Commodification of Women in Anna Burns's Milkman

Abstract

This study examines how women are commodified in Anna Burn's Milkman. Females are forced to survive in a nightmare of patriarchal utopia that created inequality in terms of gender. Moreover, women are treated as a commodity in the market, where human values and sentiments have no place in the heart of the mankind. The novel reveals the story of three sisters who are merely treated and consumed as goods. In capitalistic society there is no more humanity remaining in the heart of people. Human value is determined by possessions. Elder Sister, Young Woman and Younger Sister including their widow mother are severely treated. The gap between the haves and the haves not clearly exposes through the interpolation of characters. Anna Burns advocates for the end of all evil forms like inequality, injustice and domination upon women on behalf of power and property as Valery Bryson believes that social inequality is due to their lacking of ownership upon property. Commodity like behaviour in the hand of Irish patriarchal society of Young Girl including other female characters determines the submissiveness and subservient role of female in the contemporary society was highly privileged not only on the basis of gender but on the basis of means of production and class too. Brother -in-law does not hesitate to make lewd remarks to a 12 year innocent girl. In this way, women are commodified in terms of means and power which is under the control of male member of the society in Irish Society as described in the novel Milkman by Anna Burns.