In Hosseini and Shakespeare, they eventually introduce another female protagonist which becomes significant as the story develops. According to the feminist lens, females find comfort through one another by recognizing their limitations while sharing their experiences with women around them. Similar female experiences as a collective can formulate bonds between them, allowing them to have the strength in a patriarchal society. Hosseini introduces Laila, which is Mariam’s companion throughout the story. Laila makes an attempt to bond with Mariam by having tea. “Laila rose to her feet. ‘I know it’s chilly outside, but what do you say we sinners have us a cup of chai in the yard?’... They dat on folding chairs outside and ate halwa…” (Hosseini …show more content…
250). After Rasheed turns violent on both of them, they forge a bond through their suffering, and with a “wordless exchange with Mariam, Laila knew that they were not enemies any longer.” (Hosseini 250). This demonstrates how a female experience can unite one another in their strive for a better living. Later in the story, Rasheed began whipping at Laila for talking to Tariq, Mariam begins to claw at Rasheed, trying to stop him from hurting Laila.
While he lunges at Mariam, Laila smashes a vase over Rasheed’s head, and then turning back to Laila, choking her. Mariam grabs a shovel and murders Rasheed. “He caught her, threw her up against the wall, and struck her with the belt again and again,... before she saw fingers clawing at Rasheed’s face,...Laila’s hand rise overhead, hold, then come swooping down against the side of his face… He ended up on top, his hands already wrapped around around Laila’s neck… She would not watch him take Laila too… Mariam raised the shovel high… shave gave it everything she had.” (Hosseini 346-348). This demonstrates the bonding in a female collective, where one protects one another. This shows the care and love between Mariam and …show more content…
Laila. Mariam even states that “so much from her in twenty-seven years of marriage” (Hosseini 348) has been taken, and that she was not willing to “watch him take Laila too.” (Hosseini 348).
They both risked their lives in an attempt to save one another. They both have been through Rasheed’s torment, and this relatable experience allows both of them to have a deeper understanding of one another. This passage demonstrates how a female collective can overcome a patriarchal society. They worked together in putting Rasheed down. Similarly in Othello, Emilia was Desdemona’s companion. She comforts Desdemona when Othello had an act of aggression of her, “striking her” (Shakespeare 4.1.188), for accusing her of cheating on him with Cassio. “How goes it now? He looks gentler, than he did...I have laid those sheets you bade me on the bed… Come, come! You Talk!... Shall I go fetch your nightgown?” (Shakespeare 4.3.10-33). Emilia’s way of comforting Desdemona is by talking and following her demands. She presents herself to be very passive towards Desdemona, trying to ease her from Othello’s aggression. Unfortunately, Desdemona is killed by Othello in the end. Even though she died, Emilia still stands up for her and defends her name. “Oh, the more angel she, and you the blacker
devil! Thou art rash as fire, To say that she was false. Oh, she was heavenly true!” (Shakespeare 5.2.144). She defends Desdemona by saying that she has done nothing but to be utterly true to him, and to Othello, that he has accused her wrongly. In despite of her attempt in reclaiming justice for her name, Desdemona was still left to die. In contrast to A Thousand Splendid Suns, both Mariam and Laila remains alive, while in Othello both Desdemona and Emilia are dead. This demonstrate a stronger bond between Mariam and Laila versues Desdemona and Emilia.
In chapter 18, Mariam is introduced to the monstrous man, Rasheed. Rasheed is an aggressive abusive man that is married to Mariam. His monstrous qualities are expressed in the novel when it states “Mariam chewed. Something in the back of her mouth ‘Good,’ Rasheed said. His cheeks were quivering. ‘Now you know what your rice tastes like. Now you know what you’re giving me in this marriage. Bad food, and Nothing else.’ Then he was gone, leaving Mariam to spit out pebbles, blood, and fragments of two broken molars”(Hosseini 104). In Chapter 15, Rasheed feeds his wife pebbles to eat and breaks two of her molars. He abuses Mariam, and she can not do anything to stop him. Taking this abuse made Mariam a stronger person. Another example of the monstrous quality in Rasheed is when he says “There is another option… she can leave. I won't stand in her way. But i suspect she won’t get far. No food, no water, not a rupiah in her pocket, bullets, and rockets flying everywhere. How many days do you suppose she’ll last before she’s abducted, raped or tossed into some roadside ditch with her throat slit? Or all three?” (Hosseini 215). When Rasheed speaks about Laila, he is willing to throw Laila onto the streets if Mariam will not let him marry her. He is willing to leave her with nothing to survive, and he would not think twice about the situation. The abuse Rasheed puts on others particularly Mariam hurts them
Mariam and Laila face a lot of social injustice yet they do not attempt to challenge the issues because they are told to endure all forms of pain and social injustice. From a very young age, Mariam was told by her mother that all she needed to do was to withstand any pain and suffering, it’s the one skill she needed.” Endure . . . Women like us. We endure. It’s all we have”(17). In addition, Laila also suffered the injustice of society since she was a single mother it was not safe for her to live on her own so she had no choice but to marry Rasheed. The society gave women no choice but to endure and that’s the main reason why Laila and Mariam were unable to take a stand. However, close to the end of the novel Mariam decides to take initiative and fights back. She finally takes action because she is driven by the love she has for Laila and her child since they are the only family she’s had that loved her. So when Rasheed her husband attempts to choke Laila to death, Mariam reflects on how much injustice she has faced and how unjust both her husband and the society have been towards her and other women. At this point, Mariam realizes that she must end her and Laila’s suffering once and for all. So she takes Rasheed’s life. Although Mariam is executed as a form of punishment, she is very successful at taking a stand to end the oppression and injustice. Mariam knew her actions were fatal yet she still did what she knew was right. Furthermore, she sacrificed herself and didn’t regret her action instead she was pleased that “she was leaving the world as a woman who had loved and been loved back. She was leaving it as a friend, a companion, a guardian. A mother” ( 329). Her actions freed Laila and her child from Rasheed’s abuse and helped them build a better life. Thus Mariam was successful and did not want to endure the injustice or see Laila suffer, she did it by
From start to finish, one could see how much Mariam values Laila, Aziza, and their friendship. The first example is when Mariam vows to help Laila while they are in the hospital for Laila’s unborn child: “I’ll get you seen, Laila jo. I promise” (287). This simple promise is a deep portrayal of Mariam’s desire to help Laila find a doctor and deliver her baby. Additionally, one can see Mariam’s love for Laila when she protects her from Rasheed’s grip of death, “‘Rasheed.’ He looked up. Mariam swung. She hit him across the temple. The blow knocked him off Laila” (348). Rasheed was going to kill Laila, but Mariam steps in and knocks him off of her with a shovel to save her life. Mariam forms a tight-knit bond with Laila, and when Hosseini includes their relationship, one can see how Mariam values Laila enough to kill another man. The author also describes their relationship after Mariam and Laila discuss plans for leaving: “When they do, they’ll find you as guilty as me. Tariq too. I won’t have the two of you living on the run like fugitives.” … “Laila crawled to her and again put her head on Mariam’s lap. She remembered all the afternoons they’d spent together, braiding each other’s hair, Mariam listening patiently to her random thoughts and ordinary stories with an air of gratitude, with the expression of a person to whom a unique and coveted privilege had been extended” (358). The love Mariam has for
Originally, Mairma would acquiesce to Rasheed’s demands: if he said “shut up,” she would (98). If she was beaten, she would take it. She felt no hope of freedom from his brutish acts so she endured through them. Wallowing in despair would only make her marital-situation worse. Later, out of routine, Rasheed’s abuse is prevented because of Laila. She pleads “please Rasheed, no beating!” over and over until he forfeits his attack against Mariam; feeling loved, it is a kindness that Mariam cannot forget (241). In Mariam’s final resistance to the churlish man, she shows her love for others. Aiming to kill, Rasheed acts violently upon Laila, and Mariam fights back. As he once beat her, she beat him back. The scene juxtaposes how she once accepted the abuse, and now she fights back because she does not want to lose the one who makes her feels that she “had been loved back”: Laila (224). After being controlled by Rasheed for the majority of Mariam’s marriage, she takes control of her own life for once by making he decision to kill him in order to protect Laila. Mariam’s fight back shows her willingness to sacrifice to prevent Rasheed’s cruelties further. Risking worse abuse, Mariam chooses to save Laila’s life in exchange for her own. Laila brought Mariam an unmistakable happiness: “[Mariam] was leaving the world as a woman who had loved and been loved back. She was leaving it as a friend, a companion, a guardian. ... It was not so bad ... that she should die this way ... This was a legitimate end to a life of illegitimate beginnings” (224). Mariam gives Laila the opportunity to live a life sans of Rasheed’s barbarities to plague them after learning herself how inhumane he was. Moreover, the cruelties Mariam faced against Rasheed revealed her endurance as a woman. Mariam remained strong throughout her marriage and fought back against her husband, an act
He knew that if he took her in she could have his son. Rasheed then became violent with Laila just like he did with Mariam. If Laila ever talked back to him he would slap her, if she said something more intelligent than him or proved him wrong he would call her stupid say that she was uneducated. When she became pregnant with his son he couldn't wait to teach his son how to act like him. Rasheed made sure Laila was having boy because if he had a girls she wouldn't be dominant in life, she would be considered a harami. Mariam did not like Laila because she saw her as a threat but she also felt bad for Laila because Mariam knew how it felt to not be wanted and to be a victim. Later in the story they became close and Mariam looked at Laila and her kids as if they were her children. Mariam cared for Laila and her safety that they decided they would try to escape and start over. But that did not work out. The police brought them right back home and Rasheed tortured them but throwing Laila and Aziza into a room and looking the door and boarding the windows and threw Mariam in a shed outside. He kept them there for days without food or water. He saw this as a punishment for them disobeying his rules. The violence that Mariam and Laila endure is through this patriarchal society where the man is the dominant individual and can do anything he wants to his wives, even his
Emilia displays to Desdemona a helping hand and says to leave Othello if she is so hurt by his “understandings”. “…Having the world for your labor, ‘tis a wrong in your own world, and you might quickly make it right” She is basically explaining to Desdemona to leave Othello for his ludicrous antics.
At the beginning of the action, the two ladies relationship furthers the plot by creating a circumstance in which Desdemona’s handkerchief goes missing. Desdemona’s most valued token of Othello’s love is a supposedly magic handkerchief that belonged to his mother and Desdemona keeps it with her at all times. When she drops it Emilia swipes it to try to please her husband, Iago. By stealing the handkerchief Emilia unwittingly sets in motion Iago’s scheme that will eventually lead to the death of herself, Othello, and her beloved Desdemona. Without this handkerchief Iago’s scheme would never work because it is the only piece of substantial proof of Desdemona's infidelity can use to convince Othello. Therefore, without Desdemona and Emilia's close friendship there would be no plot. Toward the end of the play, Emilia and Desdemona’s relationship becomes crucial to the plot again. After Othello kills Desdemona Emilia is the one who puts together the facts and unearths Iago’s scheme, risking her own life to do so. After witnessing Desdemona’s death Emilia says, “O thou dull Moor, that handkerchief thou speak’st of I found by fortune, and did give my husband- for often, with a solemn earnestness he begged of me to steal ‘t”(5.2.267-272). At the threat of her own death she revealed Iago’s treachery and concluded the plot by explaining how Iago’s scheming led to the death of four different people. Without Emilia’s proximity to Desdemona she would never have been able to take the handkerchief and her knowledge of Iago and Desdemona’s natures made her the only character able to uncover Iago’s scheme. Certainly, Desdemona’s close relationship and differing characters were essential to the plot of the
Emilia is not just in the play to be a simply friend. She is there to tell everyone the horrible acts that have happened. Once, Emilia realizes her mistress has died she starts asking questions which helps her put two and two together. Emilia finds out that Othello thinks Desdemona cheated on her something that Desdemona would never do. Emilia then asks Othello, why? The main reason is the handkerchief. Othello gave Desdemona handkerchief that represents their love and its precious. Because Othello finds out Cassio had it he thinks an affair was going on. Then is when, Emilia reveals that she gave the handkerchief to Iago because she found it. Quickly after that it’s revealed that Iago (her husband) is doing evil acts. Emilia “...That handkerchief thou speak’st of I found by fortune and did give my husband. For often, with a solemn earnestness—More than indeed belonged to such a trifle—He begged of me to steal it.” With that said, Emilia was much more than a
First, in order to defend Desdemona's chastity, Emilia challenges the societal norm of silence. Recall the incident when Othello calls Desdemona a "whore" for cheating. In response, Emilia protests loudly against Othello and attempts to disprove his belief that Desdemona is not chaste: "A halter pardon him [Othello]! And hell gnaw his bones! / Why should he call her [Desdemona] whore? (4.2. 143,144). Instead of Emilia conforming to the attribute of Renaissance women as silent, she condemns Othello for his false accusations against her mistress, Desdemona. Later in the play, after finding Desdemona killed, Emilia challenges silence again: "As ignorant as dirt! Thou hast done a deed-... / The Moor hath killed my mistress!" (5.2. 171,174). Although Othello tells Emilia that it would be "best" for her to remain silent, she ignores his request and ridicules him for killing "sweet" Desdemona (5.2. 169).
These behaviours allude towards tension due to their dissimilarity to the accustomed conduct of Othello and Desdemona. Desdemona’s growing fear of Othello is evident. in the precautions she takes to avoid his anger. Desdemona places the importance of Othello’s commands above her need to confide in Emilia.... ...
She is unwittingly responsible for her friend’s death because, she never mentions the handkerchief until Desdemona has been killed. Although, Iago is the mastermind behind Desdemona’s death and Othello is the person who murdered her, if then, it were not for Emilia who initiates Iago’s plans, Desdemona would still be alive. Emilia is unwittingly responsible for Desdemona’s death because she is nave about her husband’s actions; she is silent about the handkerchief and lacks courage to prove to Othello that Desdemona’s is innocent. Desdemona’s death is caused because Emilia is naive and has poor judgment of Iago. Iago believes that Emilia is promiscuous; this sparks his jealousy toward Othello.
Emilia, while lying next to her best friend on her deathbed, began to suppress her passive nature and attempts persecute the murderer. Nonetheless, the only woman who stood up for herself got killed in the end by her own husband. Othello and Iago’s wives were thought to be disloyal to their husband, while only one of them was correct in this accusation, Desdemona and Emilia were both murdered by the people they pledged their allegiance to. But, Emilia was the only woman who denounced the authority men had over women and compares the qualities of both men and women. She is fully aware of the gender
Emilia and Desdemona are very good friends and when Desdemona is saddened by Othello’s distance, Emilia explains that all men are like that sometimes saying, “'Tis not a year or two shows us a man./ They are all but stomachs, and we all but food./ To eat us hungerly, and when they are full,/ They belch us (III. iv. 100-105).” Emilia is showing her realness by trying to ease the pain of her friend, we do this to our friends. No one wants to see their friends emotionally pained. Emilia also tries to protect Desdemona from physical pain when Desdemona is preparing to go to bed. Emilia says, “I would you had never seen him” knowing that Othello wants to harm her. Emilia tries to convince Desdemona to not go to Othello (IV. iii. 18). Emilia is trying to protect her friend’s life, although Desdemona doesn’t listen. After Othello kills Desdemona, Emilia screams out in horror for the loss of her friend. Emilia is heartbroken by the death of her friend and exclaims to Othello, “Thou hast not half the power to do me harm/ As I have to be hurt” (V.ii.166-167). She is saying that her pain for the loss of her friend Desdemona is nothing compared to any physical pain possible. This is realistic because when humans are grieving someone close to them, they feel like nothing can be as bad as this
Iago controls Emilia and treats her as less when she does not act as a submissive wife. Therefore, Emilia follows to keep Iago satisfy. Further, Iago tells Emilia to steal the handkerchief; which she follows without knowing his intentions, to then be insulted by Iago calling her a “foolish wife” (3.3.313), and demanding her, “Go, leave me” (3.3.330). Apparently, Iago makes Emilia lesser, and she accepts her role as a submissive wife. Moreover, although Othello proclaims loving Desdemona, he perceives her as inferior as a result of jealousy. As in Act 5, Scene 2 where Othello says to Desdemona, “Down, strumpet!” (89), suggesting that he puts her in an inferior position to kill her reflecting his true perception of Desdemona. And likewise Emilia, Desdemona accepts the role of an obedient wife by using her last breath to take the fault off Othello
Emilia is being really demanding and acting as if she has authority due to the fact that she knows about Desdemona's death,and what caused it; as a result, Emilia starts to insult Othello for killing Desdemona,and Othello starts to be concerned about Emilia knowing why he killed Desdemona.He starts to question himself about why he did it and now regrets killing Desdemona because of the handkerchief. As a right now all he wants is for her to remain silent since now she has authority over him because of what she knows.