Misogynist baggage in Nepali fairy tales

Abstract

This article examines four popular Nepali fairy tales—’The Story of Sumnima’, ‘Sunkeshari Maiya’, ‘Raja Mansarko Katha’, and ‘Hai Rani Chandani’, collected from different written sources—and demonstrates how they perpetuate gender stereotypes and limit women to inferior roles and negative conduct. The study is a critical discourse analysis with a special focus on gender relations among characters. It derives its theoretical lens from feminist theorists like Simone de Beauvoir, Helene Cixous and Cora Kaplan, and gender theorists like Judith Butler. Either origin myths or social and familial tales analyzed in this article relegate the female characters to a stock of voiceless individuals without agency, and limit them to minor domestic chores, or portray them as wicked agents that cause tragedies to their close associates, families, or members of the society. The tales reproduce misogynist baggage and represent a social psychology shaped by patriarchal tradition. The study concludes that characterization in these tales is informed by the value system of the patriarchal society where these tales exist and thus recapitulate gender bias.

Keywords:

• Fairy tales
• gender stereotypes
• misogyny
• discourse
• gender discrimination

REVIEWING EDITOR:

• Oliver Nyambi, English, University of the Free State, South Africa

SUBJECTS:

• Cultural Studies; Language & Linguistics; Literature

Notes

1 Folk Tales from Arun Valley.

2 Arun Valley is the deepest valley of the world, formed by Arun, the longest river of Nepal. The valley extends over Sankhuwasabha, Bhojpur and Dhankuta districts of eastern Nepal.

3 In Chudamni Bandhu’s version, no explicit mention of urine is found; rather he mentions that Paruhang had left ‘tuna gareko pani’ i.e. ‘water with magic spells’ [Bandhu, C. (2001). Sumnima ra Paruhang.” Nepali Loksahitya. Kathmandu: Ekta Books, p. 303.].

4 The tale also bears a stark analogy with an incident in the Shiva Purana where, Shiva, who was disturbed by Agni (the Fire God) while having sex with Parvati, throws his semen into the mouth of Agni. Agni later pukes the fire into the wild. The wives of the seven Rishis bask in the fire and become pregnant. Kumar Kartikeya is born to them.

5 In Bandhu’s version, only five progenies have been mentioned, and the humab being is the second one. Some mention four, making human being the last. Timisina’s version, which this research refers to, originates from Arun Valley where the Kirats have the thickest population. Khakchrikpa is the other name of Kirati, the first human child born to Sumnima.

6 “Males are guided predominantly by controlling tendencies referred to as agentic goals. These goals stress self-assertion, self-efficacy and mastery. Accordingly, males tend to forcefully pursue goals having personal consequences” (p. 522) (Meryers-Levy, 1988).

7 In Hindu tradition, offering presents to a woman, romping her hair, touching her ornaments and dress, sitting with her on a bed, all these acts are considered adulterous (samgrahana). Also, if a man touches a woman in a place which ought not to be touched or allows oneself to be touched in such a spot, all such acts done with mutual consent are declared adulterous (samgrahana).” (Manusmriti, Chapter 8, verses 357, 358).

8 “Females are believed to be guided by communal concerns. Their emphasis is on interpersonal affiliation, a desire to be with others, and the fostering of harmonious relations amongst themselves and disparate parties” (p. 522) (Meryers-Levy, 1988).

9 Latin ‘god for the machine,’ first used by Horace in his Ars Poetica, the term denotes a plot device whereby a seemingly unsolvable problem is suddenly solved with the unexpected entry of some new event, character, or object.

10 Hudko, a drum-like instrument used in Western Nepal by minstrels, who sing Hudkeli. [Pant, J. (2007/8). Hudkeli. Loksanskriti, 3(1). Nepal Music Center.].

11 Thomas Paine (1737–1809) was an English American poet, activist, author and political theorist.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mahesh Paudyal

Mahesh Paudyal, an Assistant Professor at Tribhuvan University, has authored two collections of poems: Sunya Praharko Sakshi in Nepali and Notes of Silent Times in English. He has translated Dancing Soul of Mount Everest, an anthology of modern Nepali poetry, and Voice of Nepal, a collection of modern Nepali poems. He has translated two memoirs of former Bangladesh President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Unfinished Memoirs and Prison Diaries from English into Nepali.

Raj K. Baral

Raj K. Baral is an Assistant Professor at Tribhuvan University, Nepal. His research interests span from non-western rhetoric, literature and language, academic integrity, cultural studies, online learning, and higher education/policy. He has been published in Distance Education, Cogent Arts and Humanities, Journal of Academic Ethics among others. Currently, he is pursuing PhD in Rhetoric and Writing Studies from the University of Texas at El Paso, USA.