Role of Performity and Gender in Translated Short Stories of Indira Goswami
Abstract:
Women writers like Judith Butler suggest that sex/gender is actually a culture and a society production, built on a great line of power and knowledge. He goes on to say that gender is formed on the basis of the role or function of the individual according to the form of culture somewhere. Gender and performance adopted by society if it complies with the values and laws of the community. But the performativity is also open ‘to negotiation and alteration, to conflict and contest.’(Pramod Nayar). This article attempts to study two translated short stories by the famous Indira Goswami Assam's female voice from a sexual and functional perspective. These two short pieces of Indira Goswami-Purification "Sanskaar", and A City in its Nakedness are Gayatri Bhattacharyya's beautiful translation published in his collection called Relive Indira Goswami. The cleansing of "Sanskaar" reveals the plight of a beautiful but poor woman Damayanti and the work of a childless man to gain public recognition for fatherhood of a child while The City in its Nakedness it reflects the modern state of the lonely woman. Frustration and loneliness are commonplace allegations of degrading modern society's social representation game appropriately done by men and women e texts. The paper would argue that sex and sexuality are not individual passions either biological orders but traditionally embedded. This research paper is purely based on analytical methodology using both primary and secondary sources.
Keywords: community, gender, performativity, sexuality, society.
Introduction
Women like Judith Butler suggest that sex is actually a cultural and social phenomenon production, built on a great line of power and knowledge. He goes on to say that gender is formed on the basis of the role or function of the individual according to the form of culture somewhere. Gender and performance are accepted by society if it complies with the values and laws of the community. According to Pramod K. Nayar, “But the performativity is also open ‘to negotiation and alteration, to conflict and contest. (Pramod Nayar) In this sense gender is easily mutable and malleable in nature. Many feminists opine that when someone feels like being empowered to resonate one’s feelings then gender does not become performance. Gender performativity is not a construct then. For him this concept is flexible and easy to access. When someone feels like they have been given the power to rejuvenate human emotions then sex does not work. It was not built at that time. Judith Butler's works are Gender Trouble (1990), Bodies that Matter (1993) and Excitable Speech (1997) provide compelling explanations for gender and identity in common as performance. In this article we try to highlight sex again efficiency is considered in the short translated stories of Indira Goswami. Sexual function in part is discussed with the question of identity, desire and public interest. This document will also highlight the old cultural beliefs and practices in terms of gender, although it is no longer dominant, it is still influential and emerging. Relive Indira Goswami is a text translated by Gayatri Bhattacharyya, in which some of Indira Goswami's best short stories are included. Most of the short stories of Indira Goswami are women’s areas that divide the cultures of the north and east and are integrated with the experience of women in general. To translate the creation of Goswami's writings on an Assamese person one needs to have an initial experience of Assamese culture and to explore knowledge of Assamese language. The translated text does not appear to be a translation rather, it seems to be the original translator. This proves that Bhattacharyya got inside Assamese culture ethos also genuinely loves Goswami's work. Translated text has therefore attracted the attention of the students. This quality is thus described as “the majority of the translators judge the success of the translation especially to the extent that it is not read as a translation. In this view, the reader may not know that you are learning to translate unless you have been informed of this fact. ”(Landers 49) Indira Goswami's writings are cultural texts through which she is able to explain the nuances of the Assam social structure especially and with present day India. Garima Kalita therefore claims that “the truth of Mamoni Raisom Goswami and fidelity as a writer is affirmed by various things such as poetic metaphors transmit the real element to the crystalline signals.”(Kalita 114)
Replacing Saanskar:
The two quintessential Assamese short stories selected here can be read from the perspective of gender (a favourite creation area of Indira Goswami's writings) and function. A drama’s success always depends on how the characters perform on stage. If they do well the audience responds well. But what kind of work can be expected in the construction of literary documents? The gender norms play a central part in the performance of characters in the literary discourse in the theatrical sense. Thus gender performativity in part is discussed with the question of identity, desire and public interest. At Purification Sanskaar, Indira Goswami displays the merchant-cum-seller Pitambor's desire to have a child and to leave an heir in his great estate. This desire for having a child is tied to Pitambor’s desire to have a beautiful Damayanti, She is the unfortunate widow of the priest Shambhu . Whenever Damayanti passes by, Pitambor’s lecherous gaze falls on her. Krishnakanta, a clever priest, understands the importance of Pitambor's glances and wants to get a chance to satisfy him by exchanging some money. “If you think you can help me with a sum of money, I will definitely assist you to get what you want.”(Bhattacharyya 7) On the other side the weeping Pitambor’s wife lying in bed knows her husband's intentions. Pitambor’s bedridden wife is undeniably rotten in her bed but her mind and eyes are working. Pitambor’s wife feels that something is wrong to cook under her nose. She pretends in a way to be quite aware with her ‘ablaze look’ and but at the same time her glances evoke the sense of loss and betrayal. Pitambor’s submissive wife can't release herself from the accusations that always sting her… an unfulfilled wish/expectation of a mother. “An actor has specific projects, goals, aims to express its feelings, make its mark on the global scenario, and alter the relationship and environment.”(Young105) Pitambor's wife's performance is problematic for him as she wishes to be an honourable wife. Her inability to raise a child robs her of self-confidence. She knows that being Pitambor's socially married spouse she has a full right over Pitambor. However, gradually she loses her authority over him due to her inability to gift Pitambor a baby. On the other hand Pitambor's performativity depends on sexually encouraging Damayanti to come close to Pitambor for the birth his heir. Thus, Pitambor’s sick wife is transformed into a downtrodden 'other'. Butler says that “The presumption of a binary gender system implicitly retains the belief in a mimetic relation of gender to sex whereby gender mimics sex or is otherwise restricted by it.” (Butler 7). Pitambor alongwith Krishnakannta degraded not only the sick wife but also humiliated the poor Damayanti. Damayanti’s state of the penury makes them believe that this poor widow Damayanti will get to their catch for a little bit material support that leaves room for the argument that gender is not just a difference but the division of the congregations was based on oppression and exploitation. The story is set in rural Assam with strong differences between people. Indira Goswami presents the priest (Krishnakanta) as 'treacherous and cruel' his performance lies in materialism profit by his cunning schemes. Although he also set his eyes on the body of the youth Damayanti, restrains himself from moving forward in order to gain material gain. Therefore his work here pertains to the context.
Damayanti is known by the community as a fallen woman, “everyone knew she was a loose woman… is a center to attract all young men in the village.”(Bhattacharyya 3) The cultural context identifies him as something, to be viewed sexually and enjoyed as an asset. Damayanti agrees to meet Pitambar so he can support their starving daughters by earning a living and becoming pregnant. Pitambor’s wife was transferred to the dheki room (traditional Assamese machine of wood for pounding rice) where she was left to die alone without care. This Pitambor behavior reveals creating an element of gender inequality. He is an undeniable authority who decided the fate of his wife and Damayanti. But here is Damayanti's unusual decision to have an abortion the Pitambor embodiment changes the very essence of imperial power and masculinity. Judith Butler selects, “Ownership is best done by the very expressions he said as a result.”(Butler 24). By aborting a child she rebels against such stark notion of patriarchy and determines the social functioning of his gender as variable. Pitambar is shocked and acts like a madman digs the grave of his heir. Saanskar is therefore decoded, cleaned and buried here. So Judith Butler says, “Performativity describes this relation of being implicated in that which one opposes, this turning of power against itself to produce alternative modalities of power, to establish a kind of political contestation that is not a ‘pure’ opposition, a transcendence of contemporary relations of power, but a difficult labor of forging a future from resources inevitably impure.”(Butler 238) In this short story the fake pride and ego of Pitambar rest in his wealth and manhood dies a natural death and his last hope is buried Damayanti. Damayanti's performance as a poor but stubborn woman violates phallocentric or the widespread symbolic order represented by Krishnakanta and Pitambar.
Nudity Unveiled:
In another short story ‘City on the Nakedness’ by Indira Goswami Urmila Bhattacharyya, her husband left her regularly surrounded by her husband’s male friends in her apartment in Delhi. As a deserted, discarded, alienated individual and as a melancholic woman, she finds some stability in her life with this new job ‘as a lecturer in the Hindi Department of Delhi University’. At the same time he likes to get involved in social work. She recently took a boy she found by mistake in slums in Okhla. Journalists Rupchandra and Professor Thakur often pay visits to her home. The author notes, “While they were sitting together, Rupchandra waited - almost wishing, waiting Professor Thakur to leave him alone with Urmila, and Thakur thought that the reporter would go. The two men were actually friends, but at such times they became the worst enemies.”(Bhattacharyya 145) Gender is like a sign because Urmila is a beautiful woman and a serious victim of male-gaze. Thus she also becomes a victim of male ideology. She works as a female host to satisfy his guests. He knows the purpose of his guests but he does not dismiss them as his partners. And they expect him to work for a determined woman, just watching, listening. As Mieke Bal in her book “The Violence of Gender.” A Companion to Gender Studies says:
“Social structures have been developed but not yet in fact inspired by the power of inequality. Since this inequality has no real forgiveness, no actual basis, lack of moral or ethical domain, anything that will do to support and hold it accountable.”(Bal 529-530)
Urmila tries to find solace with Jagannath, the boy she took. He finds her too admitted to school. Urmila's old charmer Jasowant, the person you are researching, appears before him. He feels that “Jasowant was the only man who would ever build a new world for her, corrupted by her wayward husband.”(Bhattacharyya 150-151) Urmila chose Jasowant to be her better half. When he visits her he expects her to express her feelings to him. Finally he says, "I want to make our relationship deeper than this, to be a solid foundation."(Bhattacharyya 152) After hearing this, a feeling of happiness envelops Urmila. But a bizarre happening transforms the concept of such an ideal life once dreamt by Urmila. Jasowant shouts, “Give me sex! You have to give me sex! The flabbergasted and flummoxed Urmila he exclaims, ‘Sex?’ Jaswant replies, “Yes, only sex can immortalize our relationship.” (Bhattacharyya 152) Thus, once again Urmilla is betrayed by the man she loves most but to the man love is a way to fulfil sexual gratification. Thus, Urmila’s life was devastated and ruined again. Stevi Jackson therefore points out that “sex is guaranteed risk: femininity equals male attraction; the sexual defeat of women ensures masculinity.”(Jackson 139). The general authority makes Urmila a woman, rightly so to beware of a compelling and coercive society full of men like Jasowant. Urmila must share a threatened reality with an unusual female identity. Now Urmila focuses on her adopted son Jagannath. Urmila begins to care for Jagannath “who seemed to be the only medium of support and expression…”(Bhattacharyya 153) Rupchandra and Professor Thakur are there like hawks ready to catch her in the slightest but as both are present together most of the time that opportunity does not come and Urmila is placed in the practice of feminism in front of them which is not optional but mandatory negotiation. Jagannath is tired of the eyeballs of Urmila's male friends again he slams the door one day accusing her of spending too much time with these ‘bad guys again men who love themselves ’. Jagannath knows that Urmilla has been used continuously by these men. They are very concerned about his teenage body. Unlike Jasowant expressing his desire violently, the two men tried to hide their identity in a subtle way. Jagannath says in one sentence, “There is no difference between those bad women who live in slums with you and you”; he hits the door and leaves. He is angry at Urmila as he cannot strengthen himself. Jagannath may be the only man who sees the nakedness of the city as a single woman which makes a single woman vulnerable. This naked city reveals “a multitude of marginalization among women.”(Essed 82) of all classes. It is also said that “in this process it is repeated sexual activity, some people are treated as victims, with the exception of the opposite sex binary.”(Essed 105) Thus, Urmilla is left traumatized, alienated and deserted. She can't stand loneliness herself. So, he goes to a shack to return to Jagannath. Jagannath, now an elderly boy, returns to Urmilla. He begins to live with his second mother but is interrupted by the increase in his pressure. Seeing Urmilla's loneliness he jumped into the act of haste by dragging Jasowant. Urmilla was then pushed by Jasowant into her room. Jagannath also does not fully understand Urmilla. She thought of him suffering from an unfulfilled sexual desire, he finds Jasowant through her. The community contains ancient cultural beliefs and practices, although still dominant, are still powerful and emerging ones. The male members act as titles, forming a majesty, supreme group in the community. The effectiveness of the feminine and masculine culture can be observed in all the formation of the earth.
In these two short stories sex or gender becomes a ‘practical construction’ or a sign of ‘performative construct’. Pitambor's bedridden wife, Damayanti and Urmila are the products of a power plant that produces female gender and you expect it to work properly. Pitambor's socially wedded wife knows the hidden intention of Pitambor’s devouring sight on Damayanti and will be treated like leftover food. She is now a deviant individual and rejected entity for Pitambor. Damayanti, a poor but independent and intelligent woman, knows that Pitambor after abusing her body will chase her away, so she aborts her baby. Thus, it is seen that Damayanti challenges Pitambor's pride and masculinity. She pretends to imitate according to his will. Urmilla on the other hand does traditionally the social codes they live in. She never raises her voice against the two male guests who are always sexually compelled to deceive her but her third lover whom she also loves betrays her with his sexual perversion.
Conclusion:
A collection of short stories translated by Indira Goswami speaks boldly in silent words for time immemorial. Her short stories are about the marginalized female space we hear about that would not have changed without the structural change of gender roles, identity and relationships. Social and cultural factors do not allow them to speak. The effectiveness of sexual behaviour in various contexts is demonstrated in descriptive ways. Short stories discussed here reveal a variety of sexual practices according to social status and power sequences. Even the translator Gayatri Bhattacharyya has succeeded in ‘moving beyond’ the natural meaning of the original tone and purpose of short stories of this famous author without distortion. Thus, we can say that the translated works are associated with the necessary publicity that speaks with boldness but with subtlety the occurred experiences, the identity, practices and representation of women in this part of the world.
Works Cited: