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Portrayal of Middle Class women in the selected short stories of Sadat Hasan Manto
Dr.Krati Sharma
Assistant Prof., Dept. of English
JECRC UDML College of Engg.
Jaipur
Sadat Hasan Manto (1912-1955) an iconic Urdu writer. He is the forerunner of bringing realism
and ordinary character in his short stories. He is known for his craft for bringing realism in his
short stories. Sadat is known for his candid writing. In the present paper an attempt has been
made to study the middle class women characters portrayed by Manto in the selected stories.
These women belong to different class and status and each one is different from the other.
They challenged the gender roles and norms set by society. Keiki Dharuwala writes “Manto rose
to fame due to the brilliance, the uniqueness of his vision and the controversial nature of his
writing. The Indian middle class, ever prone to a mix of prudishness and hypocrisy in the thirties
and forties was shocked out of its wits. And Manto, of course, reveled in whatever shocked them,
be it “obscenity” or sudden violence, or the dramatic and brutal manner with which he unmasked
hypocrisy” (Dharuwala 1996:118).
Sukrita Paul Kumar writes about Manto’s women characters ,
“In a number of Manto’s stories, there is an impending sense of immediacy with which
one confronts a totally degenerate society, a world of enslaved women, of women
commodified and consumed in accordance with the
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unquestioned fact of male sexual need and the principle of supply and demand. Indeed,
one does not have to be a woman writer to creep into the inner terrain of the psyche of the
oppressed or the exploited female” ( Kumar1996:155).
Middle class women of any caste, class or religion has lot to say about her, convey about her
self. Herself is not identified by the society. In the present paper the life of different characters
has been taken and portrayed. In Ten Rupees the character of care free teenager girl has been
seen and depicted by Manto. The story harps on the dingy life and need for survival is
highlighted. Charu Gidwani writes, “The stories, written with a conviction that is the true mark
of an honest writer, are peopled by ordinary citizens”( Gidwani2013:1)
Afreen Faiyaz writes in ‘The Satanic Urges An Analysis of Radical Evil besetting the Short
Stories of Saadat Hasan Manto’
“He was an iconoclast with such a ferocious sense of realism that he minced no words, draped no
expression and concealed no thought that germinated in his mind from the seeds of evil so
precariously scattered all around him”(Faiyaz2013:1).
The stories under discussion are as follows:
Ten Rupees
This story revolves around Sarita, a teenager girl of fifteen years. She lives in a chawl in
Mumbai. She has her childish joy, Manto writes, “playing with the little girls, utterly
carefree”( Manto2008:23).Sarita is the only source of income to her mother. She has been
pushed into the profession of prostitution by her mother. In the present story the story dosen’t
focus in this trade but it moves into the girl psyche where the girl is not aware of its repercussion
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and doesn’t know what she is actually doing this job. Sarita has fascination for cars. She wants to
move out because of her charm for cars.
“In chawl , virtually everyone knew that Sarita’s mother had sent her younger daughter into
prostitution… Even Sarita’s mother hides all this by repeating.., “ My daughter’s an innocent;
she knows nothing of this world”( Manto2008:25).
The fight between women in chawl has been narrated by an anecdote. This also slightly hinted
the undercurrent activities going in the chawl. “The spats between Tukaram’s wife and Sarita’s
mother never lasted long. . . they known each other secret and decided not to reveal it to
anyone”( Manto2008:26). In this way the undercurrent of middle –class lifestyles are hinted.
She is exicited with her joy ride in car with the strangers comfortably. For her the joy of ride is
more important than the company. “Sarita is happy to hear that she will go for ride. Sarita was
very happy to hear that rich men with motor cars had come for her, granted she was more
interested in motor cars than in the rich men who drove them”( Manto2008:27).
Sarita has been living a life of middle class member of society. “There is also a routine life
which depicted candidly the middleclass responsibilities. Sarita filled buckets of water and took
them inside, every evening she filled the lamp with one paisa’s worth of oil”( Manto2008:29).
The innocence of Sarita is clearly seen “She might even believe that man like Kishori came to all
the other girl’s houses, too. And what happened on Worli’s cold benches and Juhu wet benches
perhaps happened to all other girls as well”( Manto2008:29).
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It shows that by this line Manto clearly talk about natural inclination of human nature where
making love outside social orbit is known and accepted. He always depicts the realities of
Mumbai lifestyle where people are making money by this trade.
She was a freak. “She didn’t like to be confined to the four walls of hotels
rooms. . .”( Manto2008:30).
There is independence of nature in her when the strange man Shaheb pinched Sarita thigh. She
gently twisted Anwar ears .She sings in the car, played in the beach. She poured the soft drinks
for her guests with pleasure. She entertained three men with her song and laughter. The story
reveals how she was taken by visitors to entertain them but she enjoyed on her own. When the
ride was over they gave her a ten rupees note. She declined it and return it back“removed ten
rupees note and placed it next to him”( Manto2008:30).Aatish Taseer writes in Introduction of
the Selected Short Stories,”Sarita loves cars so much that her dealings with men become just
another occasion for her to ride in a motor car, to feel . . She hardly knows she’s a
prostitute”(Taseer2008:XVII).
By doing this action she clarifies the doubt of the visitors who comes to her for pleasure. On the
contrary, she had her pleasure by spending her time with them on excursion. Sarita is the only
source of livelihood. She even had no idea she had been earning through her visit Manto satires
on our society where the desires of men -women are sold for self fish interests. Afreen Faiyaz:
‘The Satanic Urges An Analysis of Radical Evil besetting the Short Stories of Saadat Hasan
Manto writes, “ Manto does not reason into their downfall, nor does he lament over their loss of
innocence and grace. He only gives us a glimpse of that humane space which they have
vicariously created for themselves in this hell for their sustenance. Most of the characters are
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condemned to a sordid existence; however some of them transcend it” (Faiyaz2013:4).
My Name is Radha
The other women character explore in this paper is of Neelam alias Radha in the story My Name
is Radha. The title of this story is very explicit one. In this story a struggle of the actor has been
highlighted. Radha approaches towards life. She is a girl of a small town. She comes down to
Mumbai in search of her career in film. The male chauvinism has been hinted through the
character who is an actor Rajkishore. He is famous for his kindness, generosity. “The problem
was that he, Kishore that is, was only too aware of his good looks and physique , “public knew
that Raj Kishore was a man of moral fibre”(Manto2008:70).
Raj Kishore seems to be a dutiful son who fulfills his duties towards his stepmother. Manto
seems to raise a very stormy question in this story through the character of Rajkishore and
Radha. Rajkishore though belong to glamour world referred all his co- actor as ‘sister’. This may
be he feels like universal brotherhood. Manto sums up, “ A brother and sister’s relationship was
something apart, why call all women your sisters as if you were putting up a “Road Closed” or
the other thought which is more strong that is “ If you weren’t planning on having a sexual
relationship with a women, why make an announcement”( Manto2008:72). Radha has taken up a
new profession where everything is unreal. She has taken up a new name a new identity. She is
now known as Neelam. She dropped that name because, “ It is such a pretty name that I wouldn’t
want it to end up in a film”( Manto2008:74).
She belongs to Banaras her mother was a prostitute. She wanted to earn for her living in Bombay
by becoming a star. She doesn’t want to follow her mother profession and want a respectful life.
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She has been concerned about her image. She has a voice of her own. She senses the reactions of
others. The whole connotation of wearing tight clothes seems to be bad by Neelam. She blurted
out to director, “ If these are clothes, I might as well walk naked with you onto the
sets”( Manto2008:75). This is much thought provoking remark where we can sense that this girl
is very mature and knows about the world.
Neealm is an absolute wonder with her life in flim city and people around her. Neelam shunned
Raj not to call her sister. Even this thing catches like a wild fire. She declared, “Raj Saab, please
Don’t address me as sister. She left with this without anything heard. . .” (Manto2008:82). It
created havoc as people says, “ a ‘dirty mind’ otherwise who could take offence at RajBahi
calling them ‘sister’”( Manto2008:82). Things became bitter for Neelam when Raj reaches to her
place with his wife on Rakhi and would like celebrate that occasion with her. Here he tries to
make her real sister. Neelam felt meek and aghast at this time and tied Rakhi on his wrist. Raj
forgot his bag at her place in this hullabaloo.
After two three days when he come back to take up his bag Neelam lost her peace of mind she
said to to narrator, “ I caught him and began fighting him. . .” I don’t know why or for what
reason, but I attacked him. . . I was shrieking; he was groaning”( Manto2008:89). Finally she
tears his Kurta and looked his body. She had taken a stance and kissed him . “My blood and
lipstick had left vile, almost flora bruises on his beautiful body. . . I would
suffocated”( Manto2008:90).
In this way she has taken shown her womanhood by attacking on him a very bold in the
patriarchal world where she is in the pedestal and challenging the custom of Rakhi too. At last
she said only this . . ., “Saadat, my name is Radha’(Manto2008:90).Life come to full circle for
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her she wants a name for herself. She wants to relate to her real self not the fake name or fake
life. Thsese concluding lines of the short story also hinted that she a post modernist woman who
want to explicit herself. Keki Dharuwala writes for the characterization of Manto ,
“ The characters that peppered his stories wereout of the ordinary, often coming from the
detritus of society. Thewhore, the pimp, the street bully jostled for place with those who
fought for freedom.(Dharuwala1996:119)
Afreen Faiyaz writes, “Neelam in My Name is Radha is an example of evil of lust
overpowering the modesty in women. Pouncing on Raj Kishore and reducing him to a
whimpering coward, she turns into demon herself” (Faiyaz2013:3).
License
This story harks on the patriarchal society, where vocation for women are restricted and
stereotypical designed. In this story Abu a young coachman is known for his style and people
wanted to hire his coach. He has extravagant life style.
Abu has fallen in love with sixteen year old Nesti a cobble daughter who decided to marry him.
She has not taken consent of her parents before their marriage. It hinted that she is young and a
confident girl who can take her own decisions. She takes the crucial decision about her marriage.
She even surpass the class difference between them.
After two months Abu was arrested by police “ a kidnapping case was registered against
him”( Manto2008:105).Nesti stood by Abu. He was imprisonment for two years. Nesti destiny
has to face many blows. Abu suffered from T.B.(tuberculosis) an incurable disease of that time.
When Abu come to know about it he felt guilty that he wasted life of Nesti, “If I had known I
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was going to die so young , I swear on the one, omnipresent God, I wouldn’t have made you my
wife. I ‘ve done you a great injustice’(Manto2008:106).
Nesti has been betrayed by God with the death of her husband. Man around her would like to
take advantage of her. Dino, Abu’s friend wants to marry her. When she declined his offer he
stop paying for the coach, the only source of income she handed over to another coachmen and
same thing happened.”He really broke all boundaries, arriving completely drunk one night to
give her the money, and making a grab for her as soon as he walked the door”( Manto2008:108).
Nesti does not know what to do, “What if I were to drive the coach myself”
(Manto2008:107).She has taken a very bold step. She decided to be a first coachwoman in her
locality. She was forced by her circumstances to take such a step she wants her own hold, she
wants herself aloof from this maniac who wants to control over her body in name of taking
coach. It was a very difficult decision for her. Society will not agree. People will talk about her.
She has her own argument, “what’s the harm? Do women not toil and do manual labour? Here
working in there in office, thousand working at home , you have to fill your stomach one way or
the other “(Manto2008:108).In this story all the decision are taken by Nesti nobody was there to
correct her or rectify her she was not told by anyone about the procedure of obtaining License.
She herself was ignorant about it.
Nesti tossed about the idea and finally decided to do it. Manto writes, “She was confident she
could”( Manto2008:108). Patriarchy seems hurt by that decision. “When she began harnessing
the horse to the carriage , the other coachmen were stupefied, some thought it was a joke and
roared with laughter “(Manto2008:108).The older coachmen tried to convince her saying ,”It was
unseemly”( Manto2008:108).
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Even she has shown her excellence in handling the carriage. “The coachmen were stunned by
Nesti’s dexterity; she handled the carriage expertly”( Manto2008:108).Even her job was not easy
one. It shows for a women worker her path is not smooth. On the contrary the attitude of the
passengers is also absurd some passengers “would make her go aimlessly from pillar to post,
sometimes cracking dirty jokes in the back. They spoke to her just to hear the sound of her
voice”( Manto2008:109).Though to an extreme she faces all this odd with her patience and peace
of mind.
All her goodness and earning came to halt.when the municipal committee officer called her in
and revokes her license. The argument between them she was not allowed to drive coach being a
woman. The question asked by Nesti is a question being asked from patriarchy to a woman who
is defying the norms of the society, Nesti retorts, “Why cann’t women drive coach?
( Manto2008:109) the answers comes cynically ,”Your license is revoked” The argument by
Nesti for her honour living seems to stumping on the face of male domain vocation. Her work is
a work of dignity and hard labour. She asked to the officer,
“Why women can’t drive coaches. Women can grind mills and fill their stomach. woman
can carry rubble in basket on their headed and make a living . woman can work in mines,
sifting through pieces of coal to earn their daily bread. Why can’t I drive a coach? I know
nothing else. . . . She pleads with the officer not to do that and snatch her only means of
livelihood. “Why do you stop me from hard, honest labour”?( Manto2008:109)
Even the officer suggested her that she should obtain license to sale her body. This hinted the
derogatory thinking of male members of society.”Go to bazaar and find yourself a spot .You’re
sure to make meore that way”( Manto2008:109). Sukrita Paul Kumar ‘Surfacing from
Within:Fallen Women in Manto’s Fiction’,
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“In a number of Manto’s stories, there is an impending sense of immediacy with which
one confronts a totally degenerate society, a world of enslaved women, of women
commodified and consumed in accordance with the unquestioned fact of male sexual
need and the principle of supply and demand. Indeed, one does not have to be a woman
writer to creep into the inner terrain of the psyche of the oppressed or the exploited
female” (Kumar1996:155).
This makes Nesti broken and detached from the society. Nesti achieved identity has been
snatched from the ascribed identity prescribed by society. The burden of social values and
written roles played havoc on their chosen vocations. Her bold and conflict step was not liked by
society. The patriarchal head even direct her and push her into brothel. Even she gets depressed
with the whole issue and said in a sad tone, “Abu your Nesti died today in the committee office”
(Manto2008:110). She bowed in the last what society has decided for her. “She was given a
license to sell her body” (Manto2008:110).
Nesti has struggled got her vocation she wants to do an honour labour. Patriarchal society
not only snatched her vocation her role as a coachwoman but pushed her in the filth of
unrespectable job. Afreen Faiyaz writes,
“License is a distressing story of a morally sound woman, who in the face of challenges is
willing to uphold her chastity and fidelity to her husband's memories. But the evil eyes of
people do not allow her to live respectfully in the society as she is forced to give up her
driving license for harlotry. Manto's disdain for the society is clear where a woman
cannot honestly labor and earn a livelihood by any other means except selling herself”
(Faiyaz2013:9).
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The reason being is all the women explored in this paper are young and full of enthusiasm. So
they have taken the bold step in their respective career or life on their own. They do not bother
about the societal reaction. Sukrita Paul Kumar writes, “Women who are made to sell their
virtue in the market to become castaways. They live in an infernal underworld, invisible to the
respectable society which pretends ignorance of its existence. Ironically,
not only has it produced this world, it also provides it full sustenance “(Kumar1996:156).
All these women are different from each other but one thing is common among them that they
have raised their voice. They have not accepted the specified roles granted to them by the
society, Manto crave these characters from our society they are very real people.
References
Manto,Sadat Hasan.2008.Manto Selected Short Stories.Translated by Aatish
Taseer ,Noida:Random House Publishers India Private Limited.
Daruwalla,N.Keki.1996. ‘The Craft of Manto: Warts and All Keki. N.Daruwalla in The Aunnual
of Urdu Studies.Vol 11,1996.pp117-128.
Kumar ,Sukrita Paul.1996. ‘ Surfacing from Within:Fallen Women in Manto’s Fiction’in The
Annual of Urdu Studies.Vol 11,1996. Pp155-162.
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Faiyaz , Afreen .2013 ‘An Analysis of Radical Evil besetting the Short Stories of Saadat Hasan
Manto’ in Muse India .Issue 51: Sep-Oct 2013. <http:www.museindia.com> Date of access 10
Feb.,2014.
Gidwani, Charu.2013 ‘MAnto’s Burden of Pain’in Muse India .Issue 51: Sep-Oct 2013.
<http:www.museindia.com> Date of access 10 Feb.,2014.
Note
Rakhi is also known as Raksha Bandna it is a Hindu festival that celebrates the love and duty
between brothers and sisters; the festival is also popularly used to celebrate any brother-sister
like loving protective relationship between men and women who are relatives or biologically
unrelated.
Kurta :The word "kurta" is a borrowing from Hindustani,[1] and originally from Persian (literally,
"a collarless shirt")[2] and was first used in English in the 20th century.[3]
Kurta is a piece of clothing worn by males, it is usually worn for fashion, tradition and culture.
As the Thawb is encouraged to be worn in Saudi Arabia, Pakistani and Indian expatriates rather
prefer to wear the Kurta as a close and same version to the Arab clothing.
