بغاوت اور بیداری: عصمت چغتائی کے ناولوں میں عورت کی نفسیات

REBELLION AND AWAKENING: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN IN THE NOVELS OF ISMAT CHUGHTAI

Abstract

The feminine characters in Ismat Chughtai’s works hold a significant place in Urdu literature, as they depict women with their natural needs, emotions, and desires in a realistic and nuanced manner. In her fictional narratives, certain sentences and expressions vividly convey the experience of sexual desire and pleasure, challenging the social taboos surrounding female sexuality. Chughtai encourages women to assert their rights and question societal constraints; however, she emphasizes that these rights cannot be achieved solely through rebellion or overt defiance. Rather, women can also pursue practical and effective ways to attain autonomy and self-expression.

Moreover, the struggles and conflicts faced by her female characters often mirror Chughtai’s own personal experiences, anxieties, and internal dilemmas. This reflection suggests that her literature is not only a creative exploration of women’s issues but also an intimate examination of the psychological and emotional dimensions of human life. Through this lens, Chughtai’s work offers profound insights into the complexities of femininity, agency, and social conditioning in her cultural context.