I AM
NOT THAT WOMAN
KISHWAR
NAHEED
I am
not that Woman is a poem coordinated towards the strengthening of women.
Through inspecting the treatment numerous eastern societies maintain towards
the female race, Naheed strongly reasons those women are being persecuted and
should be respected.
I am Not That Woman is a
poem advocating for women's freedom. By looking at the treatment of women in
different eastern societies, Naheed strikingly reasons those women are
persecuted and deserve respect. I am Not That Woman analyses both obvious and
clandestine types of female mistreatment in contemporary culture. Naheed
presents the defense that women deserve respect and are not commodities through
a fairly women's activist perspective. Women are obviously stifled all through
a significant piece of the east, where they are imprisoned behind closed doors
and told they accomplish nothing throughout everyday life. While this can't be
reached out to all nations and urban areas, numerous eastern civilizations hold
this mindset right up to the present day. While this clear abuse may not exist
in the west, Naheed declares that women are defrauded secretively in western
societies through their value being connected with their bodies. Women's beauty
is habitually taken advantage of in advertisements to advance a scope of
things, and Naheed makes a superb point that this is also a type of
mistreatment. Interfacing a woman's worth and confidence to her body is all by
itself a demonstration of persecution. I am not that Woman is an uplifting
verse that reminds the world that women respect, and, surprisingly, more
urgently, that women ought to esteem and gladly respect themselves.
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS
1) “That woman”
referred to in the poem “I am not that woman” is
a) The poet
b) The speaker
c) The woman on the
poster
Ans: c) The woman on
the poster
2) What does the
woman on the poster sell?
Ans: The woman sells
socks and shoes on the poster.
3) The opening lines
of the poem “I am not that woman selling you socks and Shoes” indicates
a) Humility
b) Submission
c) Protest
Ans: c) Protest
4) How was the woman’s
freedom curtailed as mentioned in the first stanza?
Ans: The woman was
hidden in the walls of stone.
5) What does the line
“I am the one you hid in your walls of stone” indicate about the speaker’s
condition?
Ans: She was made a
prisoner by the exploiter or she was denied of her freedom.
6) What did the
exploiter use to crush the woman?
Ans: Custom and
tradition did the exploiter use to crush the woman.
7) What cannot be hidden
in darkness according to the speaker?
Ans: Light cannot be hidden
in darkness according to the speaker.
8) What cannot
smother the speaker’s fragrance?
Ans: Chains cannot
smother the speaker’s fragrance.
9) The speaker was
bought and sold in the name of
a) Beauty
b) Weakness
c) Chastity
Ans: c) Chastity
10) The line “I can
walk on water when I am drowning” indicates the speaker’s
a) Fear
b) Confidence and
rebellion nature
c) Arrogance
Ans: b) Confidence
and rebellion nature
11) Why was the
speaker married off?
Ans: The speaker was
married off to get rid of a burden.
12) The line “I am
the commodity you traded in” indicates that the speaker was considered as
a) Goods
b) Goddess
c) Friend
Ans: b) Goods
13) What type of
nation cannot be free?
Ans: Captive minds of
nation cannot be free.
14)“Now it is time
for me to flower free” This line indicates
a) Speaker’s passion
for freedom
b) Speaker’s
humbleness
c) Readiness to enjoy
life materialistically
Ans: a) speaker’s
passion for freedom
15) Who does the
speaker in the poem complain against?
Ans: Her oppressor or
exploiter does the speaker in the poem complain against.
16) How does the
poem “I am not that woman” depict several ways of exploitation of woman?
Ans: The poem “I am not that woman” presents the image of
a woman, who was exploited by society. It may be her father, her sibling, or even
her mother-in-law who smothered her. She was restricted to the four walls of
the house. Her exercises were limited exclusively to household work. No one
gave any consideration to her voice. She was squashed for the sake of
meaningless traditions and custom. That's what the speaker says, people
exploited her by picking flowers and on second thought established thorns and
embers. The speaker gives the picture of a flower which is chained. She was
traded for the sake of virtuousness. She was dealt with more awful than a
creature. Indeed, even the parents thought of her as a burden, which brought
about early marriage. The woman was viewed as more as a commodity to be
exchanged than a person, putting modesty, parenthood, and loyalty at stake.
17) How does the woman oppose her exploitation and assert
herself in the poem “I am not that woman”?
Ans: The speaker is extremely aware of her abuse. She
would rather not distinguish herself with the woman on the poster, who sells
socks and shoes. She is against the idea of lady being treated as a ware in the
male overwhelmed society. She needs to remind and alert the exploiter that
despite the fact that she has been taken cover behind the walls, her voice
can't be covered. She knows that the oppressor wanders aimlessly as the breeze,
however she is squashed by the heaviness of traditions and customs. She states
that light can't be concealed in darkness. The speaker discusses her
parenthood. The exploiter has picked flowers from her lap however established
thistles and ashes. She rebels by saying that chains can't cover her aroma. The
society regarded her as product, traded her for the sake of her own purity. However,
she can stroll on water while suffocating, she is offered to dispose of a
burden. She expresses that the nation of hostage minds can't be free. She would
rather not be dealt with just in that frame of mind of celibacy parenthood and
dependability. She needs to stand up for herself and demonstrate that she has
her own character and presence.
18)How has been women portrayed by the poet? Or describe
the theme of “I am not that woman”.
Ans: The poem “I am not that Woman” depicts a woman who
has been taken advantage of by society. It is conceivable that her dad,
sibling, or even mother-in-law smothered her. She was restricted to the house's
four walls. Her activities were restricted to home duties. No one paid
attention to her voice. She was choked in the purpose of unnecessary traditions
and customs. As per the speaker, individuals exploited her by taking flowers
and replacing them with thorns and ashes. The speaker utilizes the image of a
connected flower. She was bought and sold all the while intending to mislead
and misdirect. She was dealt with heartlessly. Indeed, even her parents saw her
as a burden, bringing about an early marriage. Women were seen more as a ware
to be traded than as individuals, endangering their virginity, parenthood, and
loyalty. In this way, the poem deftly delineates numerous methods of female
oppression and suppression.
19) How does the poem bring out the hidden potential and
rebellion spirit of the speaker?
Ans: The speaker is very much aware about her
manipulative circumstance. She is resolved about not being related to the lady
on the banner who sells socks and shoes. She is against women being seen as
items in a male-ruled society. She wishes to remind and caution the exploiter
that, in spite of her disguise behind the walls, her voice can't be quieted. While
she knows that the oppressor is just about as free as the breeze, she is
squashed under the heaviness of traditions and customs. She declares that
darkness can't disguise light. The speaker examines parenthood. The exploiter
eliminated flowers off her lap and replaced them with thistles and remains. She
rebels, guaranteeing that chains are unequipped for choking out her smell. The
society regarded her as a commodity, buying and selling her based on her
celibacy. Regardless of the way that she can stroll on water while suffocating,
she is offered to let herself free from a burden. She states that a country
with subjugated personalities can't be freed. She isn't keen on being dealt
with exclusively for virtuousness, parenthood, and faithfulness. She wishes to
champion herself and show that she has a particular personality and life.
Hence, the poem draws out the speaker's hidden potential and defiant soul, who
was previously constrained to capitulate to her oppressor's cravings and
wishes.
20) Who is the poet of “I am not that woman”?
Ans: Kishwar Naheed.
