Masculinity in Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp Selected Stories

Abstract

The present paper entitled “Masculinity in Banu Mustaq’s Heart Lamp, selected stories” is a study on the masculinity and femininity in the patriarchal Indian society. Heart Lamp selected stories is a collection of twelve short stories which questions the masculinity and the institute of marriage in the male chauvinist world. It is the recipient of the most coveted International Booker Prize of 2025. Banu Mushtaq is a feminist writer in every aspect of her writing. Her experience as a lawyer and journalist has helped her to endorse women’s right through her writing. Though originally it is written in Kannada Deepa Bhasti has done justice in retaining the purity of her writing.  Deepa Bhasti is the winner of the English Pen Translates Award 2024. Heart Lamp throws light on all the aspects of women suffering in marriage like domestic violence, unwanted pregnancies, discrimination, inequality, rejection, disrespect, harassment, trauma, lack of right to their body, body shaming and assertion. It is also about the husband and wife relationship, their commitment, love-hate relationship, domination of husbands, docile and sacrificing wives, lack of caring and understanding among the couples. Finally, all the women in the stories embrace motherhood by rejecting the master-slave relation of husband and wife.