Oppression of

womenhood
Additional English
Team Members
01

22213625 DEEPTI PUROHIT

22213629 DORA MARIA BASIL

22213654 LISA CLARA KANE

22213671 PRABHPREET KAUR

22213672 PRANJAL DUBEY

22213682 SHREYA JAIN

22213688 SRISHTI KUJUR

 CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
IMPACT

MARRIAGES ARE MADE

SECRET SUPERSTAR

LITERARY WORKS HIGHLIGHTING FEMALE OPPRESSION

SAROJNI NAIDU

THEN VS NOW

CONCLUSION

02
 Introduction 03

WHAT IS “OPPRESSION OF WOMANHOOD”?

OPPRESSION OF WOMANHOOD IS TREATING WOMEN IN A CRUEL, UNJUST, AND UNWANTED MANNER

WHERE THE TREATED WOMEN ARE LEFT HELPLESS, DISAPPOINTED, AND DISTRESSED

-THE OPPRESSION OF WOMEN CREATES DIFFICULTY IN THE RECOGNITION OF RIGHTS AS HUMAN BEINGS.

-WOMEN TEND TO FACE ISSUES IN MOST REGULAR CIRCUMSTANCES AND STRUGGLE FOR LIFE & DIGNITY.
IMPACTS 04

-THE WOMEN IN INDIA ARE DEPRIVED OF THEIR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO DIGNITY AND ARE

LEFT ALONE WITH THE QUESTION OF GENDER EQUALITY.

-THE WOMEN TEND TO FACE CHALLENGES IN INDIA, SUCH AS THE DOWRY, FEMALE FETICIDE,

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DENIAL OF INHERITANCE, RAPE,TRAFFICKING OF GIRLS, ETC.

05
06
MARRIAGES ARE MADE
• THE POEM ‘MARRIAGES ARE MADE’ SHOWS THE REALITY OF OUR SOCIETY IN A SARCASTIC MANNER.

• IN THE POEM ELENA THE COUSIN OF THE NARRATOR OF THE POEM MUST UNDERGO A SERIES OF

HUMILIATING FORMALITIES TO PROVE HERSELF WORTHY TO THE GROOM AND THE GROOM’S

FAMILY.

• SHE DOES NOT HAVE A SAY IN HER MARRIAGE. SHE IS TREATED AS A COMMODITY AND AN OBJECT.

• THIS SHOWS THE OPPRESSION THAT WOMEN FACE IN A MALE-DOMINATED SOCIETY.

• WHILE THEIR FEELINGS OF ELENA ARE NOT CONSIDERED HER PHYSICAL APPEARANCE IS TAKEN

INTO ACCOUNT.

• SHE IS NEITHER CONSIDERED TO BE SUITABLY TALL NOR SHAPELY. HOWEVER, HER FAIR

COMPLEXION MAKES UP FOR HER SO-CALLED LESSER ATTRIBUTES.

• WHILE ELENA IS THOROUGHLY EXAMINED, THE GROOM IS PRESUMED TO BE GOOD IN ALL ASPECTS

AND HE DOES NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH ANY FORMALITY.

• THIS DEPICTS HOW WOMEN MUST BE PERFECT AND HOW WOMEN MUST LIVE UP TO HIGH

EXPECTATIONS WHILE NO ONE CONSIDERS TO QUESTIONS OR EXAMINE THE GROOM OR HIS FAMILY.
 SECRET SUPERSTAR
05
 IN AN ARTIST'S STUDIO
BY CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

ONE FACE LOOKS OUT FROM ALL HIS CANVASES,

ONE SELFSAME FIGURE SITS OR WALKS OR LEANS:
WE FOUND HER HIDDEN JUST BEHIND THOSE
SCREENS,
THAT MIRROR GAVE BACK ALL HER LOVELINESS.
A QUEEN IN OPAL OR IN RUBY DRESS,
A NAMELESS GIRL IN FRESHEST SUMMER-GREENS,
A SAINT, AN ANGEL — EVERY CANVAS MEANS
THE SAME ONE MEANING, NEITHER MORE OR LESS.
HE FEEDS UPON HER FACE BY DAY AND NIGHT,
AND SHE WITH TRUE KIND EYES LOOKS BACK ON
HIM,
FAIR AS THE MOON AND JOYFUL AS THE LIGHT:
NOT WAN WITH WAITING, NOT WITH SORROW DIM;
NOT AS SHE IS, BUT WAS WHEN HOPE SHONE
BRIGHT;
NOT AS SHE IS, BUT AS SHE FILLS HIS DREAM
SAROJNI NAIDU
10
-THERE IS ONE PERSON WHOSE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE A LOT OF

DIFFERENCE FOR WOMEN IN A COUNTRY WHERE THEY WERE

SIMPLY “CARETAKERS” AND “NURTURERS“; THE POET AND

POLITICIAN SAROJINI NAIDU.

-SHE WAS THE FIRST FEMALE GOVERNOR OF AN INDIAN STATE

AND THE FIRST INDIAN WOMAN TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE INDIAN

NATIONAL CONGRESS (INC) PARTY.

SHE WAS NOT JUST A BRILLIANT STUDENT BUT SHE USED IT

WISELY FOR MANY AREAS. ONCE SHE FINISHED HER STUDIES, AT

THE AGE OF 19 SHE GOT MARRIED TO A NONBRAHMIN

PERSONALITY WHO WAS A DOCTOR BY PROFESSION CALLED DR.

GOVINDARAJULU NAIDU.

- IT WAS HER CONTRIBUTION AND HARD WORK THAT

ENCOURAGED MANY WOMEN TO GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN AND

SPEAK FOR THEIR RIGHTS. FOR THIS, SHE HAD TO TRAVEL EVERY

STATE AND CITY TO CRUSADE FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS.

-SAROJINI NAIDU PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN WOMEN’S RIGHTS STRUGGLE IN INDIA.

SHE HELPED IN SHAPING WOMEN’S INDIAN ASSOCIATION IN 1917 WITH ANNIE BESANT AND

OTHERS. THE ASSOCIATION SOUGHT EQUAL RIGHTS INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND

REPRESENT.

-SHE PRESENTED THE NEED TO INCLUDE MORE WOMEN IN THE CONGRESS AND IN THE

FREEDOM STRUGGLE. DURING 1918, BRITISH AND INDIAN FEMINISTS INCLUDING NAIDU SET

UP A MAGAZINE CALLED “STRI DHARMA” TO PRESENT INTERNATIONAL NEWS FROM A

FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE.

-DURING THE TIME PERIOD 1915-1918, SHE TRAVELED TO DIFFERENT REGIONS IN INDIA TO

LECTURE ON WOMEN’S RIGHTS, SOCIAL WELFARE OF WOMEN AND NATIONALISM. A

CONTEMPORARY POET, BAPPADITYA BANDOPADHYAY QUOTED “SAROJINI NAIDU INSPIRED

THE INDIAN RENAISSANCE MOVEMENT AND HAD A MISSION TO IMPROVE THE LIFE OF

INDIAN WOMAN.”

-HAVING BEEN IMPRISONED SEVERAL TIMES, SHE FOUGHT UNTIL HER LAST BREATH. SHE IS

KNOWN AS “ONE OF INDIA’S FEMINIST LUMINARIES” AND HER BIRTHDAY (13 FEBRUARY) IS

CELEBRATED THROUGHOUT INDIA AS NATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY TO HONOUR HER LEGACY IN

INDIA’S HISTORY.
Different women like Malala
ELA BHATT
-ELA RAMESH BHATT WAS BORN ON 7 SEPTEMBER 1933 IN

AHEMDABAD. SHE WAS AN INDIAN COOPERATIVE ORGANIZER,

ACTIVIST, AND GANDHIAN, WHO FOUNDED THE SELF-EMPLOYED

WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF INDIA (SEWA) IN 1972 AND SERVED AS

ITS GENERAL SECRETARY FROM 1972 TO 1996.

-SHE WAS THE CHANCELLOR OF THE GUJARAT VIDYAPITH FROM 7

MARCH 2015 TO 19 OCTOBER 2022.

-A LAWYER BY TRAINING, BHATT WAS A PART OF THE

INTERNATIONAL LABOR, COOPERATIVE, WOMEN, AND MICRO-

FINANCE MOVEMENTS AND WON SEVERAL NATIONAL AND

INTERNATIONAL AWARDS, INCLUDING THE RAMON MAGSAYSAY

AWARD (1977), RIGHT LIVELIHOOD AWARD (1984) FOR "HELPING

HOME-BASED PRODUCERS TO ORGANIZE FOR THEIR WELFARE

AND SELF-RESPECT" AND THE PADMA BHUSHAN (1986). 09

 -BHATT WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF WOMEN'S WORLD BANKING IN

1979 WITH ESTHER OCLOO AND MICHAELA WALSH AND SERVED AS ITS
08
CHAIR FROM 1980 TO 1998.

-SHE WAS ALSO AWARDED THE CIVILIAN HONOUR OF PADMA SHRI BY THE

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA IN 1985, AND THE PADMA BHATT WAS ONE OF THE

FOUNDERS OF WOMEN'S WORLD BANKING IN 1979 WITH ESTHER OCLOO

AND MICHAELA WALSH, AND SERVED AS ITS CHAIR FROM 1980 TO 1998.

-SHE WAS ALSO AWARDED THE CIVILIAN HONOUR OF PADMA SHRI BY THE

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA IN 1985, AND THE PADMA BHUSHAN IN 1986. BHATT

WAS CHOSEN FOR THE NIWANO PEACE PRIZE IN 2010 FOR HER WORK

EMPOWERING POOR WOMEN IN INDIA.

-ELA BHATT WAS HONOURED WITH THE PRESTIGIOUS RADCLIFFE MEDAL

ON 27 MAY 2011 ON RADCLIFFE DAY FOR HER EFFORTS IN HELPING UPLIFT

WOMEN.

- IN NOVEMBER 2011, ELA BHATT WAS SELECTED FOR THE INDIRA GANDHI

PRIZE FOR PEACE, DISARMAMENT AND DEVELOPMENT 2011 FOR HER

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENTS IN EMPOWERING WOMEN THROUGH

GRASSROOTS ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
SOME OTHER WOMEN WHO FOUGHT

AGAINST WOMEN OPPRESSION

SAVITRI BAI PHULE

THEN VS NOW
STAGES OF INDIAN WOMEN’S OPPRESSION
ANCIENT INDIA
IN ANCIENT INDIA AN INITIATION WAS TAKEN TO PROVIDE WOMEN CERTAIN RIGHTS BY CALLING

THEM “ARDHANGINI”. LATER VEDIC PERIOD STARTED MANY ABUSIVE TRENDS SUCH AS THE SATI

SYSTEM, PARDHA SYSTEM, CHILD MARRIAGE, DASI PRATHA, NIYOG PRATHA, AND SO ON.

GARUDA PURANA STATED, "FOLLOW THE LAWS OF VEDAS OR ELSE YOU WILL WRATH IN HELL”, THIS

PERIOD NOT ONLY ABUSED THEM WITH SUCH TRENDS BUT ALSO PUNISHED THEM FOR THEIR

DISOBEDIENCE. THE PUNISHMENT HERE WAS A PERIODIC HELL END OF ONE HELL STARTS THE

OTHER.  IN SHORT, WE CAN SAY VEDAS BROUGHT A CRUEL ENVIRONMENT TO WOMEN’S SOCIETY

MEDIEVAL AGE
WOMEN IN MEDIEVAL INDIA WERE MADE OVERLOADED WITH RESPONSIBILITIES. EVEN EDUCATION

WAS AVAILABLE TO A VERY LOW EXTENT. SLAVERY PRACTICE WAS ALSO IN PROCESS. IN THIS ERA,

WOMEN HAD BEEN GIVEN THE TITLE OF TEMPLE DANCERS, DEVADASIS, AND SO ON.

SATI SYSTEM, PARDHA SYSTEM, AND CHILD MARRIAGE WERE STILL IN PROGRESS TO OPPRESS

WOMEN. DURING THE MEDIEVAL AGE, THERE WAS GREAT POTENTIAL IMPORTANCE FOR THE DOWRY

SYSTEM IN THE FORM OF “VARADAKSHINA

 MODERN ERA
INDIA IS KNOWN FOR ITS HISTORICAL VARIETY AND COULDN’T LEAVE ITS PROCESS OF

WOMEN’S OPPRESSION IN HISTORY ITSELF. HENCE IT CONTINUED EVEN IN MODERN INDIA

THE ERA OF PRE-INDEPENDENCE
THE ERA OF PRE-INDEPENDENCE STARTED DURING THE 18TH CENTURY DURING THE WAR AGAINST COLONIALISM OF THE
03
BRITISH. INDIAN TRADITIONAL SOCIETY DIDN’T BOTHER ABOUT MODERNIZATION. THE CUSTOMS AND PRACTICES WERE JUST

THE SAME AS BEFORE.

LATER ON, MANY FREEDOM FIGHTERS AND LEADERS STARTED THEIR FIGHT FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS. THE GREAT LEADER

MAHATMA GANDHI IN HIS NON-VIOLENCE MOVEMENT NOT ONLY WORKED FOR THE POLITICAL FREEDOM OF THE COUNTRY

BUT ALSO STRUGGLED FOR INDIAN WOMEN’S EQUALITY AND PROGRESS BY ASKING THEM TO JOIN FREEDOM MOVEMENTS.

THE ERA OF POST-INDEPENDENCE

IN THE ERA OF POST-INDEPENDENCE, THE 1ST PRIME MINISTER OF INDEPENDENT INDIA DR. JAWAHARLAL NEHRU ONCE SAID

THAT “YOU CAN TELL THE CONDITION OF A NATION BY LOOKING AT THE STATUS OF ITS WOMEN”. TRADITIONAL PEOPLE SAY

THAT WOMEN HAVE BEEN GIVEN BIRTH JUST TO ACCOMPANY MEN AND TO CARRY ON THEIR FAMILY LINE. THE SOCIOLOGIST

SAYS THAT WOMEN SHOULD STRIVE TO GET MARRIED, HAVE KIDS, HELP HUSBANDS, AND TAKE CARE OF THE FAMILY THEN

THEIR LIFE IS SATISFIED BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, MEN CAN HAVE DREAMS, WORK OUTSIDE, AND ENJOY BOTH FAMILY LOVE

AS WELL AS ONE’S OWN DESIRE.

OUR CONSTITUTION HAS GIVEN WOMEN MANY RIGHTS BUT THE INDIAN SOCIETY TRIES NOT TO LEAVE ITS TRADITIONAL

PHILOSOPHY BEHIND. OUR CONSTITUTION HAS GIVEN US THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND EXPRESSION UNDER

ARTICLE 19 OF THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION BUT STILL, OUR SOCIETY ASKS WOMEN TO “TALK SLOWLY”, “WATCH YOUR

EXPRESSION” AND SO ON. AS PER THE MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION LITERACY RATE OF

WOMEN IS LESS THAN THAT OF MEN.

THE NEGATIVE IMPACT IN CRIMES ARE ASSAULT, RAPE, WOMEN TRAFFICKING, AND SO ON. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL

CRIMES RECORDS BUREAU, IN 2016 THE RAPE OF MINOR GIRLS INCREASED BY 82% COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR,

ACROSS ALL THESE RAPE CASES 95% OF RAPISTS WERE NOT STRANGERS.
 07
CONCLUSION
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, VARIOUS SOCIAL NORMS, IN SOME FORM OR THE OTHER, DENY
WOMEN THEIR RIGHT TO EDUCATION, HEALTH SERVICES, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, AND
POLITICAL PARTICIPATION

IN PREVIOUS TIMES, MEN DOMINATED SOCIETY WHILE WOMEN WERE SECONDARY TO THEM. AT THE FAMILY

LEVEL, WOMEN HAD VERY LITTLE TO NO OPINION, AND THE MEN WERE THE SOLE ONES IN CHARGE OF ALL

DECISIONS. A WOMAN WAS CONSIDERED A MAN’S POSSESSION. GREAT HEIGHTS OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS

AND FORMAL JOBS WERE FOR MEN,

WHILE WOMEN FULFILLED THE FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES AND BORE THE BURDEN OF HOUSE CHORES. A

PATRIARCHAL AND OPPRESSED SOCIETY WITH AN INHUMANE CASTE SYSTEM LED TO THE IMMENSE

SUFFERING OF WOMEN IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE WORLD. THEY WERE AND ARE BEING MISTREATED INSIDE

AND OUTSIDE THEIR HOMES.

Thank
you!!