The female subaltern

The body of the subaltern female is very important and prominent in Chand Girhen and Amir-un-Nisa's character is perfect for perusal here. She is first introduced in the drama as someone who has come from across the border to work and her body language at this point in time is full of hope and willingness to be a productive part of the system. She is naive and timid but at the same time, she possesses a certain degree of charm. Clearly, she does not have adequate education and she is also incapacitated when it comes to the command on the language. Despite this, there is certain boldness that is exuded out of her.

 Unfortunately things do not turn out to be as positive as she had hoped them to be and she ends up being raped. The important thing to note here is that when she comes to the house of the journalist girl after she is raped, her body language is subjected to sharp decline and she is no longer the same Amir-un-Nisa. The inadequacy of her language is further highlighted when the policeman harshly talks to her and oppresses her through his language and the narrative he sells which evidently goes against her. With her head down and body crouched, she is completely at a loss and breaks down. She is shattered from within and now she wants nothing but to go across the border to where she belongs. The word 'rape' is never used throughout the scene which in itself says a lot about the society back then and the stigma that was/still is attached to rape. Thus, Amir-un-Nisa is a female subaltern who does not have the social capital and favorable familial background to survive in the system.