Literature, particularly the novel, offers a suitable platform for reflecting on and critiquing social and cultural issues. In Afghanistan, violence against women stems not only from political crises and wars but also from patriarchal structures, cultural and economic poverty, and weak support systems. This violence is systematically and institutionally reproduced across various dimensions of women's daily lives and within different layers of society. Afghan women writers in the 1390s (Solar Hijri) utilized the narrative capacities of the novel to expose various forms of structural violence against women, thereby shaping a critical discourse surrounding power inequalities between women and men. This study aims to investigate and analyze the representation of six types of structural violence—psychological, physical, economic, social, sexual, and legal—in two contemporary women's novels: The Brightness of Ashes by Zahra Yeganeh and Let Me Write for You by Nahid Mehrgan. The theoretical framework of this article is Kate Millett's "Sexual Politics" theory, which, through a structural analysis of gender relations, considers violence an instrument for perpetuating male dominance. The present research employs a qualitative content analysis method with a purposeful sampling method. Findings suggest that psychological violence is the most prevalent form of violence in both novels, and the representation of violence occurs through structures such as tradition, family, religion, and law. These representations have led to the creation of characters who react to dominance, some through resistance and others through acceptance. Contemporary women's literature not only exposes gender inequalities but also, by raising awareness, paves the way for social transformation.
Introduction
Narrative literature, by its very nature, possesses a unique capacity to depict the intricate complexities of social, cultural, and gender-based issues through an artistic and impactful language. Significantly, in Afghanistan during the 1390s (Solar Hijri), with the growing prominence of women writers and accompanying societal shifts, the novel emerged as a vital platform for articulating women's experiences and critiquing patriarchal structures. Indeed, within the Afghan social context, women are consistently exposed to various forms of violence due to protracted conflicts, deeply entrenched traditional structures, poverty, and institutional discrimination. Consequently, this cycle of violence is systematically reproduced, and contemporary literature, through its representation, has played a crucial illuminating and critical role.
The novels written by Afghan women authors in the 1390s have, therefore, provided fertile ground for critiquing unequal gender relations. These novels, blending artistic, narrative, and at times documentary styles, have not only reflected women's violent experiences but have also challenged dominant oppressive systems. As a result, this literary discourse re-examines power relations from a gendered perspective, highlighting the lived experiences of women in the face of structural dominance. Crucially, in these novels, women writers have not merely recounted individual oppressions but have also exposed the underlying social and institutional roots of violence.
Building on this context, this research specifically investigates the factors contributing to violence against women, the consequences of such violence, and the various types of violence present in the selected novels. The choice of these two novels from the 1390s, given the significant presence of women writers and the unique social characteristics of that period, thus offers a suitable foundation for analyzing the representation of violence in contemporary Afghan literature.
Research Questions
- What types of structural violence against women are reflected in the novels The Brightness of Ashes and Let Me Write for You?
- What factors contribute to the manifestation of violence against women in the chosen novels?
- What consequences does violence have for the female characters in these two novels?
Literature Review
Existing research on Afghan women's literature have primarily focused on examining the status of women or analyzing feminine writing styles. However, a structural analysis of violence against women, particularly drawing upon feminist theories like Kate Millett's Sexual Politics, has received considerably less attention. In this seminal study, Millett argues that the relationship between men and women is not merely psychological or biological; rather, she analyzes it as a structural dynamic rooted in dominance. From this perspective, literature can serve as a powerful arena for exposing the mechanisms through which male dominance is perpetuated.
Methodology
This study employs a qualitative content analysis approach with a purposeful sampling strategy. The core of our investigation revolves around two women's novels from the 1390s (Solar Hijri), chosen specifically for the purpose of the present study. Our selection criteria included themes of gender-based violence, authorship by women writers, and the clear representation of patriarchal structures. Data analysis was conducted using Kate Millett's Sexual Politics theory, achieved through the identification and classification of recurring semantic and narrative patterns. The analytical process involved extracting meaningful units, coding concepts related to violence, and interpreting these within the broader context of male power structures.
Findings
Our analysis of The Brightness of Ashes and Let Me Write for You reveals that psychological violence is the most prevalent form of abuse across both novels. Furthermore, in The Brightness of Ashes, other forms of violence, including physical, economic, social, sexual, and legal, are also vividly portrayed. The female characters in these novels consistently confront patriarchal structures enforced through tradition, family, religion, and law. Significantly, these acts of violence lead to profound consequences such as depression, family disintegration, religious animosity, deep-seated resentment, and even suicidal ideation. These issues can be effectively analyzed through Millett's Sexual Politics theory, which frames violence as a tool for maintaining gendered dominance. Moreover, the contrasting responses of the characters Zahra and Mehrgan highlight two distinct approaches to gender-based violence: one characterized by resistance and the other by the acceptance of imposed roles. These divergent responses contribute to the formation of a critical discourse within contemporary Afghan women's literature, demonstrating how this body of work challenges gender oppression and advocates for social change.
Conclusion
This research concludes that 1390s Afghan women's novels not only mirror structural violence but also function as powerful instruments for critiquing patriarchal order. Kate Millett's Sexual Politics theory offers a robust framework, effectively illuminating the complex mechanisms of male dominance present in these literary works and enabling a more profound analysis of the gendered violence embedded within their narratives. By focusing on the intrinsic link between literature, gender, and power, this study underscores literature's vital role in fostering awareness, inspiring resistance, and ultimately laying the groundwork for meaningful social transformation.
Article Type:
Qualitative Research |
Subject:
Feminist critique Received: 2024/12/2 | Accepted: 2025/05/21 | Published: 2025/05/31