The Dutiful Daughter

"Aap kay khayal main wo sab say barha leader nae hai, Kamal Husain leader hai  kyun kay us ki taqat ko zawal nae”

“Bakwas Band karo, apnay kamray main jao”.

“Dosron ki baat sunnay ka hosla na ho tou koi aap par aitabar bhi nae karta”.

“Chalo, GET OUT”

                                                   …..

"Apni auladoon ko apni khawahishon  ka sahara kyun banatay hain aap”

“Bus ab behs band honi chahiye, jis ghar main apni choice kay saath paida nahin ho sakti us ghar main choice karnay ka koi haq nahin hai”

   In the interactions of Lal Husain Shah and Shehr Bano, we see the stronghold of the feudal patriarchal system wherein the latter is not even allowed to keep let alone advocate an opinion which opposes the stance taken by the patriarch. This can be seen in the conversation quoted above wherein in the first dialogue the façade of tolerance is thrown away as soon as Shehr Bano states an opinion of her own (“us ki taqat ko zawal nae”), the polite tone gives away to the harsh reprimand of “GET OUT”.  In the second conversation however an integral theme which maps out the development of the character of Shehr Bano is the focal point that is the question of agency, “choice” as is referred to in the dialogue. The argument about this idea of choice given by the father is a flawed one as he says “jis ghar main choice kay saath paida nahin ho sakti us ghar main choice karnay ka koi haq nahin hai”.

   Interestingly enough, if this idea of ‘choice say paida hona’ is extended to Jahaniya Shah we see that he does all sorts of things, and has the choice which borders on to dangerous limits. He commits murders, yet his father protects this “choice” as well. On the contrary Shehr Bano is not allowed the “middle class soch”, i.e. choice of the woman, which Shereen embodies.  What Gulbahar says applies aptly for Shehr Bano that is “apnay muqadar ka jo mujreem hota hai ussay kabhi rihai nae milti”, that is true because the struggle is a continuous one for Shehr Bano. It is not merely the patriarch and his opinions that she has to fight; rather hers is a battle for survival. The entire structure, “system” as the drama writer likes to call it, is patriarchal but Shehr Bano continuously struggles.  The struggle is not for an external force, rather through the stark realism the drama writer informs us that more than a question of love, in the case of the forced marriage; it is question of shredding off an ascribed identity for Shehr Bano. Shehr Bano then becomes the epitome of Manto’s “Dutiful Daughter” who silently continues to rebel.