Subversion of Conventional Gender Roles in Nayan Raj Pandey’s Ular

Abstract

This research paper analyzes the subversion of conventional gender roles in Nayan Raj Pandey’s Ular. Pandey precisely criticizes the conventional notion in the Nepalese contemporary society about the gender roles. In the male dominated society like Nepal, males are characterized as the bread feeder and the pillar of the society whereas the females are to give birth to babies and take care about the domestic activities. They are limited in the bed “service” and the housework “service”. The novella portrays the leading characters from the members of the lower class society. Beside these facts, the author of the novella is success to portray the miserable picture of the Nepalese women in relation with the gender discrimination clearly. Dropadi is a leading female character in this particular novella. She works as a prostitute in a brothel. Being a female, she is supposed to get married and live a conjugal life by following the stereotyped trifle activities but she is revolting in her own way. She is the one who denied and changed the traditional gender roles that are preserved for the women of the society. The main significance of the study is to reveal the real meaning of gender by being particularly in the subject matters of gender studies. In order to analyze the text, the concept of gender from the perspective of Judith Butler and Judith Halberstam are used as the theoretical tool in the research. The traditional gender role in the Nepalese society is problematic; it is based upon the frequent practice. The patriarchy makes such roles to be called as superior.