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The Profession
This story is an extract from the anthology titled Gendered Space, which puts together stories in English or their translations from some of the major Indian languages. These stories not only provide a glimpse into the Indian women’s experience through time, but also reflect a sheer variety of themes, making women’s voices stronger and more urgent in the contemporary scenario.
The Profession by Ismat Chughtai reveals how a woman is misunderstood in society if she doesn’t fit into the prescribed role. This subject isn’t new or unheard of, but the scintillating way that Chughtai weaves this tale is sure to make a deep impact.
The Profession by Ismat Chughtai reveals how a woman is misunderstood in society if she doesn’t fit into the prescribed role. This subject isn’t new or unheard of, but the scintillating way that Chughtai weaves this tale is sure to make a deep impact.
22 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 15, 2018
10 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
About the author
Ismat Chughtai
99 books312 followersIsmat Chughtai (Urdu: عصمت چغتائی) (August 1915 – 24 October 1991) was an eminent Urdu writer, known for her indomitable spirit and a fierce feminist ideology. She was considered the grand dame of Urdu fiction, Along with Rashid Jahan, Wajeda Tabassum and Qurratulain Hyder, Ismat’s work stands for the birth of a revolutionary feminist politics and aesthetics in twentieth century Urdu literature. She explored feminine sexuality, middle-class gentility, and other evolving conflicts in the modern Muslim world. Her outspoken and controversial style of writing made her the passionate voice for the unheard, and she has become an inspiration for the younger generation of writers, readers and intellectuals.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 14, 2020
A chance read during lockdown and what a find! Totally smitten by the witty and oblique yet emphatically woven idea on how women are judged for things small and big. Looking foward to stock up more by the author Ismat Chughtai. A favourite now.
August 19, 2020
Excellent as usual. One cannot expect any less from Ismat Chughtai's pen. I personally find very interesting the inner monologues of the narrator's mind.
Rather than a dry as dust Communist document, she beautifully compares the work of the teacher to that of a courtesan. She doesn't glorify the work of a teacher. She says, "It seemed that the students squeezed the brains of teachers as if they chew it before spitting it out like sugarcane".
Kudos to the translator for the excellent work.
Rather than a dry as dust Communist document, she beautifully compares the work of the teacher to that of a courtesan. She doesn't glorify the work of a teacher. She says, "It seemed that the students squeezed the brains of teachers as if they chew it before spitting it out like sugarcane".
Kudos to the translator for the excellent work.
September 3, 2020
The quick, but very wrong ways that the protagonist judges her neighbours strikes up a stark realization on how, more than often, we judge people based on our very limited knowledge and experience. Thus, we end up ruining potential relationships and also end up overthinking.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews