Sexual oppression of Women in relation to the play House of Bernada Alba - Essay Example

No change in her status is possible unless change emanates from humankind from within. Male or female, mother’s womb is the abode of protection for the fetus for a period of nine months, and this is her special prerogative and therefore her status is not equal to men, but more equal! The female offspring is victimized at every step of life, from the cradle to the grave, from the womb to the tomb, notwithstanding the fact that she sacrifices at every step of life. Woman must enjoy legal rights so that she is protected from discrimination and from all ends.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is a scathing satire on the conditions of women. They carry the load of suffering throughout their lives. Fertile women are treated as cattle. Their function is giving sexual pleasures for the designated upper class. The story revolves around Offred, a handmaid, who lives like a slave, with no freedom in any area and is victimized on all counts. She is at the disposal of an important Commander in the new government in the Republic of Gilead. With utter contempt for her dignity, she undergoes a test by a gynecologist to judge her health status and then she is led to her sexual exploiter.

He does his job with precision and she becomes pregnant. The mode of sex will even put the animals to shame. She is not allowed to communicate with her exploiter and while performing the sex act, Serena is there to watch and hold her hands. It is compulsory for her to wear headgear to cover the body. With no educational facilities, she cannot apply her mind in any area. They are to follow strict orders issued by the government and any deviance is severely punished. The door of her room is never fully closed and the spy-force of Gilead watches her moves.

She is frustrated in her desperate situation, turns cynical and cries in great anguish, “Dear God, I think, I will do anything you like. Now that you 've let me off , I 'll obliterate myself , if that is what you really want I 'll empty myself , truly , become a chalice . I 'll give up Nick I 'll forget about the others , I'll stop complaining . I’ll accept my lot, I’ll sacrifice. I’ll repent. I’ll abdicate. (Atwood, 1998: 286) She fondly remembers the time she spent with her husband Nick and children.

In the present time, even in the most advanced country like America, women have serious problems in their relationship with men. Michael Kimmel in his book “Manhood in America,” argues, “Women demand both safety and choice-an end to date rape and sexual harassment and a secure right to choose how to respond to pregnancy.”(Kimmel, 1997:330) Chaitra Arjunpuri in her article, “Honor killings bring dishonor to India,” writes, “The policeman jumped to his feet as the man walked into the station and placed the head of his sister, along with the butcher knife that decapitated her, on the table in front of him.

” It is rather not possible to enumerate the correct number of honor killings as they are often reported as accidents and suicides. The above-mentioned incident relates to Kolkata (India) on December 7, 2012. Arjunpuri further writes, “Nilofar Bibi, 22, was only 14 years old when she left home in an arranged marriage. Alleging torture carried out by her in-laws, Bibi returned to her parents on November 28, but vanished days