Commodification and Objectification of Women in Shahid Nadeem’s Plays Kala Meda Bhes (Black is My Robe) and Dukhini (Woman of Sorrow)

Maria Haroon, Amna Khalil

Abstract

The study explored and discussed the commodification and objectification of women in Shahid Nadeem’s plays Kala Meda Bhes (Black is My Robe) and Dukhini (Woman of Sorrow). Both the plays presented the accurate picture of deep-seated discriminatory sociocultural and patriarchal traditions where men have the position of authority and esteem whereas women are considered subordinates, submissive and weak. In his plays, Shahid Nadeem introduced a vast range of female characters in challenging circumstances where women act as puppets and men act as their masters. Men and women, are assigned different gender roles in Pakistan due to biological essentialism and social constructionism and the clash between the two, was the primary cause of women’s sufferings in a male dominated society. Women are chattels who are attained in the name of marriage to serve men throughout their lives. The male dominated social system is built upon traditional hierarchies where men have put themselves on top and women are given the lower position. The present study discussed that women are objects for exchange with a trade value and are not treated as respectable human beings. They are subjects to physical, mental, emotional and psychological violence.