A Comparative Study of Feminism in Shahrnush Parsipur’s Touba and the Meaning of Night and Toni Morrison’s Paradise through Hélène Cixous’ Theories

Abstract

This article aims at evaluating the presentation of feminism, female language articulates women’s sexuality, and the concept of the different and patriarchal society in Shahrnush Parsipur’s Touba and The Meaning of Night and Toni Morrison's Paradise based on Helen Cixouse’s theory including Body, Ecriture Féminine, Logocentrism, Phallocentrism, Racism, and Oppression. The results showed that in Touba and the Meaning of Night, women's sexuality was barely preserved on the part of Touba and she makes more attempts to lead a conservative lifestyle rather than striving for preserving her sexual rights as a woman, whereas. In Paradise, women's sexuality was more explicitly addressed. The representation of body and Ecriture Féminine was much more obvious in Morison than in Parsipur. Also, patriarchy and phallogocentrism were highlighted in paradise more than in Touba and the Meaning of Night. In Paradise, gender-oriented separation and racism were frameworks of cultural and mental limitations, which impacted the existence of the Convent women. However, racism was not the main issue in Touba and the Meaning of Night. Finally, oppression was an important issue in women’s social position and relationships, and both authors aimed to represent several examples of socially imposed oppression in their stories. It was concluded that Touba and the Meaning of Night explored the ongoing tensions between rationalism and mysticism, tradition and modernity, and male dominance and female will while in Paradise females are the people who have power. Women are far away from power and cannot act or decide, and they cannot think or speak on their own. Patriarchal society reserves the right to speak for men and women derived from it. The results of the present study can be useful for researchers to conduct similar evaluations of feministic features in comparing Persian and English novels.