender
equality. Feminist research approaches are diverse in their emphasis and
method. However, all feminist-oriented research consists of core features that
address the ontology and epistemology of feminist theoretical frameworks. This
includes the focus on and objective to critically engage women’s lived social
realities with a view to changing them for the better.
Is gender research
always feminist?
The
problematic of what constitutes feminist research touches at the core of a
common misunderstanding of feminist theorizing.
Indeed, not all research on gender can be described as feminist in
approach and orientation. Gender’s articulation in much psychological research
has been critiqued by some feminist scholars who have argued that there is very
little interrogation of the concept of gender itself, as well as little
critical interrogation of how gender has been taken up in problematic ways.
Likewise, not all feminist research is exclusively about women or focused only
on women, although some scholars argue otherwise, preferring to priorities
feminism’s core principle of giving credence to women and the issues and
experiences that affect them. This assignment is too among them.
Researcher
believes that while this latter priority is important, feminism’s potential
impact in influencing social change for women must encompass a much broader
analysis of gender as an organizing structure and lived materiality that
affects all gendered subjects in society. In this regard, feminist research
benefits from a broader vision of critical work on gender in society and its
myriad enactments and sociopolitical formations. Critical work on
masculinities, for example, can thus be enhanced through a feminist lens.
Jayant Khatri
Jayant
Khatri is significant writer in the canon in Gujarati literature. The
researcher has noticed emphatic presence of the traits of twentieth century
English literature: traits like absurdity, existential anguish, dark humor in
dialogues etc. He has a remarkable craft of employing symbols and metaphors in
his stories for presenting the mindset of his characters.
the
researcher has noticed emphatic presence of the traits of twentieth century
English literature: traits like absurdity, existential anguish, dark humor in
dialogues etc. He has a remarkable craft of employing symbols and metaphors in
his stories for presenting the mindset of his characters,
એના
પર
ચીતરામણ
સરસ
હતું,
–
એ
ઘડો
મને
ગમતો’તો!”
માટીનો ઘડો
(critical Analysis)
This
story revolves round emotional and erotic bond between Saheb and Ranal
and earthen pot is a metaphor for their relationship. Their relation is as
soothing as cool water in an earthen pot. Just as a person strives to quench
his/her thirst by that water, both Saheb and Ranal quench their
thirst (emotional and physical) by this bond. However, the bond is as fragile
and ephemeral as an earthen pot. In Indian spirituality, human body is
metaphorically represented by an earthen pot. Made up of dust and earthly
elements, it houses all desires but at last it is destined to break and merge
with those same elements – just like an earthen pot. She enters Saheb’s
tent with an earthen pot to ask for some water but returns with the most
blissful, intimate love a woman can have from a man.
Far
from being just a story of romantic relationship, Khatri makes it a tale of
burning passions, vengeance and tender girlish sentiments. Through this story,
Khatri proves that he is a master of depicting puzzling complexity of female
psyche.
Literary
theory is a prism which crystallizes the various shades and nuances of a text
and presents the whole spectrum of literary studies
Critical
interpretation of the character Bijal
Bijal is
the father of the protagonist of the shorty story Matino Ghado. He does
not want to listen even for a while.
Matino
Ghado as a symbol
But when we look at Ranal’s mother is she also ‘Kacho
matino ghado’? This patriarchy doesn’t allow getting strong suit even.
Thus, implication of the title Matino Ghado serves
plot purpose.
Connection
between Matino Ghado and The Scarlet Letter
The Researcher finds there some of the interesting key
aspects in both stories to study the novel The Sarlet Letter by Nathaniel
Hawthorne and Gujarati short-story Matino Ghado by Jayant Khatri.
The Scarlet Letter illustrates
the consequences of Adultery and the chances for redemption through the
development of the two main characters Hester. Hester is able to confront her
sins and work towards redemption and is thus rewarded with coming to peace with
her past.
Researcher has taken just reference from Nathaniel
Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter as how Roger Chillingworth (Husband of
Hester) and Bijal (Father of Ranal) can
be seen similarly as well as the representation of constructed rule in society.
In The Scarlet Letter, Hester is able to confront her sins and work
towards redemption and is thus rewarded with coming to peace with her past.
Here, In Matino Ghado Ranal also admits her wish to spend her life with
Saheb but her request is not heard even. Interesting thing Researcher has found is, In
the Scarlet Letter, the name of Roger Chillingworth is clearly given instead of
just naming him as priest only. Where as in the Gujarati short-story Matino
Ghado does not names directly to saheb. His identity is completely unknown.
In larger discourse it doesn’t matter whatever the language
is, literature is just a single canal. Looking from this perspective, The
Scarlet letter symbolizes puritan society and that era where this Gujarati
short story is written afterwards, it hides the identity of a man who had
sexual relation with Bijal.
This also suggests that our society is speedily going but
progressively but regressively.
Do Women and Men Have Different
Moral Values?
If yes, then why?
What Bijal has already
relished in his early days, he doesn’t allow her daughter! Why he didn’t think
that that one is also a girl! If he can do this then what’s the problem if her
daughter commits which is looked by society as over act.
Why social norms are not equal for
all social animals?
Why woman has to suffer for all the
time?
Why patriarchy do not think which
is simply logical?
Very simple thing is, to get
pregnant and to marry has no any kind of relation with each other. Even
physical relationship is also encoded emotionally with marriage that if female
is having physical relationship with any male that if a woman tries to come out
of this structure, she is considered as rather a bad woman. Things don’t top
here but she is punished and bitterly or say cruelly bitten from her own father
or brother.
Very logical question is…
What changes overnight after
marriage that one it is good to have sexual relation with husband. What
difference does this create if this sexual relation takes place before that!
This same thing happens with Ranal.
She was bitten by her father like anything. Even her mother is unable to
help her daughter when Ranal says,
મારે અહિયા જ રહેવું છે.
Her mother expresses her anger
through just few words is…
તું રાક્ષસ છે.
These words signify women’s
powerlessness in this patriarchal society.
While women are achieving more educationally and participating
more in the labor force than ever before, there is a widespread perception
among the public that full equality between men and women remains an elusive
goal. While women have made substantial gains in the workplace in recent
decades, there is clear evidence that women remain underrepresented at the top
level.
Researcher would like to sum up this discussion with the quote by Krizan…
“People tend to overestimate the differences because they
notice the extremes,” Krizan said
Conclusion
Thus, Researcher has positively found that double standard
exists in society for different gender as for male and female. Here, feminist
critic Semen-de-Beauvoir is also proved equally right as "One is not born, but rather
becomes, a woman." How much of time passes, but social norms
are encoded so deeply that it is very difficult to come out. Even if one tries,
it also a trap of patriarchy!
Precisely, patriarchal society can never
accept a woman as it accepts a man!
References
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Literary and Cultural Theory. Manchester University Press, 2017.
Beauvoir, Simone de. The Second Sex. Vintage Classic,
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Accessed 28 Nov. 2020.
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