Gendered Historiography and the Rhetoric of
Rape: A Foucaultian and Althusserian Reading of Zorami: A Redemption Song by Malsawmi Jacob, ‘Draupadi’ by
Mahasweta Devi and ‘Still I Rise’ by Maya Angelou
Biplab Barman
Assistant Professor
Saheed Kshudiram College
Uttar Kamakhyaguri, West Bengal, India
Abstract: This paper argues the intersection of
gendered historiography, the rhetoric of rape, and feminist resistance by
analyzing Maya Angelou’s ‘Still I Rise’, Mahasweta Devi’s ‘Draupadi’, and
Malsawmi Jacob’s Zorami through the lenses of Michel Foucault and Louis
Althusser. These works highlight how patriarchal and colonial systems use
sexual violence to control and marginalize women, ‘the second sex’. By
employing Foucault’s concepts of power and biopolitics, this study underscores
how rape operates as a mechanism of control within societal structures.
Althusser’s Ideological State Apparatuses (ISAs) demonstrate how
institutions—such as family, religion, and education— and Repressive State
Apparatuses reinforce patriarchal ideologies, shaping women’s identities within
oppressive frameworks. Foucault’s idea of discourse, power and resistance are
crucial to substantiate the paper’s argument. Characters like Dopdi and Zorami
exemplify resistance by reclaiming their identities in defiance of these
forces. Insights from postmodern feminist critiques, particularly those of bell
hooks and Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, add depth by considering overlapping of
race, gender, and colonialism, expanding our conception of agency in
marginalized narratives. Further, this paper establishes these texts’
contribution to a feminist historiography that amplifies women’s resilience
while critically examining the power structures that shape their experiences
and resistances. This nuanced approach encourages a revaluation of how sexual
violence and identity intersect within historical and literary discourses.
Keywords: Gendered historiography, Feminist
resistance, Identity formation, Repressive state apparatuses (RSAs),
Ideological State Apparatuses (ISA), Intersectionality, Subversion, Subaltern
“Man for the field and woman for the hearth, man for the sword and for
the needle she, man with the head and woman with the heart, man to command and
women to obey" to what extent does Tennyson's poetry conform to these
gender stereotypes?
Women, considered as ‘the second
sex ' always gets perpetually marginalised. Their endeavour always remains in
darkness. Like women, the North East is also mapped at the margin of India.
“There is that great proverb – that until the lions have their own
historians , the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter…..But it is
something we have to do, so that the story of the hunt will also reflect the
agony , the travail—the bravery, even, of the lions.” (Achebe, The Parish
Review)
Zorami, a Mizo novel in English by Malsawmi Jacob, recounts the traumatic
period of the 1960s in Mizoram, marked by famine, the Indian government's
indifference, and the rise of Mizo nationalist consciousness. In response to
the Mizo's assertion of sovereignty, the Indian state deployed military force,
leading to significant shifts in the Mizo Nationalist movement. The novel
captures the experiences of those who existed through these turbulent times,
weaving together the everyday lives of ordinary people and their engagement
with the unfolding historical events.
The novel's timeline spans from the 1940s to the present day. The title,
Zorami, which is also the name of the
protagonist, can be demonstrated as a metonym for the history of the Mizo
people. In the novel, both Zorami and the Mizo community undergo a healing
process through songs. During a period when every action was closely monitored,
with the threat of death or punishment from the Indian army, songs became a
vital form of communication. They allowed people to express themselves and
begin to heal from the trauma caused by the brutal techniques of the Indian
armed forces, by using Mizo spies against their own people.
As Cherrie L Changte argues
,‘Songs ,thus ,played an important part in reflecting the state of mind of the
people ,notably the psychological and emotional impact of terror upon them ‘In
the event, many of the songs that emerged at this time became transmitters of
collectively shared feelings and sentiments , with the singers themselves
taking on the role of ‘vectors’.’
“O, take a look beyond the hazy hills ,/ Where they dwell on Zion
mountain;/They live in peace ,in harmony ,/They yearn not for this earthly land
of men ./Never can we forget ,we weep,/For your homeland ,O, Lord,/They walk
,they roam ,in sweet accord ,/They sing to the gentle king ./And/Away ,troubles
,I would view my homeland,/My soul cannot feel at home on this earth ;/I would
rest where turbulent river cease.”(Jacob)
An instance in the concluding part of the novel where Zorami’s concerns
about her husband Sanga and their relationship turn meaningful and positive, a
song articulates what goes on in her mind. “The flowers appear on the earth; /The
time of singing has come, /And the voice of the turtledove /Is heard in our
land.”
Zorami experiences fear from within after being sexually molested as a
young lad by Repressive State Apparatuses. It runs after her memories, a good
part of her life, and as she recovers from the memory of the incident, she
listens to a song being sung by a group of youngsters on New Year.
“Days and years keep rolling on,/ Times of joys and sorrows too/Roll
away ,become the past ,/Will never return to you.”
“Tribals…I have sought to bring the harsh reality of this ignored
segment of India’s population to the notice of the nation. I have sought to
include their forgotten and invisible history in the official history of the
nation. I have said over and over, our independence was false; there has been
no independence for these dispossessed peoples, still deprived of their most
basic rights.”
- “A Writer’s Testament of Faith” (April 9, 2010)
Antonio Gramsci, in his Prison notebooks (1950), talks about how each
class gives rise to intellectuals of its own who can best explain its position
and interests. They are called organic intellectuals. While the organic
intellectuals of the dominant classes help to continue the hegemonic authority,
organic intellectuals of the subaltern classes are crucial in accentuating the
subalterns’ opposition to existing structures and for their contribution to
revolutionary praxis.
According to Devi, history is power. Those who run it, control power. In
India, history has been written from the point of view of the elite. History of
the independence struggle only mentions the elitist sections but has no record
of the tribals, the peasants and low castes who sacrificed their lives for the
freedom of the country. Such a blatant, shameless and shocking obstruction of
history is what Devi has attacked.
Let not Ambition mock their useful toil,
Their homely joys and destiny obscure;
Nor Grandeur hear with a disdainful smile
The short and simple annals of the poor.-Elegy Written in a Country
Churchyard. (Thomas Gray, 29-32)
In ‘Draupadi’ Devi sings the poor annals of the poor. As a leftist
political activist writer, Mahashweta Devi, in her short story ‘Draupadi’
addresses the diversities of experiences that a marginalised woman goes
through. Mahashweta Devi explicitly addresses the plight of a tribal woman
placed within the backdrop of the 1967 peasant insurgency in Bengal. Being a
tribal woman, the axes between Dopdi’s social identity and her gender identity
intensify the oppression perpetrated on her. As marginalised groups often fall
prey to the sheer abuse of state power, Dopdi undergoes a custodial rape by the
police men.It is on this point that Mahashweta Devi’s story effectively
reconfigures the mythical tale and invites attention to a feminist epistemology
that addresses the complex struggles of the marginalised class .
In the closing episode Mahashweta Devi’s subversive rhetoric juxtaposes
masculinist/high caste/bourgeois/educated values together with female
tribal/underprivileged/uneducated rhetoric in the historical context of the
Naxalbari uprising, to expose the soullessness and corruption of sources of power
in post-colonial India.
“Draupadi’s black body comes even closer…..Senanayak simply cannot
understand.” 3.
She is
characteristic of Mahashweta Devi’s socially underprivileged women protagonists
in “(her) courage, (her) power to resist, to fight back.”
The stains on her body, which she refuses to clean, becomes the
permanent markers of the tortures hinged on her. She writes (through) her body
and thus the marginalised writes (to) the centre.
‘Still I Rise’ can be marked as a response to the socio-historical
conditions faced by African Americans, particularly women. Angelou’s confident
tone and refusal to be oppressed speak to the struggles against slavery and
racism .Maya Angelou's poem ‘Still I Rise’ is a powerful declaration of
resilience in the face of oppression and marginalization. The poem reflects the
historical legacy of African American experiences while asserting a continually
evolving identity that defies historical constraints.
Angelou’s constant affirmations of self-worth and determination to rise
despite oppression exemplify resistance to the discursive formations that seek
to subjugate her identity. The poem can be demonstrated as a manifestation of
resisting the normalization of oppression and reshaping her identity through
the assertion of power, thereby challenging societal structures. Angelou’s
defiance against being defined by race or gender reflects a rejection of the
roles imposed by society. Her resistance challenges readers to reconsider how
ideological formations dictate identity and encourages the reclamation of
self-definition outside of these ideological constraints. The poem subverts
traditional narratives of victimhood by embracing a duality of experience—both
the pain of oppression and the strength of resilience. The repetitive structure
serves as a motif of insistence, creating a layered understanding of identity
that rejects singular narratives and embraces complexity, echoing postmodern
themes of self-fashioning and plurality. Angelou’s affirmation of strength and
pride in her heritage can be categorised as a reclamation of identity that
counters colonial narratives. The poem’s tone and language encourage a dialogue
about resilience in the aftermath of historical and cultural oppression,
offering crucial discussion regarding the broader postcolonial discourse of
resistance against both colonial legacies and contemporary manifestations of
racism and sexism.
In ‘Still I Rise’, Maya Angelou intricately weaves themes of oppression,
marginalization, resistance, and identity formation. One can appreciate the
poem as a rich text that transcends its immediate context, offering insights
into the enduring struggles faced by marginalized communities. Angelou’s
powerful voice serves not just as a personal declaration but as a collective anthem
of resilience and empowerment.
Gendered historiography traditionally records history through
patriarchal power structures, marginalizing women’s experiences, particularly
those involving sexual violence. Feminist writers have reframed the narrative
of rape, transforming it from a tool of oppression into one of resistance.
Through Michel Foucault’s theories of power, discourse, and biopolitics,
alongside Louis Althusser’s concept of ideology and interpellation, we can
analyze how ‘Still I Rise’, ‘Draupadi’, and Zorami challenge historical
narratives and reclaim female subjectivity. In addition, postmodern critiques,
particularly from Bell hooks and Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, are incorporated
to critique power relations and analyze the interplay between gender, race, and
colonialism.
Critics like Nancy Hartsock, however, question the adequacy of
Foucault’s approach in addressing rape, pointing out that his theory does not
explicitly focus on gendered violence. Foucault’s framework may overlook some
specific gendered dynamics of power relations. Nancy Hartsock's views on power
dynamics are primarily articulated through her feminist theoretical framework,
particularly in her work on the relationship between gender, power, and
knowledge.
Hartsock argues that knowledge is socially situated. She posits that
women's experiences and perspectives provide unique insights into social power
dynamics. This theory emphasizes that understanding power requires recognizing
how different social locations—especially those related to gender—shape
knowledge production. Hartsock views power not as a fixed resource held by
individuals or groups but as relational and contextual. She contends that power
is exercised through social relationships and structures, meaning it can be both
oppressive and empowering depending on the context. Hartsock critiques
traditional power structures that often marginalize women's voices and
experiences. She argues that these structures reinforce a patriarchal system
that values male perspectives over female ones. By cantering women's
experiences, Hartsock seeks to challenge and transform these power dynamics.
Hartsock advocates for reconceptualising power to include more inclusive and
democratic forms of engagement. She suggests that feminist politics should
focus on building coalitions and fostering shared power among marginalized
groups rather than merely seeking to achieve equality within existing power
structures. Hartsock emphasizes the connection between knowledge and power. She
argues that gaining knowledge of one's social position can empower marginalized
individuals to resist and challenge oppressive systems. For Hartsock, feminist
knowledge production is essential for creating social change and advancing
justice. Nancy Hartsock's work contributes significantly to the understanding
of power dynamics through a feminist lens, emphasizing the importance of
women's experiences and the need for inclusive approaches to knowledge and
power.
Louis Althusser’s theory of ideology and interpellation is central to
understanding how individuals are shaped and positioned within societal
structures. In his essay Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses (1971),
Althusser argues that ideology is not merely a set of beliefs, but rather a
material practice embedded within institutions like education, religion, and
the family. These institutions, which he terms Ideological State Apparatuses
(ISAs), function to perpetuate the dominant ideology of a society, ensuring
that individuals are conditioned to accept their place within its hierarchical
structure. Along with Ideological State Apparatuses (ISAs), Repressive State
Apparatuses (RSAs) are being operative to prolong the perpetuation.
A key aspect of Althusser's theory is the concept of interpellation.
Interpellation refers to the process by which ideology "hails" or
calls individuals into specific roles. When individuals recognize themselves
within the expectations of these roles, they become subjects of that ideology.
For example, when a person responds to the call of "Hey, you there!"
they are interpellated—they acknowledge themselves as the subject being
addressed and thus step into the role that the ideology has constructed for
them.
In the context of gendered historiography and feminist narratives,
Althusser’s concept of interpellation explains how patriarchal ideologies
"hail" women into submissive roles, often through mechanisms of
control like sexual violence. In Mahasweta Devi's ‘Draupadi’ and Malsawmi
Jacob's Zorami, the female
protagonists are initially interpellated as victims by both patriarchal and
colonial forces. However, their resistance to these roles—through acts of
defiance, survival, and self-reclamation—challenges the ideological apparatuses
that seek to control them.
Thus, Althusser’s theory highlights not only how ideology works to
reproduce subjugation, but also how individuals, particularly women, can resist
and subvert these imposed roles, thereby reclaiming agency and redefining their
subjectivity within oppressive systems.
Critics have noted that discussions of identity and rape in postcolonial
contexts, such as Zorami, benefit
from an intersectional approach. Intersectionality, a concept coined by
Kimberle Crenshaw, emphasizes how multiple forms of oppression -such as gender,
race, and colonialism-interact. An intersectional analysis would reveal how
colonial violence is intertwined with patriarchal control, deepening the
exploration of identity formation in these texts.
Louis Althusser’s concept of Ideological State Apparatuses (ISAs)
explains how social structures like family, religion, and education perpetuate
patriarchy and control individuals, particularly women, through ideological
means. Althusser’s notion of interpellation—the way individuals are
"hailed" into societal roles—helps to understand how women in
‘Draupadi’, Zorami, and even ‘Still I
Rise’ are positioned within oppressive
structures.
In Mahasweta Devi’s ‘Draupadi’, the protagonist Dopdi is raped as
punishment for her revolutionary activities, an act meant to assert the state’s
control over her body. Yet, through her refusal to clothe herself after the
assault, Dopdi defies the power structures designed to shame and silence her,
turning her body into a site of resistance. Foucault’s theory highlights how
Dopdi disrupts the mechanisms of control, but a postmodern critique,
particularly from Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, would complicate this narrative
by emphasizing the limitations of such resistance. Spivak’s concept of the
"subaltern" suggests that while Dopdi challenges power, her voice may
still be constrained by the larger colonial and patriarchal systems that
determine the conditions of her resistance.
In Malsawmi Jacob’s Zorami,
the protagonist’s rape represents both personal and political violation, shaped
by the broader forces of colonialism and patriarchy. Zorami’s experience
reflects how women are interpellated into positions of victimhood, but her
journey to reclaim her subjectivity subverts these ideological structures. Bell
hooks’ feminist critique adds a valuable layer here, as Hooks emphasizes the
intersection of race, gender, and class in understanding oppression. According
to hooks, the experiences of marginalized women like Zorami cannot be
understood solely through the lens of gendered violence; rather, it is the intersection
of colonialism, ethnic identity, and patriarchy that defines her oppression and
her resistance.
Angelou’s ‘Still I Rise’ presents
a triumphant narrative of resistance that celebrates Black women’s resilience
against systemic racism and sexism. On the other hand, the poem does not
directly address rape, it speaks to a larger context of racialized and gendered
violence. Angelou’s rhetorical strategy reflects Althusser’s concept of
interpellation, but she subverts this through her defiant voice, refusing to be
"hailed" as a victim by patriarchal society. Her declaration of
"I rise" becomes a powerful act of resistance against the forces that
seek to oppress her.
Angelou’s Rhetorical strategies in echoes Althusser’s notion of the
repressive state apparatus but subverts it through a bold, defiant voice. The
repeated refrain “I rise” becomes an act of resistance, a declaration of
survival against the forces of racism and sexism. In this way Angelou
transforms the personal into the political engaging in rhetoric of resilience
that challenges Foucaultian power structures.
Rape serves as a catalyst for embedded bodily identity formation has
been a common thread in feminist literary criticism, but it has also faced
critique. Writers such as Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak have warned against
romanticizing the idea of agency through trauma ,cautioning that feminist
readings of rape must avoid making suffering the only site of resistance .In
her work Can the Subaltern Speak ?, Spivak critiques the tendency to reduce
subaltern women’s experiences to a narrative of victimhood and resistance
.Spivak would likely argue that the emphasis on Dopdi’s resistance in
‘Draupadi’ should be tempered with an awareness of the broader systematic
violence that shapes her reality ,without making her defiance the sole focus.
Rape has been historically employed as a weapon war, colonization and
patriarchal dominance. The way it is narrativized in history often reflects
this power structures, silencing the voices of the victims. Feminist
historiography, however, seeks to rewrite these narratives, placing women’s
experiences at the center and framing their survival and resistance as acts of
political defiance.
Bell Hooks discusses rape as a
tool of oppression by framing it within the broader context of patriarchal
power and dominance. She emphasizes that rape is not only an act of violence
but also a means of asserting control and maintaining systems of oppression. In
her work, hooks argues that rape reinforces patriarchal structures by
instilling fear, particularly in women, and sustaining the subjugation of
marginalized groups, including women of color and the poor. She highlights that
rape is not just a personal violation but also a political act that perpetuates
inequality, domination, and control across gender, race, and class lines.
Bell Hooks critiques the
normalization of violence against women in patriarchal societies, illustrating
how rape is used to silence, dehumanize, and disempower women. She calls for
the dismantling of these systems of oppression by addressing the root causes of
rape culture, which are intertwined with issues of sexism, racism, and
classism.
In ‘Draupadi’, the rhetoric of rape turns on his head when Draupdi
refusing to be clothed after her assault forces her captors to recorn with the
reality of their violence. Similarly, Zorami’s rape is not just anact of
personal violation but an allegory for the historical trauma of colonization
and conflict in Mizoram. Through the lens of Foucault and Althusser, we can see
how rape functions both as an instrument of oppression and as a point of
resistance when women reclaim their bodies and stories.
Bell Hooks offers a critical perspective on Angelou’s work, noting that
the poem’s emphasis on resilience reflects the specific struggle of Black women
who have historically been subjected to both racial and gendered violence.
However, Hooks also warns against oversimplifying resilience, arguing that it
risks downplaying the enduring structures of oppression. According to Hooks,
while ‘Still I Rise’ is a powerful assertion of survival, the broader systemic
violence of racism and sexism continues to affect Black women’s lives, a nuance
that should not be overlooked.
Eagleton emphasizes that rape is
not merely a personal act of violence but is deeply embedded within cultural
narratives and societal structures. He argues that literature and culture often
reflect and perpetuate patriarchal ideologies that normalize or trivialize
violence against women. He explores the notion that rape is fundamentally about
power and domination rather than just sexual desire. Eagleton posits that the
act of rape serves to reinforce existing power hierarchies, illustrating how
masculinity is often constructed through control and aggression. Eagleton
critiques liberal feminist approaches that may focus solely on legal reform or
individual empowerment without addressing the broader social and cultural
contexts that allow rape and sexual violence to persist. He advocates for a
more comprehensive understanding of how systemic inequalities contribute to the
prevalence of sexual violence. Eagleton often examines how rape is represented
in literature, critiquing works that romanticize or sensationalize the act. He
calls for more nuanced and responsible portrayals that acknowledge the trauma
and complexity of sexual violence. Eagleton’s perspective on rape invites a
critical examination of the intersections between culture, power, and gender,
urging an in depth understanding of the systemic factors that contribute to
sexual violence.
Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak’s seminal work Can the Subaltern Speak? complicates
the narrative of feminist resistance in postcolonial contexts. Spivak argues
that subaltern ‘the second sex’, who experiences double marginalization by
colonialism and patriarchy, often lack the voice to speak within dominant
discourses. In this framework, Dopdi in ‘Draupadi’ and Zorami in Zorami represent subaltern figures whose
acts of resistance may be misinterpreted or co-opted by the very systems they
seek to resist.
In this context, Spivak’s question, “Can the subaltern speak?”
challenges us to consider the voices and identities marginalized by dominant
power structures. Spivak argues that the subaltern—those outside of the
dominant social hierarchy—faces barriers to representation and the ability to
articulate their experiences and resistances. This acknowledgment is crucial
when addressing issues of oppression, particularly concerning sexual violence,
which has been historically utilized as a tool of oppression to reinforce power
imbalances and control marginalized bodies.
For example, while Dopdi’s defiance of her rapists can be read as a form
of resistance, Spivak’s theory suggests that this resistance might still be
limited by the larger colonial discourse that frames her subjectivity. Spivak
cautions against romanticizing resistance without acknowledging the structural
conditions that shape it. Similarly, in Zorami,
the protagonist’s trauma is inextricably tied to the colonial history of
Mizoram, and her personal journey cannot be fully disentangled from the
political violence that surrounds her.
From a postmodern perspective,
identity in these texts is not fixed but rather fragmented and constantly
negotiated within power structures. Foucault’s analysis of power relations and
Althusser’s theory of ideological interpellation intersect with postmodernism’s
skepticism of grand narratives and fixed identities. Postmodernism challenges
the notion that rape narratives can be reduced to a simple binary of victimhood
and resistance, instead emphasizing the fluidity of identity and the complex
interplay between power and subjectivity.
In Zorami, for instance, the
protagonist’s identity is shaped by both her personal trauma and the larger
political context of the Mizo National Front insurgency. Her experience cannot
be understood solely as a gendered or nationalistic struggle but as an
interwoven narrative that resists clear categorization. This postmodern
fragmentation is echoed in Angelou’s ‘Still I Rise’, where the speaker’s
identity is shaped by the intersecting forces of race, gender, and historical
oppression.
Stephen Greenblatt’s concept of cultural poetics is useful for
understanding identity formation as a cultural and political process. As
Stephen Greenblatt posits identities are constructed through interaction with
power and culture, and the three texts discussed here demonstrate how
characters resist dominant narratives to forge new identities .However, critics
of Greenblatt’s approach ,such as Catherine Gallagher and Lisa Jardine, argue
that cultural poetics can sometimes overlook the material conditions and
historical specificities that shape identity formation .They assert that
Greenblatt’s emphasis on the text and culture’s fluidity may sideline the role
of class, economics ,and political history in identity formation.
In Mahasweta Devi’s ‘Draupadi’, the protagonist Dopdi is brutally raped
by state officials as a form of punishment for her involvement in revolutionary
activities. The act of rape is meant to silence and subjugate her, reinforcing
state control .However, Dopdi defies this power by refusing to clothe herself
after the assault .The text powerfully describe her defiance: “Dopdi stands
naked in front of the army officers .She pushes Senanayak with her two mangled
breasts and asks, ‘What more can you do to me?’ (Devi 35). In this moment,
Dopdi transforms her body into a site of resistance, exposing the violence of
her oppressors and refusing to be victimized any longer. This act resonates
with Foucaults’s idea that power can be resisted, even when it seeks to assert
total control over the body.
Althusser’s theory of Ideological State Apparatuses (ISAs) helps explain
how patriarchy reproduces itself through institutions like the state, family,
and religion. According to Althusser, ISAs function to interpellate individuals
assigning them roles within society that reinforce the ongoing power
structures.
Regarding identity formation, these processes are not static but are
actively negotiated through experiences of oppression and resistance. The
struggle for identity among marginalized groups often involves reclaiming
narratives, challenging dominant ideologies, and asserting their rights to
speak and be heard. This ongoing interplay between power, culture, and identity
formation reveals the complexities of human experience and the potential for
transformative change.
While Devi and Jacob portray the brutal realities of rape, Maya
Angelou’s poem ‘Still I Rise’ offers a triumphant assertion of Black female
strength and resilience in the aftermath of oppression, along with the
historical and systematic violation of Black women’s bodies. The poem speaks to
the larger context of racialized and gendered violence, with Angelou’s speaker
defiantly proclaiming survival and resistance.
Angelou’s repeated refrain, “You may write me down in history/With your
bitter, twisted lies, /You may trod me in the very dirt/ But still, like dust,
I’ii rise” (Angelou)
In Malsawmi Jacob’s Zorami,
set during the Mizo National Front insurgency, the protagonist Zorami’s
experience of rape is a representation of both personal and political violence
.The rape committed by a soldier, symbolizes the violence of the state against
the colonized people of Mizoram. Zorami is interpellated as a victim of this
violence, her identity shaped by the colonial and patriarchal systems that seek
to define her by her trauma. However, like Dopdi, Zorami’s narrative is one of
resistance. The novel describes her internal struggle: “Zorami had become both
victim and witness to her own violation… But she would not let herself be
destroyed”(Jacob 201).Through her healing, Zorami attempts to reclaim her
subjectivity, challenging the ideologies that seek to define her solely through
her rape.
Through a Foucaultian and Althusserian reading of ‘Still I Rise’,
‘Draupadi’, and Zorami, we see how
these texts resists patriarchal and colonial power structures by foregrounding
female agency in the face of sexual violence. By reinterpreting then rhetoric
of rape and challenging the ideas of apparatuses that seek to control women’s
bodies and narratives, these works contribute to a feminist historiography that
empowers survivors and reclaims history from the margins. In all three texts
the female body becomes both a site of oppression and source of defiance,
illustrating the complex interplay of power, violence and resistance in gender
historiography. This paper illustrates how ‘Still I Rise’, ‘Draupadi’, and Zorami resist patriarchal and colonial
power structures. These texts foreground women’s agency in the face of sexual
violence, yet they also challenge us to reconsider the limits of resistance
within broader structures of power.
By interrogating the rhetoric of rape upon ‘the second sex’ and the
construction of female subjectivity, these works contribute to a feminist
historiography that seeks to empower survivors while remaining mindful of the
systemic forces that shape their identities. Incorporating postmodern critiques
allows for a comprehensive understanding of how gender, race, and colonialism
intersect in the formation of identity and resistance.
Gendered historiography focuses on whether women's writing serves as an
alternative, coded discourse that opens up possibilities for disruption,
critique, and transformation. It questions and advocates for changes in gender
norms and pushes for social, economic, and political equality between the
sexes. This approach highlights how women, moving beyond their domestic and
personal spheres, step into traditionally male-dominated, phallogocentric areas
of careers and public life. By cantering women's experiences, struggles, and
resistance, gendered historiography helps to rethink knowledge, structures, and
power dynamics, establishing a pluralistic approach to historical narratives.
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