The Circle of Karma_Research Essay

In the novel The Circle of Karma, Dechen Choki says, “Our stories are so similar yet so different. Everything happened because we are women. You loved man and suffered and I hated man and suffered.” Comment on the socio – cultural concerns, beliefs or values that are explored in the novel.

Women in the world, as early as in the Victorian period, suffered male dominance. They were finically and sexually disadvantaged where they had to endure discrimination within their marriage and society. Bhutanese women as well were in the same shoe as Victorian women. It is evident in the novel, “The circle of Karma” by Kuenzang Choden. Dechen Choki says, “Our stories are so similar yet so different. Everything happened because we are women. You loved a man and suffered. I hated a man and suffered.” Hence, in the novel, women face three major socio-cultural challenges as women. These are abusive language, patriarchy and sexual objectification of women. Therefore, women in Bhutan suffered gender discrimination in a society which is mostly explored in the novel.   

Abusive use of language against women is one of the socio-cultural challenges explored in the novel among women. In the novel, abusive languages are used against Dechen Choki and Tshomo. Rajendran (2016) asserts that the most common way to abuse women is to call her a “whore”, “slut” or “bitch.” Similarly, such phrases are used against Tshomo and Dechen Choki.  For instance, Dechen was called whore and husband stealer by Lhajab’s wife. In Tshomo’s case, Wangchen said, “You stubborn, low down moringmo” (Choden, 2005). Such phrases used against women clearly give a picture of women’s moral humiliation in a society. Thus, women’s discrimination was present in the words and phrases used in everyday language which have affected them to go parallel with their counterpart in the society. 

Patriarchy is another socio-cultural challenge explored among women in The Circle of Karma.  Tshomo suffers as a woman in a patriarchal society.  Feminist theorist (as stated in Wikipedia, n,d)  argues that patriarchy is the primary cause of women oppression. As mentioned, it holds true for Tshomo in the novel.  For example, she says, “Being a girl was equal to being in a bad situation” (Choden, 2005). This is because she was deprived of religious education rather her father said, “You are a girl. You are different. ..Learn to cook, weave and all those things.” (Choden, 2005).This says about women being oppressed under male dominance where society sets certain convention for women. In another words, man should take in charge of all the matters beyond domestic sphere while women should take care of domestic matters.  Hence, women suffered because they were women under male dominance.

Sexual objectification of women is explored as one of the socio-cultural concerns in the novel.  Sexual objectification is “the act of treating a person as a mere object of sexual desire” (Wikipedia, n.d). In the novel, Dechen Choki and Tshomo experience this feeling of objectification. For example,   Dechen Choki says, “Our stories are so similar yet so different. Everything happened because we are women. You loved a man and suffered. I hated a man and suffered.” (Choden, 2005). Both the character suffered because of men for different reasons. However, they suffered anyways because they were women. Dechen Choki ran away from home to escape her step father who sexually desired her, only to be raped by Lajab. Tshomo, on the other hand, escaped home feeling rejected by Wangchen whose lust grew for Kezang, Tshomo’s sister, when he felt bored with Tshomo. These clearly show that women were merely depicted   as a sexual object, desired for sexual pleasure only. Therefore, women suffered being treated as an object of sensual pleasure by men.

In conclusion, women suffered because they were women.  They were under the influence of male dominance where they were not given equal priority as men. For instance, education was only reserved for men while women were given the responsibility of cooking and weaving at home.  Next, abusive language use against women is one socio cultural concern which is in everyday language.  Phrases such as “whore” and “moringmo” undermine women capability in the society. Lastly, women are considered like an object. They are desired only for sensual pleasure by men. These caused them problem to grow parallel to their counterpart.  Therefore, women suffered gender inequality which is displayed in “The Circle of Karma” by Aum Kuezang Choden.  

 Bibliography

Choden, K. (2005). The Circle of Karma . New Delhi: Penguin Books Ltd.

Rajendran, S. (2016, November 19). verbal abuse: why are cuss words directed at men about the

 women in their life? Retrieved May 23, 2019, from http://thenewsminute.com

Wikipedia. (n.d). Patriarchy . Retrieved May 23, 2019, from http://en.m.wikipedia.org

wikipedia. (n.d). Sexual Objectification . Retrieved May 21, 2019, from http://en.m.wikipedia. org.