This book is basically a going back to the roots of female writing at the beginning of the 20th century. Although female characters by then had found a fixed place within the English speaking novel most of them represented the classical role of women within class ridden British society where women basically speaking had an inferior role to men, culturally, socially and academically.
The early beginnings of female writing in the sense of a more feminist approach can be set before and after the First World War. This goes for the British, the American and - as in the case here - also for the colonial background. The first female feminist writers were pioneers in the sense that they broke with traditional gender roles and thus challenged the anti-female reality of Western and Islamic societies.
Begum Rokheya Sakhawat Hossain's book Sultana's Dream (1905) and Charlotte Perkin's science fiction concept of a female society must therefore be taken as frontrunners of modern feminist thinking and writing and as a criticism of existing male structures which considered the female to be below the male. It goes without saying that Sultana's Dream is the more radical approach to describe a world without men since the author herself was much more stuck within an anti-female surrounding and the book would never ever have been published without the tolerant husband of the author who supported his wife in her writing.
Thus the choice to use the dream as a basic narrative background enabled the author to move around more freely.
Herland (1909) on the contrary uses classical parts like the utopian mixed with science fiction elements. Although both novels must be seen against their specific background - here Western, there Islamic - they do have one major element in common. The talk is about the idea of a world where the female reigns and which is more human than its male counterpart. This includes social criticism as well as a cultural and religious one and the hope that in the long run both forces, the female and the male, could live in more harmony than in the past, be it in the West or the East.
Table of Contents
- Abstract
- Preface
- Preface: Sultana's Dream (1905) and Herland (1909)
- Dream in English Literature
- The Utopian Novel
- Close Analysis of Sultana's Dream
- Conclusion: Sultana's Dream
- Close Analysis of Herland
- Outlook
- Bibliography
Objectives and Key Themes
This book aims to explore the early development of feminist writing in both Muslim and Western contexts at the beginning of the 20th century, focusing on Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain's Sultana's Dream (1905) and Charlotte Perkins Gilman's Herland (1909). It examines these works as pioneering examples of feminist literature that critique existing patriarchal structures.
- Early feminist writing and its challenge to traditional gender roles.
- A comparative analysis of utopian and science fiction elements in Sultana's Dream and Herland.
- The depiction of female-dominated societies and their contrast with male-dominated realities.
- The influence of cultural and religious contexts on feminist expression.
- The connection between feminism and postcolonial studies.
Chapter Summaries
Preface: This preface sets the stage for the book's comparative analysis of Sultana's Dream and Herland. It highlights both novels as groundbreaking works of feminist literature, challenging traditional gender roles and structures. The preface emphasizes the authors' diverse cultural backgrounds—Hossain's colonial Indian context and Gilman's Western one—while noting their shared focus on critiquing societal norms through utopian and science fiction elements. It also discusses the evolution of female representation in English-language novels, tracing how the portrayal of women evolved from conventional family-centered narratives to more critical, feminist perspectives. The preface posits that both authors built upon and reacted against established literary traditions, contributing significantly to the development of feminist thought and literature.
Close Analysis of Sultana's Dream: This chapter delves into a detailed examination of Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain's Sultana's Dream. It likely explores the narrative structure using the dream as a vehicle for social commentary, analyzing the portrayal of a female-ruled utopia, and contrasting it with the oppressive reality experienced by women in the author's time and context. The analysis will dissect the themes of gender inequality, social reform, and the power of imagination. The chapter also likely investigates how the novel uses science fiction elements to envision a better future. It would further delve into how the work operates within the specific socio-political context of colonial India.
Close Analysis of Herland: This chapter offers a similar in-depth analysis of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's Herland. It will likely explore the novel's unique depiction of a society without men, examining the social, cultural, and political systems established by its female inhabitants. The analysis will likely focus on the utopian aspects of Herland, including its themes of female empowerment, communal living, and the rejection of traditional gender roles. It would likely contrast and compare Herland's depiction of a utopian female society to that of Sultana's Dream and contextualize it within the social and political climate of early 20th-century America. The significance of the novel's feminist ideology will be explored.
Keywords
Feminist literature, utopian fiction, science fiction, gender roles, colonial literature, postcolonial studies, Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain, Sultana's Dream, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Herland, social critique, gender equality, female empowerment.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comparative Analysis of Sultana's Dream and Herland
What is the main focus of this book?
This book conducts a comparative analysis of Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain's Sultana's Dream (1905) and Charlotte Perkins Gilman's Herland (1909). It explores the early development of feminist writing in both Muslim and Western contexts at the beginning of the 20th century, examining these works as pioneering examples of feminist literature that critique existing patriarchal structures.
What are the key themes explored in the book?
The book explores several key themes, including early feminist writing and its challenge to traditional gender roles; a comparative analysis of utopian and science fiction elements in both novels; the depiction of female-dominated societies and their contrast with male-dominated realities; the influence of cultural and religious contexts on feminist expression; and the connection between feminism and postcolonial studies.
What is included in the Table of Contents?
The Table of Contents includes an Abstract, Preface, a preface specifically addressing Sultana's Dream and Herland, sections on Dreams in English Literature and the Utopian Novel, close analyses of both Sultana's Dream and Herland, a Conclusion focusing on Sultana's Dream, an Outlook section, and a Bibliography.
What is covered in the Preface?
The Preface sets the stage for the comparative analysis, highlighting both novels as groundbreaking works challenging traditional gender roles. It emphasizes the authors' diverse cultural backgrounds and shared focus on critiquing societal norms through utopian and science fiction elements. It also discusses the evolution of female representation in English-language novels and how both authors contributed to feminist thought and literature.
What does the "Close Analysis of Sultana's Dream" chapter entail?
This chapter provides a detailed examination of Sultana's Dream, exploring its narrative structure, the portrayal of a female-ruled utopia, and its contrast with the oppressive reality for women at the time. It analyzes themes of gender inequality, social reform, the power of imagination, and the use of science fiction elements to envision a better future within the socio-political context of colonial India.
What does the "Close Analysis of Herland" chapter cover?
This chapter offers a similar in-depth analysis of Herland, exploring its depiction of a society without men and examining its social, cultural, and political systems. It focuses on the utopian aspects, including themes of female empowerment, communal living, and the rejection of traditional gender roles. It contrasts and compares Herland's depiction with Sultana's Dream and contextualizes it within early 20th-century America, exploring the significance of its feminist ideology.
What are the keywords associated with this book?
Keywords include Feminist literature, utopian fiction, science fiction, gender roles, colonial literature, postcolonial studies, Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain, Sultana's Dream, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Herland, social critique, gender equality, and female empowerment.
- Quote paper
- Dr. Matthias Dickert (Author), 2016, The Utopian Concept of the Female in East and West. A Critical Comparison of “Sultana's Dream” (1905) and “Herland” (1909), Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/323697
