Repression, Resistance and Resilience in Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp

Abstract

Postcolonial and feminist literary discourses often depict Muslim women as silent victims of patriarchal oppression. Challenging this monolithic narrative, Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp illuminates the complex interplay of repression, resistance, and resilience in the lives of ordinary women. The stories reveal how systemic gender inequality, disguised as tradition and religious custom, impacts reproductive rights, property ownership, and domestic dignity. Rather than succumbing to victimization, the protagonists demonstrate agency through both overt confrontation and covert endurance. The narrative celebrates the indomitable spirit of women who navigate socio-cultural constraints to assert their identity and survival.