Patriarchy, male sexuality, oedipal conflict and female subject in K.S. Maniam's the cord
This paper is a feminist reading of K.S. Maniam's play The Cord using the psychoanalytical concepts of patriarchy, male sexuality and oedipal conflict. By reading The Cord against the traditional grain to examine the images of the women (female subject), the three female characters are seen...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Pusat Pengajian Bahasa dan Linguistik, FSSK, UKM
2003
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| Online Access: | http://journalarticle.ukm.my/3107/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/3107/1/1.pdf |
| _version_ | 1848810078795202560 |
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| author | Wan Roselezam bt. Wan Yahya, |
| author_facet | Wan Roselezam bt. Wan Yahya, |
| author_sort | Wan Roselezam bt. Wan Yahya, |
| building | UKM Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | This paper is a feminist reading of K.S. Maniam's play The Cord using the psychoanalytical
concepts of patriarchy, male sexuality and oedipal conflict. By reading The Cord against the
traditional grain to examine the images of the women (female subject), the three female
characters are seen to be active agents although the male characters overpower them in the play.
Maniam, though hardly a feminist himself, portrays the three female characters rebelling against
the patriarchal norms that restrict them and each takes a different approach to liberate herself
from the oppression. For Lakshmi, death is the only way out of misery; for Leela, the struggle for
independence still remains an inspiration; and Kali survives her exposure to male exploitation
through her innovative self-sufficiency and strength. While the male's integrity and selfrespect
appear totally eroded by the experience of self-distrust and self-devaluation, the female's
resilience enables her to regain command of her own fate. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T23:24:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | oai:generic.eprints.org:3107 |
| institution | Universiti Kebangasaan Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T23:24:48Z |
| publishDate | 2003 |
| publisher | Pusat Pengajian Bahasa dan Linguistik, FSSK, UKM |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | oai:generic.eprints.org:31072016-12-14T06:33:36Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/3107/ Patriarchy, male sexuality, oedipal conflict and female subject in K.S. Maniam's the cord Wan Roselezam bt. Wan Yahya, This paper is a feminist reading of K.S. Maniam's play The Cord using the psychoanalytical concepts of patriarchy, male sexuality and oedipal conflict. By reading The Cord against the traditional grain to examine the images of the women (female subject), the three female characters are seen to be active agents although the male characters overpower them in the play. Maniam, though hardly a feminist himself, portrays the three female characters rebelling against the patriarchal norms that restrict them and each takes a different approach to liberate herself from the oppression. For Lakshmi, death is the only way out of misery; for Leela, the struggle for independence still remains an inspiration; and Kali survives her exposure to male exploitation through her innovative self-sufficiency and strength. While the male's integrity and selfrespect appear totally eroded by the experience of self-distrust and self-devaluation, the female's resilience enables her to regain command of her own fate. Pusat Pengajian Bahasa dan Linguistik, FSSK, UKM 2003 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/3107/1/1.pdf Wan Roselezam bt. Wan Yahya, (2003) Patriarchy, male sexuality, oedipal conflict and female subject in K.S. Maniam's the cord. 3L; Language,Linguistics and Literature,The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies., 8 . pp. 104-122. ISSN 0128-5157 http://www.ukm.my/~ppbl/3L/3LArchives.html |
| spellingShingle | Wan Roselezam bt. Wan Yahya, Patriarchy, male sexuality, oedipal conflict and female subject in K.S. Maniam's the cord |
| title | Patriarchy, male sexuality, oedipal conflict and female subject in K.S. Maniam's the cord |
| title_full | Patriarchy, male sexuality, oedipal conflict and female subject in K.S. Maniam's the cord |
| title_fullStr | Patriarchy, male sexuality, oedipal conflict and female subject in K.S. Maniam's the cord |
| title_full_unstemmed | Patriarchy, male sexuality, oedipal conflict and female subject in K.S. Maniam's the cord |
| title_short | Patriarchy, male sexuality, oedipal conflict and female subject in K.S. Maniam's the cord |
| title_sort | patriarchy, male sexuality, oedipal conflict and female subject in k.s. maniam's the cord |
| url | http://journalarticle.ukm.my/3107/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/3107/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/3107/1/1.pdf |