Muteness and Oppression of Women in The Wasted Vigil from the Perspective of Patriarchy and a Muted Group Theory

Abstract

In this research article, the focus is on the idea of Muteness and Oppression of Women in the novel, The Wasted Vigil (2008). Two theories, i.e., Patriarchy and A Muted Group have been employed as a theoretical framework for the research. This research is qualitative in nature. The objectives are designed to find and dissect the factors that contribute to social oppression and muteness. In the light of A Muted Group and Patriarchy Theories, the research attempts to expound the aspects of gender oppression, muteness and social marginalization. MGT, pioneered by scholars like Ardener and later elaborated by Kramarae, serves as a crucial lens through which the silencing of women was examined. Simultaneously, the patriarchal tenets discussed by Connell and hooks offer a space to explore the systemic hierarchy that marginalizes women. Excerpts from the novel depicted women as not merely passive victims but also strong and resistant, subverting yet remaining entrapped within male-dominated structures. The findings revealed that the women characters in The Wasted Vigil (2008) depict muted groups whose attempts at resistance were both courageous and paradoxically constrained by patriarchal discourse. Secondly, the portrayal of oppressive factors ranged from physical violence to institutional forms of control. While acts of resistance were observed, they frequently occurred within boundaries established by the dominant male society, thereby questioning the efficacy of such resistance. This investigation contributes masterfully to the discourse on gender inequity and social oppression, employing meticulous textual analysis supported by influential theoretical paradigms.

Keywords

• The Wasted Vigil, MGT, patriarchy, oppression, muteness, women