A Critical Appreciation of Begum Rokeya’s “Sultana’s Dream”
Begum Rokeya’s “Sultana’s Dream” written in the early 20th century, speaks of a matriarchal society with a utopian perspective for females regardless of their origin. After reading the story several times, I asked myself, whether this piece of literature was an account of a dream or was it Sultana’s wish for a land ruled by women only. A place where women were not hiding behind a veil or purdah.
The name of the fictional place, ‘Ladyland’, itself suggests the presence of women empowerment within the borders. The story did not speak about equality or equal rights of both genders. However, the women became the oppressors in the story. References like ‘mannish’, in their proper places, where they ought to be’ or ‘Yes, it is not safe so long as there are men about the streets…..’. Somewhere, along the lines, in my opinion, elements of feminism were not strongly portrayed, it was a story of role-reversal, where men were not let out of their homes and women ruled over them.
Feminism believes in equality of both male and female in social aspects as well as economic and political aspects, but in “Sultana’s Dream”, Begum Rokeya described how tactfully men were lured indoors and were not permitted to get out and instead managed households. Sister Sara compared men with lunatics and gave examples of elephants and lions to explain physical strength is not everything and that was the attribute men possess best. Then again, in Ladyland, men failed to show their military tactics, resulting in women to intervene and take on the responsibilities of protecting their magical utopia.
Women’s desire to rule is evident in every dialogues and detail. Reminding the narrator that men were good for nothing and just the way most men dictate in real life, Sister Sara repeatedly said that men were no good and they were better off without them. And how they would not even trust them with embroidery work, because they do not have patience.
Written in 1905, the story is aspiring for women. The vision has brought us to a position now, where women's empowerment is a relatively common term. As a women writer, in that period writing about men being kept in zenana was a bold step and I am sure it must be a piece of major debate and controversy. As an empowered woman myself, I felt this story was harsh on men at large. Bangladesh, a country where major leaders are women, be it in politics or business, the story is relatable with a comic twist adhered to it, mocking men and their intelligence and extent of caliber.
The setting of this sci-fi short story was highly symbolic too. As men were not allowed to be on the streets, the whole land was a gigantic garden with futuristic vehicles that were eco-friendly. And ended on a peaceful note that everyone in Ladyland was content with what nature stored for them, making them non-violent and proud of the assets they owned and created. The establishment of laboratories and observatories pointed to the fact that women can excel in anything, it could be winning a war against a powerful rival army, designing beautiful embroidery work, or even winning science all over Bengal, all because they have the religion of love and truth and their appreciation towards time which men do not have.
To conclude, this particular piece of writing is in some parts still relevant to this day, and maybe it was the vision of our highly respected and beloved Begum Rokeya, which paved the way for a world where women are living Sultana’s dream in small fragments.
