Silence as a Form of Resistance: The Feminine in Banu Mushtaq’s Short Story Collection Heart Lamp

Dr. Anupam Dutta

doi:10.22161/ijllc.5.4.11

Indexing and Abstracting

Silence as a Form of Resistance: The Feminine in Banu Mushtaq’s Short Story Collection Heart Lamp

Dr. Anupam Dutta

International Journal of Language, Literature and Culture (IJLLC), Vol-5,Issue-4, July - August 2025, Pages 77-82, 10.22161/ijllc.5.4.11

Download | Downloads : 22 | Total View : 1505

Article Info: Received: 07 Jul 2025, Received in revised form: 28 Jul 2025, Accepted: 02 Aug 2025, Available online: 08 Aug 2025

Abstract:

Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp (2025), a collection of twelve short stories translated from Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi, offers a profound exploration of Muslim women’s lives in Karnataka, India. This research paper investigates silence as a strategic form of resistance, analysing how Mushtaq’s female characters employ it to challenge patriarchal, religious, and socio-economic oppression. Utilising a feminist framework, including Judith Butler’s performativity, Chandra Talpade Mohanty’s postcolonial insights, and Gayatri Spivak’s subaltern theory, the study employs qualitative methods—close textual analysis and thematic coding—to interpret the narratives. Findings reveal that silence is a deliberate act of defiance, enabling women to assert agency, preserve dignity, and foster intergenerational resilience. The paper situates Heart Lamp within the ‘Kannada Bandaya’ movement, highlighting its contribution to feminist literature. By redefining silence as empowerment, Mushtaq challenges stereotypes of Muslim women, offering a nuanced critique of gendered power dynamics. This study underscores the transformative potential of silence in marginalised communities, advocating for its recognition in global feminist discourse and regional literary traditions.

Keywords:

Ethics, Silence, Resistance, Muslim Women, Kannada Literature

References:

[1] Ahmed, S. (2017). Living a feminist life. Duke University Press.
[2] Ahmad, A. (2025). “The heart’s sharp nib”: The inner worlds of women in Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp. Words Without Borders.
[3] Anzaldúa, G. (1987). Borderlands/La Frontera: The new mestiza. Aunt Lute Books.
[4] Bhasthi, D. (2025). Translator’s note. In B. Mushtaq, Heart Lamp: Selected stories (pp. vii–xii). Penguin.
[5] Butler, J. (1990). Gender trouble: Feminism and the subversion of identity. Routledge.
[6] Chughtai, I. (1990). The quilt and other stories. Kali for Women.
[7] Cixous, H. (1976). The laugh of the Medusa. Signs, 1(4), 875–893.
[8] Crenshaw, K. (1989). Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: A Black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine, feminist theory and antiracist politics. University of Chicago Legal Forum, 1989(1), 139–167.
[9] Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
[10] Desai, A. (2021). South Asian women’s writing: Resistance and resilience. Penguin India.
[11] Eagleton, T. (2008). Literary theory: An introduction (2nd ed.). University of Minnesota Press.
[12] Emecheta, B. (1986). The joys of motherhood. Heinemann.
[13] Goyal, S. (2025). Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, translated by Deepa Bhasthi. The Guardian.
[14] hooks, b. (1984). Feminist theory: From margin to center. South End Press.
[15] Kandiyoti, D. (1988). Bargaining with patriarchy. Gender & Society, 2(3), 274–290.
[16] Lorde, A. (1984). Sister outsider: Essays and speeches. Crossing Press.
[17] Mohanty, C. T. (1988). Under Western eyes: Feminist scholarship and colonial discourses. Feminist Review, 30(1), 61–88.
[18] Mushtaq, B. (2025). Heart Lamp: Selected stories (D. Bhasthi, Trans.). Penguin.
[19] Nagaraj, D. R. (1993). Flaming feet: A study of the Dalit movement in India. South Forum Press.
[20] Patel, R. (2019). Voices of resistance: Women in Indian literature. Oxford University Press India.
[21] Patil, S. (2020). Kannada literature and social change: The Bandaya movement. Journal of South Asian Studies, 8(3), 45–60.
[22] Rao, M. (2025). The literary rebellion of Banu Mushtaq’s Booker-winning Heart Lamp. Himal Southasian.
[23] Rocco, F. (2025). Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq wins International Booker Prize. National Herald India.
[24] Saldaña, J. (2015). The coding manual for qualitative researchers (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
[25] Shamsie, K. (2009). Burnt shadows. Bloomsbury.
[26] Spivak, G. C. (1988). Can the subaltern speak? In C. Nelson & L. Grossberg (Eds.), Marxism and the interpretation of culture (pp. 271–313). University of Illinois Press.
[27] Venuti, L. (1995). The translator’s invisibility: A history of translation. Routledge.

International Journal Of Language, Literature And Culture(IJLLC)

For Authors

Issues

Downloads

Indexing and Abstracting

Silence as a Form of Resistance: The Feminine in Banu Mushtaq’s Short Story Collection Heart Lamp

Abstract:

Keywords:

References: