Body Politics in Mahesh Bikram Shah’s Selected Stories
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Department of English
Abstract
This thesis entitled “Body Politics in Mahesh Bikram Shah’s Selected Stories” examines the representation of both male and female bodies, prevalent domination of women’s bodies and their protest against it in the male centered society. The female characters like Eliginia, Jacqueline, Mambal’s wife, Nepali girl living in United States, and Derli’s bodily experience represent the domination and violence of patriarchy on the one hand, and how they get power through their own body on the other. When the male characters try to pursue their interest, they start playing with their counterpart’s body for achieving their goal, so do the female characters. The passivity of conscious women characters excavates the domination of patriarchy but they still resist against the violence. They do not feel secure even with their beloveds. Though the characters try to resist it by leaving their boyfriends or partners but their body still remains a site of fear, panic, violence and insecurity. Women’s bodies continue to become a site of domination because of their weaker social or economical positions.
Key Words: racism, superiority, body politics, subjugation