RESEARCH PROJECT

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A Feminist Critique of Women's Representation in Khushwant

Singh's Short Story: Pushing Patriarchal Narratives.

Ameena Nashath​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Enrollment no: A241528​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Roll no​ : 24MAEN025HY​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Course code : MAEN203DST​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
[Link] (II Sem)​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Maulana Azad National Urdu University
ABSTRACT

Kushwant Singh is a writer who has shown the Indian and international cultures in a
harmonious way in his five novels and thirty-four stories in a literary life span of more than
sixty years. His stories and even his novels are almost based on real experiences of his life
as documented in "The Book of Unforgettable Women”. Singh has observed India both as an
outsider and an insider. This paper critically analyses how male-chauvinism in Indian culture
'appropriates' women and how they are treated as commodities. Through a close reading of
the novel, appropriate sentences and passages are culled to provide textual evidence. The
findings of the research suggest that the text understudy affirms women appropriation in
Indian culture in one way or the other. Colette Guillaumin's concept of appropriation is
employed as a theoretical framework to analyze how women are appropriated. Through a
close feminist reading of the novel, appropriate sentences and passages are culled to
provide textual evidence. The findings of the research suggest that the text understudy
affirms women appropriation in Indian culture in one way or the other. While Singh has been
praised for his liberal views and depictions of social taboos, the nuanced examination of his
female characters as subjects of feminist critique is still underexplored.

After a thorough reading of the selected text, relevant sentences and passages have been
cited as textual evidence. Sadia Dehlvi is praised for her boldness but is also criticized as
having a “grasshopper’s personality”—implying instability and emotional volatility, a typical
patriarchal stereotype of women who refuse to conform. Ghayoorunnisa is portrayed as
emotionally invested, yet destined to suffer in recluse, her isolation symbolizing what
happens when women defy traditional roles without a patriarchal fallback (husband, son, or
community).These portrayals reinforce the feminist claim that patriarchy limits women’s
agency, even in stories that aim to celebrate their uniqueness.

KEYWORDS

Kushwant Singh, feminism, appropriation, patriarchy, anti-feminism, conformity, female

agency.

INTRODUCTION

Khushwant Singh, one of India’s most renowned writers, is known for works that stem from a
search for identity and candid portrayals of human relationships. His short stories often
explore themes of love, loss, cultural identity, and gender dynamics, reflecting the
complexities of Indian society. Singh as a social novelist has relentlessly made his readers
aware that the life which his protagonist lives should not be taken as a desirable norm. His
narratives also reveal underlying patriarchal perspectives, particularly in the way women are
represented. Through a feminist lens, Singh’s depiction of female characters often reinforces
traditional gender roles, appropriates women, or portrays them as sources of instability in
male-dominated spaces. His characters are largely influenced by his hybrid eastern and
western ideas as he writes in his autobiography, he is the product both of the East and the
West.

This research proposal aims to critically analyse the representation of women in Khushwant
Singh’s short story titled “Sadia Dehlvi” and “Ghayoorunnisa” from his book “The
Unforgettable women of my life”, focusing on how the female character is framed within
patriarchal narratives. Specific attention will be given to his descriptions of women as
disruptive influences in households, the portrayal of female restlessness as a flaw, gendered
power dynamics and the broader implications of appropriations. This study will examine how
Singh's narratives influence readers' perceptions of traditional gender roles, power, and
identity through narrative analysis through feminist lens, utilizing important feminist theories
such as Guillaumin’s Theory of Appropriation and Patriarchy in patriarchy ingrained ideal
society.

RESEARCH GAP

While there has been research already explored Khushwant Singh’s ‘ Company of Women’, ‘
Train to Pakistan’ and ‘Burial at Sea’ from feminist perspective, there is a gap in the analysis
of his female characters in his short stories. Much of the scholarship on Singh’s works have
focussed on sexual obligation, morality, partitional narrative and journalistic writing. My
research provides a nuanced understanding of patriarchally ingrained female
characterization and appropriation in the short story titled ‘Sadia Dehlvi’ and ‘Ghairoonnisa’
which will contribute to decoding his other female protagonists in the book ‘The
Unforgettable Women of My Life’.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Khushwant Singh’s short stories and memoir-like works, such as “Unforgettable Women of
My Life”, have not been sufficiently examined for their representation of female characters,
gender appropriation, and patriarchal narratives. More specifically the following research
questions need to be addressed:

1.​ How are the female characters portrayed in patriarchal narratives?

2.​ Why is restlessness framed as a flaw in women but as ambition in men and structural
stability an integral part of women in a patriarchal household?

In pursuit of identity and the pressure to conform to traditional roles may force her to the
abandonment of personal relationships. This raises the question of why a woman must
distance herself from those she loves in order to assert her individuality, highlighting the
deep-rooted constraints imposed by cultural norms and patriarchal structures.

OBJECTIVES
1.​ To conduct a critical examination of Khushwant Singh’s portrayal of women in his
short stories, focusing on gender dynamics, societal expectations, and female agency.

2.​ To analyze the representation of female characters through a feminist lens,

particularly in relation to themes of ingrained patriarchy, appropriation and female agency.

METHODOLOGY

This research adopts a qualitative, interpretative methodology grounded in feminist literary

criticism to analyze the representation of women in Khushwant Singh’s short stories. The
methodology involves a close textual reading of selected works, with particular focus on
characterisation and narrative voice, to uncover underlying appropriations, female agnecy,
and instances of patriarchal influence.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

This research is anchored in feminist literary criticism, which serves as the primary lens for
interpreting Khushwant Singh’s portrayal of women in his short stories. Feminist literary
criticism examines how literature reflects the oppression of women within patriarchal
societies. By analyzing the structure of narratives, the roles assigned to female characters,
and the power dynamics at play, this framework reveals how Singh’s texts both embody and
question the social constructions of gender. Through this approach, the research aims to
uncover the subtle and overt ways in which women’s identities are shaped within his literary
sphere.

Elaine Showalter (1977) gave the two distinct approaches in feminism.

1. Women as Reader Approach​ ​ ​ ​ ​

2. Women as Writer Approach

According to women as a reader approach, when a female reader comes across a piece of
literature written by a male author, she focuses on the stereotypes of women in literature,
omission, and misconception by male writers. As a writer approach when a female reader
analyzes a text written by a woman, she focuses on the woman as the producer of textual
meaning. The focus is also on female creativity and female language (Showalter, 1999).

Colette Guillaumin, a French materialist feminist, introduced the concept of sexage, a term
she coined to describe the systematic appropriation of women’s bodies, time, labor, and
reproductive capacity by men (Guillaumin, 1995). In her seminal work Sexism: A Conceptual
Analysis, Guillaumin (1995) argues that women, under patriarchal systems, are not only
dominated ideologically but are materially appropriated—reduced to objects that serve the
needs and desires of men. In her theory of appropriation, Guillaumin argues that women,
much like property, are appropriated by men through societal structures that deny them
autonomy over their bodies, labor, and identities. This helps uncover how female characters
are often confined to patriarchal scripts, celebrated or criticized based on how well they
conform to male expectations. In literary contexts, Guillaumin’s theory is especially relevant
when examining how women are represented in texts authored by men. These portrayals
often reveal narrative appropriation, where women’s voices, desires, and experiences are
filtered through male perspectives, denying them the authority to speak for themselves.

The concept of “sexage” as theorized by Colette Guillaumin is also central to this framework.
Sexage refers to the structural reduction of women to their biological and reproductive
functions, resulting in their objectification and exploitation (Guillaumin,1995). Singh’s female
characters are often described in terms of their physical beauty, sexual allure, and roles as
wives or mothers. When applied to literature, sexage helps expose how female characters
are written into narratives that reinforce their roles as caregivers, wives, or mothers—often in
ways that deny them agency or individuality. Their worth is tied to how well they serve male
characters or conform to gendered norms.

Additionally, the study is informed by broader theories of patriarchy, particularly those that
analyze how male-dominated systems shape personal relationships, cultural expectations,
and individual identity. The research investigates how Singh’s narratives reflect the tensions
between female autonomy and patriarchal control, especially in situations where women
resist traditional gender roles or seek self-fulfillment outside the boundaries of marriage and
family. The interplay of female agency, instability, and conformity to the society within these
patriarchally authored texts is viewed through feminist lens.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Women in the works of male authors often remain confined within patriarchal narratives that
either idealize or marginalize them. In this context, Khushwant Singh’s short stories present
a compelling case for feminist critique. Much scholarly attention has been given to female
representation and appropriation in Singh’s novels such as The Company of Women, Train
to Pakistan and Burial at Sea. Female characterization in his short stories are not widely
sought after scholarly.

The novel Burial at Sea by Khushwant Singh is not usually labeled as a feminist work but
certain strains of female marginality and objectification is researched; the part of which has
been attempted through examination of the study. Instances of women appropriation in the
novel Burial at Sea have been explored in the light of Colette Guillaumin's theory of
appropriation. The study reveals that women appropriation occurs in one form or the other in
Indian culture where patriarchy dominates. “She is considered a rustic lady who knows
nothing about life except for doing household chores and bearing children. In Feminist terms,
she is completely appropriated by her husband. She has no voice whatsoever in household
affairs. She carries out the routine work tirelessly. Both husband and wife seem to have
internalized the patriarchal structures through their families. His wife, in particular, has no
knowledge of how she is being objectified let alone launching a protest against her
underprivileged status”. (Ghaffar, 2019)

Several studies explore the portrayal of women in Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh.
The study examines the ideological assumptions of patriarchy through the representation of
women as being seductive and angelic characters by a male author through the lens of
Anti-Feminist Theory. Khushwant Singh has presented the women traditionally in negative
roles, negating all kinds of freedom and liberation to them. “The memsahibs are like houris
from paradise- white and soft like silk. All we have here are black buffaloes" (Train to
Pakistan,113). This suggests the appropriation of women’s bodies denying them autonomy
over themselves and confining them into patriarchal scripts. “In patriarchal society, women
have been treated in an unequal manner. They are considered as inferior sex. In India
women are considered as goddesses or sexual objects. Men expected the women to play
the role of their want and need. Women are subordinate to men. Women are symbols of
purity as well as scapegoats”. (Kavit, 2020)

On examining the paper Appropriation and Sexual Obligation: A Feminist Reading on

Khushwant Singh’s The Company of Women, it critically analyses how the men appropriate
and sexually obligate women in one way or the other. “Appropriation of women is a
fundamental form of women subjugation that renders them an object or commodity. There is
no denying that women appropriation occurs in one form or another in every culture where
patriarchy dominates” (Marwaha, 2023). Sexual obligation occurs in marriage. From the line
“She learnt early that in a man’s company, silence was safer than resistance” (The Company
of Women). It implies the internalized submission and fear many women live with, reinforcing
sexual obligation as a learned behavior for survival. “Taking the case of the female
characters in Khushwant Singh's The Company of Women, we find them as women suffering
in one way or another, being appropriated based on time, body, sexual obligation or taking
up the physical charge of the male members in their lives. These women are helpless
characters tormented by the episodes of appropriation, exploitation, and sexual obligation
time and again” (Marwaha, 2023).

Khushwant minutely observes patriarchy ingrained in Indian society. “Khushwant minutely

observes the social codes of Indian society. The man-woman relation has not elevated to the
position where they respect each other. Whereas men still dominate the society, the women
are considered as property and are beaten and scolded ruthlessly and the institution of
marriage is considered by men just as a license for satisfying their libidinal appetite and
satisfies their male ego by beating their wives”( Verma, 2017). Colette Guillaumin’s theory of
appropriation helps us understand how women’s bodies and labor (domestic tasks) are
viewed as property of men. "I was made to feel like an interloper. I found out that all the
woman was guilty of having cooked a bad meal for her husband who had returned home late
and somewhat drunk" (Big Book of Malice,78). Wife bashing has always been and still exists
in Indian society. Khushwant, ironically, remarks that it was the wife who made a mistake by
not cooking a good meal for her husband, and she deserved that thrashing.

Despite this rich analytical potential, there remains a lack of scholarly focus on Khushwant
Singh’s short stories. While Singh has been praised for his liberal views and depictions of
social taboos, the nuanced examination of his female characters as subjects of feminist
critique is still underexplored.

ANALYSIS
Khushwant Singh’s narration is often filtered through the male gaze, where women are
observed and described primarily in terms of their beauty and impact on men.

When analysing the narrative tone of Kushwant Singh in his short story “Sadia Dehlvi”, it
may evoke a sense of patriarchy ingrained in societal expectations, particularly from a
feminist lens. From the textual line “The girl didn't bother to get up” (Singh,80), Sadia
asserts her female agency by defying traditional gender norms. Guillaumin argues that
patriarchy reduces women to their biological characteristics, such as the ability to reproduce,
nurture, and provide sexual pleasure. These functions are treated as natural duties, not
personal choices, and are used to rationalize women’s subordination.(Guillaumin, 1995).
Sexage is upheld by ideologies that claim women are biologically destined for nurturing,
caring, and obedience. These narratives make their exploitation seem legitimate or even
virtuous. The simple action disrupts the conventional power dynamic between men and
women, forcing the male narrator to recognize her on her own terms.

The phrase “ She was emotionally very promiscuous”(Singh, 82) reveals how women’s
emotional lives are policed and appropriated under patriarchy. The label “emotionally
promiscuous” suggests that a woman expressing affection or forging multiple emotional
connections is judged harshly—a form of symbolic appropriation where her emotional life is
expected to be contained and centered around male agency and validation. Female agency
is negated in the narrator’s tone.

Furthermore Singh diminishes the complexities the protagonist must have faced having to
change careers and choices when he writes “She was a restless character, ever changing
her jobs and admirers” (Singh, 82). Under Colette Guillaumin’s appropriation theory, such
descriptions reflect how women’s labor and desires are socially owned and judged—not just
physically but symbolically. A woman is expected to be consistent, nurturing, and committed
to predefined roles (wife, mother, homemaker). When she resists or seeks alternatives, her
actions are dismissed as meaningless rather than acts of self-sufficiency and free willed
female agency. This is heightened in the line “She quickly got bored of anything she
did”(Singh, 82). Moreover, Sadia’s desire to explore different careers, social movements, or
relationships may be interpreted not as instability, but as a form of resistance against rigid
structures that confine women to a singular role or path.

The narrator highlights how Sadia is bold and had a non-conforming personality with the
phrase “She had a grasshopper personality” (Singh, 83). The criticism embedded in the
metaphor, however, shows how female agency is often undermined by patriarchal language.
The metaphor of a grasshopper implies that shifting interests, ambitions, or personal choices
are a flaw. However, men with dynamic careers or multiple ventures are often admired for
their ambition and versatility. Women exhibiting similar qualities are seen as unstable. This
reflects a gendered double standard in how ambition and change are perceived. Women are
often expected to prioritize stability—particularly in marriage, career, and personal life. This
overlooks the social conditions that restrict women’s growth and instead appropriates her
restlessness as evidence of irrationality.

Furthermore “Sadia was confused and unhappy. Far from being a Grihalakshmi, she had
brought misfortune on her husband's household”(Singh, 85) reflects deeply ingrained
patriarchal attitudes that hold women responsible for familial stability and success. Colette
Guillaumin argues that women are subjected to appropriation, not only of their bodies but
also of their roles, time, and emotional labor. The idea that Sadia failed to be a
“Grihalakshmi” (literally, goddess of the household) reflects this symbolic appropriation of her
identity into a culturally and socially constructed ideal of womanhood—where her sole
purpose is to bring prosperity, harmony, and support to the domestic sphere. When Sadia
does not fulfill this role, the blame is personalized, and her non-conformity is seen not as
independence but as a deficiency that causes familial collapse.

Ghayoorunnisa in the short story is portrayed as emotionally invested, yet destined to suffer
alone in old age, her isolation symbolises what happens when women defy traditional roles
without a patriarchal fallback (husband, son, or community).These portrayals reinforce the
feminist claim that patriarchy limits women’s agency, even in stories that aim to celebrate
their uniqueness. Her retreat to old ladies’ home symbolises the social penalty exacted upon
women who deviate from traditional gender roles. Her life, once filled with love, vibrancy, and
nonconformity, ends in a form of abandonment not by choice, but as a consequence of a
societal structure that denies women independence without patriarchal support. Whether it
be through a husband, a son, or community validation, women like Ghayoor are shown to
suffer without these male structures. This representation aligns with feminist critiques of
patriarchy, which argue that women’s agency is often undermined by the cultural insistence
on relational identities. Even in narratives that appear to celebrate female uniqueness or
independence,the life in recluse is inherently implying a lesson in patriarchal narrative for
independent female agency. This subtly is reinforcing the idea that agency without
conformity is both unsustainable and tragic.

CONCLUSION

This study reveals that Khushwant Singh’s portrayal of women reflects deep-rooted
patriarchal undercurrents. Characters like Sadia Dehlvi and Ghayoorunnisa, though initially
depicted as assertive and emotionally expressive, are ultimately subjected to societal
judgement, isolation, or abandonment for not conforming to traditional gender roles. Through
feminist literary criticism and theoretical frameworks such as Colette Guillaumin’s concept of
appropriation and sexage, the analysis uncovers how women’s identities are continually
negotiated and constrained within male-dominated narratives. The illusion of agency is often
countered by narrative endings that reinforce the need for patriarchal approval—whether in
the form of marriage, motherhood, or familial loyalty. These stories subtly caution against
female autonomy, portraying nonconformity as tragic rather than liberating. By identifying
these patterns, this research underscores the necessity of re-examining canonical
male-authored literature through feminist lenses to expose how cultural narratives continue
to shape, restrict, or appropriate female subjectivity. While Singh appears to celebrate
female uniqueness, his narratives subtly reinforce the necessity of patriarchal validation,
thereby perpetuating the very ideologies they seem to critique. This conclusion emphasizes
the ongoing relevance of feminist literary criticism in challenging the gendered aspects of
literary representation, especially in male-authored works that still shape cultural
conversation about women's roles and identities.
REFERENCES

Singh, Khushwant. “Sadiya Dehlvi.” Book of Unforgettable Women. Edited by Mala Dayal,
Penguin Books, 2000.

Chahal, Bhim. Human Relationships in the Novels of Khushwant Singh. Yking Books, 2012

Ghaffar, Bhatti, etal. "Appropriation of Women: A Feminist Reading of Khushwant Singh’s

Burial at Sea."Language in India, Vol.19, No. 2, 2019, pp.176-183. ISSN 1930-2940

Marwaha, Priyanka. “ Appropriation and Sexual Obligation: A Feminist Reading of Khushwant

Singh’s The Company of Women.”International Journal of English Literature and Social
Sciences, Vol. 8, No. 3, 2023, pp. 123- 126. ISSN: 2456-7620

Kavit, Vaisalakshi. “ Representation of Women in Khushwant Singh’s Train to Pakistan.” PalArch

Journal of Archaeology Of Egypt/Egyptology, Vol.17,No. 9, 2020. ISSN 1567-214xP

Guillaumin, C. (1995). Sexism: Sexage and Ideology. Beacon Press.

Showalter, E. (1999). A Literature of Their Own. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Singh, Khushwant. The Company of Women. Penguin Random House India Pvt. Ltd Haryana,
1999

Verma. “ Khushwant Singh and the Art of Literary Journalism.” Vol-07, Nov 2017,pp. 181-188.
ISSN 2249-9598