TABOO, SILENCE, TRANSLATION: FICTIONAL WOMEN OF MANTO AND CHUGHTAI'S PARTITION LITERATURE

Abstract

The Partition (1947) has seen the emergence of great research in political history. However, existing literature tends to ignore the trauma experienced by women and bridge this gap, I argue, it is essential to consider Partition Literature, which centralises on female subjectivity. From physical violence to latent trauma and objectification in the name of national or family honour, women have been subjected to endless violations. However, stories about the experiences were made socially obscure by taboos imposed on discussing such graphic and societal violence. The resultant amnesia on subaltern trauma and sufferings was a gross injustice to the subaltern, especially women who continue to be subjugated. This thesis aims to remedy some of the aforementioned erasure by discussing the plight of women during Partition through examining the fictional female characters in the texts by Saadat Hassan Manto and Ismat Chughtai. This is done with a focus on the methods of Taboo Defiance and Taboo Avoidance used by the authors to discuss the violence imposed on women and other subalterns. The thesis also examines the use of silence in tbaoo literature to potray subaltern characters. Finally, this study will also consider the issues of censorship and the politics of translation.