PAKISTANI VALUES AND THE PARADOX OF HEER'S COMPLEX PATH TO RESISTANCE IN BLASPHEMY; A NOVEL BY TEHMINA DURRANI

Abstract

Gender discrimination and religious exploitation are two of the key issues in Pakistan’s patriarchal social setup. Tehmina Durrani is among those few who dare to challenge such cultures. Her novel Blasphem brings to the fore extreme deterioration in Pakistani values which are beyond reparation. This study aims to examine how traditional Pakistani gender roles are exploited by the main character Pir Sain to subdue Heer, his young wife. This study also explores the paradox of Heer’s resistance to find out how society subjugates individuals who strive to undermine those oppressive measures. A qualitative study is conducted by using Butler’s Gender Performative Theory, outlined in her essay Performative Acts and Gender Constitution: An Essay in Phenomenology and Feminist Theory (1988) and Gender Roles in Pakistan, outlined by Ali et al. (2011) which provide the theoretical framework for the research. The findings of the research showed that Pir Sain’s actions were against Pakistani norms and values and that distortion of gender roles led to Heer’s subjugation. It also highlights how suppression could lead to the adaptation of authoritarian, oppressive values yet the resistance of society to any appropriation of gender or its performance.