Breaking the Cage: Patriarchal Control, Women’s Oppression, and Resistance in Shakespeare’s Othello and Kazi Nazrul Islam’s “Nari” in the Context of Bangladesh

Abstract

This study examines women’s oppression, patriarchal control, domestic confinement, violence, and female agency in William Shakespeare’s Othello and Kazi Nazrul Islam’s “Nari,” with particular attention to contemporary Bangladesh. Using a qualitative comparative approach, the study analyzes the two primary texts alongside contemporary literature and socio-economic evidence on gender-based violence and women’s conditions in Bangladesh. The findings show that Othello portrays how marital suspicion, male authority, surveillance, and control can develop into psychological and physical violence, while “Nari” directly challenges gender hierarchy by emphasizing women’s equality, contributions, freedom, and resistance. The comparison further shows that domestic confinement and unequal power remain relevant concerns in contemporary Bangladesh. By connecting literary representations of gender oppression with present-day gender-related concerns, the study offers a perspective for students, researchers, educators, and readers interested in gender, literature, and Bangladesh.