Author: Achal Shaw & Surapati Pramanik
DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.70798/Bijmrd/03080024
Abstract:
For centuries, the degradation of women and prostitution have been one of the major serious problems within the patriarchal society. In her novel Woman at Point Zero, Egyptian feminist writer Nawal El Saadawi offers a profound critique of patriarchal and economic oppression. The novel Woman at Point Zero is based on Nawal El Saadawi’s encounter with Firdaus, a female prisoner awaiting execution for murder in Qanatir Prison, whom El Saadawi met while conducting research on neurosis among Egyptian women for her study Women and Neurosis in Egypt.
The story of Firdaus shows the plight of a woman – talking about the importance of financial independence as a way to control one’s own life. El Saadawi poignantly talks about the theme of sexual assault and the world of prostitution from a middle – East common woman’s perspective.
The study utilizes the document based analytical method for conducting the research.
There is no doubt that El Saadawi aptly presents the significance of a woman’s independent life, mainly the role of financial independence, but it is too important to be emotionally independent at the same time. By using masculinist perspective in gynocriticism, this study seeks the answer of the question – how prostitution seems to be a downtrodden profession but, has similar meaning for any employer who works in different sectors.
The study presents how choosing prostitution as a means of financial independence does not merely reflect the plight of a wretched woman, but also in deep, is a revolt and revenge against patriarchal norms which shapes a woman within the stereotypes. Every human being is a prostitute as we all use our body to work and earn just the way prostitutes use their bodies in exchange for money. There exists no direct reflection of queer desire in the novel, but a critical examination reveals subtle narratives of queer possibility that emerge as forms of resistance against oppression.
Therefore, from Nawal’s Firdaus character, the study examines queer possibility and discusses how the profession of prostitution is seen from a male perspective; how it becomes a need of respect and also a state of degraded world for women. Also, the study discusses the significance of emotional independence of a woman, which is as important as her financial independence. For every woman the relation with the outside world is completely transactional. The future direction of research is also provided.
Keywords: Emancipation, Emotional Independence, Gender, Nawal El Saadawi, Prostitution, Queer, Sexuality.
Page No: 181-191