Feminist Reading of Fatima Bhutto’s The Shadow of the Crescent Moon

Abstract

This study presents a feminist reading of Fatima Bhutto’s novel The Shadow of the Crescent Moon (2013), exploring the representation of women, gender dynamics, and patriarchal structures within contemporary Pakistani society. Using feminist literary criticism as a theoretical framework, the research examines how Bhutto portrays female characters navigating social, familial, and political constraints, highlighting their struggles, resilience, and subtle forms of resistance. The analysis focuses on the intersection of gender and power, revealing the ways in which women’s identities are shaped, challenged, and redefined in a male-dominated socio-cultural context. The study finds that Bhutto’s narrative not only critiques patriarchal norms but also emphasizes women’s agency, thereby contributing to feminist discourse in South Asian literature. The research offers insight into the nuanced portrayal of gendered experiences and underscores the importance of feminist perspectives in understanding contemporary literary texts.