Assignment 101 : Female Empowerment through Agency: A Cinematic and Literary Exploration

 This blog is part of an assignment for the paper 101 - Literature of the Elizabethan and Restoration Periods, Sem - 1, 2023.

Female Empowerment through Agency: A Cinematic and Literary Exploration

Table of Contents:-

• Personal Information
• Assignment Details
• Abstract
• Keywords
• Introduction
• Hellena's Rebellion: Defying Expectations and Embracing Female Agency in The Rover
• Offred's Unyielding Spirit: Reclaiming Agency in The Handmaid's Tale
• Breaking the Silence: Amrita's Reclaiming of Self-Worth and Female Agency
• Rani's Solo Odyssey: Blossoming into Empowerment and Self-Discovery
• Conclusion
• References 

Personal Information:-

Name:- Dhatri Parmar

Batch:- M.A. Sem 1 (2023-2025)

Enrollment Number:- 5108230032

E-mail Address:-dhatriparmar291@gmail.com

Roll Number:- 7

Assignment Details:-

Topic:-Female Empowerment through Agency: A Cinematic and Literary Exploration

Paper & subject code:-101-Literature of the Elizabethan and Restoration Periods & 22392

Submitted to:- Smt. Sujata Binoy Gardi, Department of English, MKBU, Bhavnagar

Date of Submission:- 01 December,2023

Abstract : 

This paper analyzes representations of female empowerment through agency in the literary work The Rover by Aphra Behn and the films Thappad, and Queen. It examines how the female protagonists in these works exert agency and find empowerment by making choices against societal expectations. The Rover explores a woman’s sexual liberation in 17th century England. The Handmaid's tale showed how women find strength despite bring really controlled.Thappad shows a woman leaving her abusive marriage to regain agency. Queen portrays a woman’s solo journey of self-discovery and independence. These diverse works highlight agency as a means for women to empower themselves across cultural and historical contexts, despite facing oppression. Examining literature and film provides multilayered perspectives on women asserting their willpower and personal authority.

Keywords :  Female agency, Women's liberation, Gender roles, Female empowerment

Introduction : 

Female empowerment has become a major theme in contemporary cinema and literature. Female agency, the ability of female characters to make their own decisions and control their own destinies, has been a central theme in literature throughout history. However, it is only in recent decades that female characters have been consistently portrayed as agents of their own stories. This shift is due in part to the rise of feminism and the increasing visibility of women in society. Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre and Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own stand as groundbreaking works that championed female agency, while Woolf herself acknowledged Aphra Behn's pioneering contributions to women's literature. Earlier in the Romantic period, Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman paved the way for female empowerment and self-determination.

Representations of women exerting agency and finding empowerment by opposing social expectations have become more prominent. Examining such works provides insight into how women’s agency manifests in different cultural contexts and genres. This paper will analyze the literary work The Rover by Aphra Behn and the films The Joy That Kills (American TV film), Thappad, and Queen to explore portrayals of female empowerment through agency.

Hellena's Rebellion: Defying Expectations and Embracing Female Agency in The Rover:

Aphra Behn's 1677 play The Rover depicts female agency through the character Hellena, who exerts her strong will to determine her own destiny.The play begins with Hellena setting the tone for the active participation of the female characters in a pursuit commonly accorded to the male. She is daring enough too to defy her brother and voice her distaste of the system of marriage in that society. Hellena, however, falls in love with the Rover, Willmore, who does not believe in marriage, which, perhaps, should have been ideal in that she could be free of the bindings that accompany marriage. But since she has chosen this man herself, Hellena has the opportunity of being able to impose the bindings on the man and so, with wit and intelligence, she makes him finally succumb to her wishes. In her case, too, as she very carefully points out to her brother, inheritance of a fortune allows her to make her own choice without the threat of being disowned without a penny. 

Hellena is given more agency. Being not only beautiful but intelligent too, Hellena is able to take control of each of the situations in which she finds herself contending with her lover. The use of a mask and a disguise gives Hellena the opportunity to observe, without being subjected to scrutiny herself, the actions of the man she loves. Arifa Rehman in her article told that Hellena, as wit, is on a level with Willmore, but she gains the upper hand when she is able to extract a promise of constancy from the Rover and persuade him into marriage. As a woman with a fortune, she does not need to be financially dependent on Willmore, which makes the marriage seem a union between equals.(Rahman)

Offred's Unyielding Spirit: Reclaiming Agency in The Handmaid's Tale: 

Margaret Atwood's book "The Handmaid's Tale" shows how women find strength despite being really controlled in a strict place called Gilead. Atwood looks at how even in very strict situations, like the one faced by the handmaid Offred, people can still show strength and resistance. Offred doesn't have control over her rights or even her body, but Atwood says she finds empowerment by doing small acts of rebellion and holding onto who she truly is inside, away from what society tells her to be.

 Furthermore, Offred shows rebelliousness by finding small ways to empower herself through resistance. For instance, she steals butter to moisturize her face, which is a small act of defiance against the rules. Offred’s private thoughts, memories of the past, and rich inner world portray a sense of identity that persists despite Gilead’s efforts to reduce her to a “two-legged womb.” Additionally, she holds onto her true self inside, separate from the roles forced on her, stating, “I keep myself alive inside” (Atwood 73). This preservation of identity strengthens Offred's sense of empowerment and her ability to assert herself.

Scholar Malak categorized Offred’s resistance as “an awakening of feminist consciousness” , highlighting her empowerment.(Malak) Offred feels stronger by holding onto her ability to make choices and who she really is, even when she feels like she has almost no power left.Through Offred’s complex lived experience, The Handmaid’s Tale offers a compelling exploration of women fighting to assert agency and personhood under oppression. 

Breaking the Silence: Amrita's Reclaiming of Self-Worth and Female Agency :

The 2020 Bollywood film Thappad depicts a housewife's journey to reclaim her sense of self-worth and agency after experiencing domestic violence. Thappad employs a jarring slap as a catalyst to expose the deeply ingrained issues simmering beneath the surface of Amrita's seemingly harmonious marriage. Amrita's husband's public act of violence shattered the illusion of a loving and respectful marriage that she had carefully nurtured.  Recurring shots of Amrita's morning routine, initially portrayed as a symbol of domestic bliss, subtly foreshadow her descent into a realization of her own misery within the confines of her marriage.

As Amrita's world revolves around the well-being of her husband and his family, her own needs and aspirations become increasingly diminished. The abrupt intrusion of the slap shatters this carefully constructed facade, forcing her to confront the harsh reality of her situation.

 "उस एक थप्पड़ से मुझे वह सारी अफ़ेयर चीज़ें साफ़ साफ़ दिखने लग गई जिसको मैं अनदेखा करके मूव ऑन करते जा रही थी।"

 Amrita's courageous pursuit of a divorce, despite the challenges and resistance she faces, serves as a beacon of hope and empowerment for the women in her life. Her unwavering determination to break free from an oppressive relationship inspires others to question their own situations and challenge the norms that have long suppressed their voices and aspirations. Amrita's journey becomes a catalyst for self-reflection and a collective awakening among the women around her, encouraging them to recognize their own worth and demand the respect they deserve. Her actions pave the way for a shift in the dynamics of their relationships, empowering them to assert their autonomy and pursue their own happiness.

Rani's Solo Odyssey: Blossoming into Empowerment and Self-Discovery :

Queen is a 2013 Indian Hindi-language comedy-drama film directed by Vikas Bahl. It follows Rani, who faces a breakup just before her wedding. Despite the heartache, she decides to embark on her honeymoon alone, leading to a transformative journey of self-discovery. The film challenged stereotypes about desi women, showing Rani's growth and independence. Initially devastated, Rani chooses to travel solo across Europe, gaining confidence and a taste for adventure in unfamiliar lands. Her free-spirited dance signifies a significant moment of awakening for her. 

Morover, Later, in Amsterdam, she shares a hostel with men from France, Japan, and Russia, a departure from her upbringing that cautioned her against interacting with men. This experience becomes a pivotal part of her self-evolution, teaching her valuable lessons about the opposite gender. This experience helps her overcome her fears and grow as a person. She learns to see herself as an independent woman and makes her own decisions. Rani's journey shows how women can find freedom and empowerment by stepping outside their comfort zones and embracing new experiences.

 In her article  Zainab Bhindarwala said that in the final scenes, when Rani is portrayed as her most badass and confident self, her hair is straight. This sends the subtle message that straight hair is more beautiful and somehow more closely associated with feeling empowered.(Bhindarwala) Rani's emotional and personal growth exemplifies female empowerment achieved through claiming agency and breaking free of restrictive social norms.

Conclusion : 

Across literary and cinematic realms, female protagonists boldly assert their agency, challenging the constraints imposed by society and reclaiming control over their destinies. These women, through deception, violence, escaping abusive situations, or embarking on solitary voyages of self-discovery, shatter the molds of conventional femininity and forge paths of empowerment.

Their stories serve as powerful cultural critiques, exposing the deep-rooted patriarchal structures that have historically sought to suppress female voices and aspirations. They ignite a flame of inspiration for female audiences, urging them to question societal norms, reclaim autonomy over their lives, and pursue their passions with unwavering determination.

References : 

Atwood, Margaret. The Handmaid's Tale. 1996.

Bahl, Vikas, director. Queen. Phantom Films, 2013.

Behn, Aphra. The Rover, Or, The Banish'd Cavaliers. BK Publications Private Limited, 2022.

Bhindarwala, Zainab. “Review: 'Thappad' portrays how domestic violence shapes lives of women.” Eagle Nation Online, 8 December 2021, https://eaglenationonline.com/35084/showcase/review-thappad-portrays-how-domestic-violence-shapes-the-lives-of-women/. Accessed 21 November 2023.

Malak, Amin. “MARGARET ATWOOD'S "THE HANDMAID'S TALE" AND THE DYSTOPIAN TRADITION.” UBC Library, https://ojs.library.ubc.ca/index.php/canlit/article/view/194293/190196. Accessed 21 November 2023.

Rahman, Arifa Ghani. “Negotiating Masculine Circles: Female Agency in Aphra Behn's Work.” Rupkatha Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, 2020, https://rupkatha.com/V12/n4/v12n403.pdf. Accessed 21 November 2023.

Sinha, Anubhav, director. Thappad. Benaras Media Works,T-Series, 2020.

Words: 1782

Images : 4