A Historicist Study Of Sexism In Shah’s Heer Ranjha

Abstract

This study explores the sexist historicity embedded in the Heer Ranjha myth, examining its evolution from a peripheral religious narrative to a central literary and cultural phenomenon in 16th century Punjab. Tracing the narrative's trajectory from religious references by Hari Das Haria and Bhai Gurdas Bhalla to Bhai Vir Singh's (2000) emphasis on Ranjha's role in religious reform during the challenging 19th century, the research explores the multifaceted nature and cultural impact of the tale. Employing Judith Butler's (1993) theoretical framework, the study analyzes gender dynamics in Waris Shah's text, focusing on the concept of "censure" as a regulating mechanism. Butler's (1993) ideas guide the examination of socially acceptable and undesirable behaviors, revealing insights into the multi-vocality of gendered forms. The research adopts a qualitative content analysis approach, systematically scrutinizing textual excerpts to identify patterns and recurring themes. A comparative element enhances the analysis by examining gender representations in different sections of the text, considering variations in character dynamics, societal contexts, and narrative arcs. Ultimately, this study offers a nuanced and comprehensive exploration of gender dynamics in Shah's text, applying Butler's insights to unravel the complexities of gender enforcement within the literary work.