A Critical Study of Sexuality, Economy, and Patriarchy in the Context of Contemporary Urdu Novel “Rolak”

معاصر اردو ناول ”رولاک” کا جنسیت، معیشت اور پدرسری نظام کے تناظر میں تنقیدی مطالعہ

Abstract

This paper critically examines the contemporary Urdu novel Rolak by Rafiqat Hayat through the lens of sexuality, economy, and patriarchy. The novel highlights how patriarchal structures regulate social and economic relations, exploiting women’s labor, sexuality, and social roles. Employing feminist and socio-economic perspectives, the study shows how patriarchy legitimizes sexual subjugation, domestic control, and economic dependence, positioning women as instruments within male-centered hierarchies. Rolak also portrays women’s resistance as both personal defiance and a challenge to socio-economic oppression. This analysis demonstrates how contemporary Urdu fiction reflects and critiques the interconnected dynamics of Sexual, economic power, and patriarchy, offering insights into broader societal structures and women’s lived experiences.

Keywords: Rafaqat Hayat and Fiction, Sexuality, Economy, Patriarchy, Feminist Analysis