Treatment of Women in Nadeem Aslam’s Novels

Abstract

Nadeem Aslam, Pakistani-born English writer has penned down four novels so far that mirror, crystal clearly, the social problems of Pakistani, either living in the country or abroad. He, even, talks equally well about the predicament, pathetic and appalling condition of women in Afghanistan, the neighboring country.  Thus, the festering issues of women are vividly portrayed in his novels with equal sincerity. Generally speaking, the women in Pakistani-society as well as in Afghanistan fall victim to societal injustice due to a male-dominated, and a patriarchal system of society. Moreover, the sufferings of Pakistani women living in Pakistani community in England have not been alleviated. Thus, Manacles, and shackles remain the same everywhere. Honor killing, sexual harassment, sexual abuse, marriage without consent, gender-discrimination, financial deprivation, psychological, and emotional trauma are the foremost issues of women and have been the fate of the most of them living in Pakistani community. And in Afghanistan’s case, it is observed that an educated woman is vulnerable and her awareness is considered as a threat to the religion and social fabric. Nonetheless, the depiction of woman as a sufferer reflects many phases; but it is often seen that the Achilles heels and the wrongdoings of men result in the unearned sufferings for them, and thus, they have to bear unspeakable trauma in countless ways. This paper will finally conclude how women living in Pakistani community and in Afghanistan are being exploited and how they, intensely, experience physical, mental, emotional, and psychological trauma inflicted on them in a patriarchal and a male-dominated society.

Keywords: Treatment, predicament, patriarchal, Trauma, Exploitation