Carrying on from the lengthy discussion in class about which characters in the drama exhibit some form of agency, I think it is interesting to note the reference to 'majboori'. At this point in time, and arguably throughout the drama, there are only two or three characters which are associated with this word, or who use this word to refer to their situation at some point in time. First there is Khirad's mother, or Baseerat's sister, that is 'majboor' due to her illness and hence has to make arrangements for her daughter, who would otherwise be left unprotected and orphaned, in case of her death. Next, there is Khizer, who says, if only in one instance at this point, that it was his 'majboori' to lie about his relationship with Khirad, in order to go to America to study, to make himself capable of being noticed by Sara.
However, Khirad is the one character who seems the most 'majboor' or helpless throughout the drama. She is helpless or majboor when her mother asks her to marry Asher, she does not protest against it as much as she could have, due perhaps to this helplessness. Then she is helpless when her mother-in-law and Khizer etc, conspire against her, and she is kicked out of the house. Once again she is helpless or majboor when her daughter needs assistance due to her heart condition, and she has to turn to Asher, who she has come to hate eventually, and move into his house again until her daughter recovers.
It is thus interesting to notice that it is the people of the lower class with whom the word 'majboori' is associated. This is not to say that the upper class exhibits real agency, for example Asher is continuously duped by first Sara, and then his mother. Yet in comparison it always seems as if the lower class is mostly at the mercy of either the upper-class, or the workings of fate. Moreover it ought to noticed that Khirad is somehow the most dependent, on the male protagonist, for her protection, for the health of her daughter, and for her eventual happiness. Even Baseerat, in his last words says to Asher that "Tum Khirad ka khayal rakhna". It makes one wonder then, why in fact Khirad is depicted as unable of taking care of herself, and why this one of the essential messages of the drama seem to be that a woman ought to be with a man, it is for example the woman without male influence that create the trouble in the drama.
However, Khirad is the one character who seems the most 'majboor' or helpless throughout the drama. She is helpless or majboor when her mother asks her to marry Asher, she does not protest against it as much as she could have, due perhaps to this helplessness. Then she is helpless when her mother-in-law and Khizer etc, conspire against her, and she is kicked out of the house. Once again she is helpless or majboor when her daughter needs assistance due to her heart condition, and she has to turn to Asher, who she has come to hate eventually, and move into his house again until her daughter recovers.
It is thus interesting to notice that it is the people of the lower class with whom the word 'majboori' is associated. This is not to say that the upper class exhibits real agency, for example Asher is continuously duped by first Sara, and then his mother. Yet in comparison it always seems as if the lower class is mostly at the mercy of either the upper-class, or the workings of fate. Moreover it ought to noticed that Khirad is somehow the most dependent, on the male protagonist, for her protection, for the health of her daughter, and for her eventual happiness. Even Baseerat, in his last words says to Asher that "Tum Khirad ka khayal rakhna". It makes one wonder then, why in fact Khirad is depicted as unable of taking care of herself, and why this one of the essential messages of the drama seem to be that a woman ought to be with a man, it is for example the woman without male influence that create the trouble in the drama.
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