Breaking The Silence : Gender , Caste and Transgression of Rural Feminism Thesis Statement : Employing a Critical intercultural communication

frame to examine Rural

Feminism from a subaltern perspective , particularly from the cinematically constructed perspective of a low-caste Indian woman who simultaneously internalizes , resists and subverts , the hegemonic discourse of her world. i. Theoretical Context : Situating Text/Film like Rudaali (The Lamenter) not only in context of pervasive colonial/patriachial structures but also , in the context of problems of historical narration and subject constructive in even what seems to be radical works. Synopsis : Rudaali (The Lamenter) -A Tale of a peasant woman , Shanichari. Ambivalences that arise in representing the gendered subaltern. A. B. C. D. E. Class , Caste and Shanicharis Ambivalence Ambivalence in the Performances Work , Sex and Ambivalence The Ambivalent relation of the Film with its Precursor Texts. Ambivalence in Imagery .

ii. iii.

iv.

Conc lusion

(For understanding of sub points)

Class , Caste and Shanicharis Ambivalence : Setting is of decaying feudalism within a colonial or newly post colonial landscape. Talks about relationship between classes and patriarchies as complex and variable. Ambivalence in Performances : An ambivalence similar to Shanicharis complex relation with her oppressors and to the ambivalence in the mode of characterization adopted by the film is present in elements of performances in film. Work , Sex and Ambivalence : Sexuality is to feminism what work is to Marxism - that which is must ones own , yet must taken away . Rudaali uses and problematizes both these conceptualizations.