Name- Gauri Wadehra Submitted to- Dr.
Indu Jain
Class- BA(H)English, 2nd Year DSC- IWET
Roll no. 1853
ASSIGNMENT
Q- Critical note on The Quilt (Lihaaf) by Ismat Chughtai)
Ans. Ismat Chughtai was a pioneering feminist writer who challenged rigid gender roles and oppressive
traditions. Upon publication, Lihaaf faced severe backlash. Chughtai was charged with obscenity and had
to defend her work in court. However, she refused to apologize, arguing that she had merely depicted
reality. Her defense marked a significant moment in feminist literary history, as it reinforced the right to
discuss female sexuality openly.
The story talks about Begum Jaan (The narrator’s maternal aunt) and deals with class, gender dynamics
and sexuality. It openly acknowledges female desire that is often ignored or suppressed in traditional
literature.The title of the story, The Quilt, carries deep symbolic significance and contributes to the
layered meanings of the narrative.
The story is narrated by the adult version of the narrator who is reminiscing her experience as a young
girl. The narrator’s mother had to travel to Agra and for the time being left the girl at her maternal aunt-
Begum Jaan’s home. The central object of the story is the quilt. The most striking symbol in the story , the
quilt conceals Begum Jaan and Rabbu’s intimacy. It represents both the act of suppression by hiding what
society deems unacceptable and the physicality of their relationship. The narrator’s fear of the quilt
suggests her subconscious recognition of something outside her realm of understanding. A quilt is a
blanket-like sheet used to cover oneself. It is useful in winters and keeps a person warm. In contrast to
this, Begum Jaan’s quilt even after being of great quality cotton fails to provide her with warmth. We are
able to sense her loneliness through the girl’s description of her condition. She’s married to Nawab Saheb,
a homosexual rich man with a clean history. There is a sense of jealousy as well. Begum Jaan tries every
tactic from talismans to what not but she fails in the process. Her loneliness is not just a result of her
husband’s indifference but also of societal expectations that demand a woman remain loyal, even if her
needs are ignored. The Nawab’s sexual orientation is an open secret, yet his wife’s coping mechanism is
scandalous in the eyes of society.
The Nawab represents the double standards of patriarchal society. While he indulges in relationships with
young men, his wife is expected to remain faithful despite being neglected. The story exposes the
hypocrisy that tolerates male transgressions but punishes women for seeking solace outside their
marriages.
The quilt has a very sensual quality to it. The imagery is also very Sexual. Due to the restrictive societal
norms of the time, Chughtai uses suggestion rather than explicit description. Rabbu’s massages, and the
narrator’s unease (with a spout of jealousy) all hint at what is happening without stating it outright. This
technique enhances the story’s impact, as it engages the reader’s imagination.The swaying of the quilt,
taking shapes of elephant, the intense shaking all signify the ongoing of an intimate relationship between
Rabbu and Begum Jaan.
The Quilt functions as a bold statement against the suppression of women’s desires and the hypocrisy of
patriarchal societies. Chughtai’s ability to weave complex themes into a deceptively simple narrative
makes this work a masterpiece of Urdu literature.
