Abstract:
The paper focuses on the ways in which gender is constructed in selected postcolonial literary
texts: The Quilt, Ten Rupees, and Mozelle. Gender construction is distinctive in some
postcolonial texts. Colonial rule caused many social changes. In the postcolonial context,
women were exposed to new opportunities mainly due to globalization. This exposure led
women to resist and question their subaltern status. The study tries to explain the deviations
from stereotypical gender roles in the postcolonial context. The Quilt by Ismat Chugtai
highlights the oppression and negligence of female sexuality and desire. The narrative depicts
how Begum suffers due to her subaltern status in marriage. Her frustration and sense of
loneliness ultimately lead to an alternative relationship which gives her sexual pleasure. The
narrative shows how a female character is empowered and given agency in a postcolonial
literary text. Ten Rupees by Manto is the story of a girl called Sarita. In describing Sarita’s
character, Manto emphasizes her innocence and delicacy. Manto’s description of Sarita tends
to break away from stereotypical imagery of sex-workers and the reader shares Sarita’s joy.
Hence, Sarita is portrayed in a positive way. Manto moves away from the traditional
descriptions of a prostitute. He creates a new character who is full of dreams, fantasies, and
wishes. It shows that gender construction in this text is different and it takes a new direction.
Mozelle by Manto is woven around the relationship of a Jewish woman and a Sikh man. Mozelle
is a Jewish woman living in Bombay. Trilochan, who is a Sikh, wants to marry her. Mozelle is
portrayed as a very forward woman. Towards the end of the story Mozelle is portrayed as a
“heroine”, because she rescues a Sikh woman and dies naked. The narrative is also used as
evidence to show the diversity in postcolonial gender constructions. In the above postcolonial
texts, gender, racial and caste boundaries, which were prominent in traditional society are
discussed in a subtle way through operative characters. Hence, the purpose of the study is to
show how the postcolonial gender constructions in some texts move away from traditional and
stereotypical gender constructions.
