Ruins of Nationhood: Patriarchal Domination and the Shattered Self in Nawal El Saadawi’s Woman at Point Zero (1975)
Hibah Yaseen
In Woman at Point Zero (1975), Nawal El Saadawi argues that a unified nation and secure identity cannot be formed when they are fractured by economic exploitation and cultural hegemony. El Saadawi critiques a national identity compromised by systemic issues, as seen in the protagonist Firdaus, whose body is commodified, reflecting a society that prioritises profit over dignity. As she reflects on systemic gendered oppressions compounded by the legacies of colonialism, the fragmentation of her identity becomes evident, leading to a state of psychological disorder that reflects broader societal problems.
The systemic inequalities and exclusionary dynamics of power evident in El Saadawi’s representation of 1970s Egypt are barriers that prevent unity and inclusivity. Benedict Anderson explains how the construction of a nation as a ‘sovereign state’ (Anderson, 1983, p.22) that functions as a symbol of authority and entity with immutable autonomy, overlooks the lived realities of marginalised individuals. Firdaus is one such individual, used to demonstrate that a truly cohesive nation is ultimately unattainable. Firdaus's interactions with figures of authority — 'kings, princes, and rulers' (Saadawi, 1975, p. 118) — highlight the inaccessibility of true sovereignty for individuals without social and economic power. Their titles reflect a recognised status and legitimised power, yet this very acknowledgment underscores the systemic barriers that exclude individuals like Firdaus from achieving personal agency and autonomy. While her role as a prostitute allows her proximity to these figures of authority, this proximity highlights the social hierarchies that keep her marginalised, reinforcing her commodification rather than granting her agency. The asyndetic listing of 'kings, rulers, and princes' further emphasises the collective dominance of these figures within a patriarchal system, suggesting the maintenance of an elite, unified class power structure at the expense of marginalised individuals. This portrayal critiques the dominant model of nationhood, where recognised figures of authority are designed to exclude rather than to unify.
The economic exploitation and commodification of women fundamentally undermine the formation of a cohesive nation by placing profit over human dignity. Eve Darien Smith argues that postcolonial theory critiques how the lingering effect of colonial legacy persists by using prostitution as a ‘corruptive agent’ (1996, p.291) within postcolonial society. Saadawi’s portrayal of a ‘successful prostitute’ (Saadawi, 1975, p. 20) critically interrogates societal definitions of success, suggesting that economic survival often requires the surrender of autonomy and agency. While the term ‘successful’ implies empowerment, it remains rooted in a corrupt system that commodifies women’s bodies and so fragments any sense of social cohesion. The metaphor describing a woman as ‘a cow to be milked’ (Saadawi, 1975, p. 56) implies a relationship of domination and submission, where the exploiters extract and ‘corrupt’ value without any reciprocal benefit or recognition of the individual woman’s humanity. This suggests not just a transactional relationship but a violation of humanity and autonomy, where Firdaus's worth is reduced to her ability to produce for others, echoing the colonial mindset that viewed ‘bodies as expendable assets’ (Hirschkind, 1991, p.5). Firdaus’s role in this system reveals how economic structures based on exploitation prevent true unity and equity. If a nation is measured by its ability to grant dignity and ‘sovereignty’ to all citizens, then the commodification of women illustrates a fundamental failure to achieve an inclusive and cohesive nation.
Firdaus attempts to reclaim her national identity through a respectable position in the workplace, yet cultural hegemony rooted in patriarchal values disrupts the formation of a cohesive nation. Patricia Hill Collins states that ‘physical reality recedes as man’s symbolic activity advances,’ (2006, p.11), thereby highlighting how patriarchal dominance obscures women's oppression, hindering national unity in postcolonial societies. The characterisation of Firdaus by a male colleague as ‘a poor, miserable employee, unworthy of esteem,’ (Saadawi, 1975, p.89) starkly illustrates the illusory nature of dignity within a system that devalues women. This verbal assault underscores the power of patriarchal discourse, stripping Firdaus of her worth and reinforcing her subjugation through asyndetic listing. The rapid succession of harsh adjectives compounds her sense of failure, emphasising the cultural hegemony that shapes her reality and ultimately shattering her connection to a unified national identity. Furthermore, the phrase ‘male organs’ (Saadawi, 1975, p.90) symbolises both male physicality and authority, objectifying women and reducing them to instruments of male desire. Firdaus's worth becomes inextricably tied to her physicality, illustrating how systemic devaluation affects not just individual women but also the collective potential of the nation. In work environments that should promote dignity and respect, she encounters barriers that limit her contributions and undermine her rights, perpetuating the cycle of oppression.
Postcolonial feminism offers a useful theoretical framework to critique the intersections of postcolonial society and gender as similarly shaped by the lingering effects of colonial legacies and which creates new modes of oppression. In Woman at Point Zero , El Saadawi explores postcolonial feminist thinking through Firdaus's internal conflict, which reveals her struggle to establish a sense of self within a patriarchal society. Chandra Talpade Mohanty defines postcolonial feminist theory as critiquing the view of ‘women as an inferior stigma to society’ (1985, p.337), arguing that this stigma permeates the postcolonial context. Firdaus embodies this struggle as she navigates her perception of self-worth against societal expectations, revealing how patriarchal systems established during colonial rule persist in perpetuating inequalities in contemporary society. She poignantly describes herself metaphorically as ‘a small insect crawling upon the land’ (Saadawi, 1975, p. 16). Her self-description as zoomorphised ‘insect’ invokes a sense of degradation, suggesting that Firdaus sees herself as a mere creature, insignificant and dehumanised within the all-encompassing context of a patriarchal society. The verb ‘crawling’ further emphasises her lowly status and lack of agency; it suggests struggle for movement and survival in an environment that crushes her spirit and individuality. This imagery reflects her internal conflict as she grapples with the desire for agency while feeling trapped within a demeaning societal structure. The repetition of ‘I am an honourable woman’ (Saadawi, 1975, p. 106) when confronted with metaphorical, derogatory comments from men signifies her attempt to assert her dignity in a ‘physical reality’ that seeks to diminish her worth. Here, the term ‘honourable’ becomes an ironic affirmation; while she claims this identity, it is consistently undermined by the male gaze that devalues her. This duality reflects her internal struggle as she fights to reconcile her self-perception with external perceptions of women.
El Saadawi further employs postcolonial feminism to illustrate how patriarchy serves as a source of conflict for Firdaus, compelling her to navigate her fragmented identity through a deliberate disconnection from her embodied experience and sense of self. Heike Peckrun argues that postcolonial society allows colonial legacy to be upheld through the ‘sensory estrangement’ (2015, p.132) of women. Sensory experience should not be viewed as a singular realm; rather, it is the foundation for understanding how Firdaus's existence in the world takes shape. This disconnection is vividly illustrated in Firdaus's interactions with men, encapsulated in the quote: ‘I heard their loud voices, a capacity for persuasion, for choosing sweet words and shooting poisoned arrows’ (Saadawi, 1975, p. 64). The ‘loud voices’ capture a sense of the overwhelming authority men exert over her, emphasising how their dominance creates a pervasive conflict that forces Firdaus to retreat into herself as a coping mechanism against patriarchal oppression. This oppressive soundscape acts as a trigger for her estrangement, as she feels the need to shut down her own voice and desires in response to the noise of male authority. The phrase ‘a capacity for persuasion’ highlights the manipulative power men wield, reflecting how charming language can mask exploitative intentions and contributing to her internal conflict as Firdaus grapples with her judgment and perceptions of reality. The juxtaposition of ‘sweet words’ and ‘poisoned arrows’ further emphasises the duality of male communication; while they may offer charm and false promises, they simultaneously inflict emotional and psychological harm, portraying a world where affection is laced with betrayal. This ongoing conflict leads Firdaus to disconnect from her senses and her sense of self, as the very language intended to comfort often serves as a weapon against her agency. Thus, her sensory estrangement becomes a strategy for survival in a patriarchal society that continuously undermines her identity and autonomy, illustrating the profound impact of colonial legacy and patriarchal oppression on women's lives.
In Woman at Point Zero , the depiction of conflict is intricately articulated through the dialectical relationship between self-awareness and the allure of ignorance, illuminating Firdaus's internal struggle to confront the oppressive realities of her existence within a patriarchal and postcolonial framework, while simultaneously grappling with the psychological impulse to evade the existential distress that accompanies such critical consciousness. This central conflict manifests in Firdaus's awakening to the impact of colonial legacies that shape her identity and agency. When Firdaus reflects on herself, she emphasises her revelation as ‘a glaring light’ (Saadawi, 1975, p. 122), where the sensory imagery evokes a piercing clarity that cuts through the darkness of her prior unawareness. This is a moment of painful realisation as Firdaus confronts her oppressive circumstances, forcing her to grapple with the psychological impulse to retreat into ignorance and avoid further internal conflict. The evocative auditory description of ‘the strokes of the hammer [that] beat down on my head’ (Saadawi, 1975, p. 123) metaphorically represent the relentless pressure and conflict imposed by societal expectations and historical oppression. This metaphoric ‘hammering’ captured in the monosyllabic words creates a violent cacophony that alienates her from her embodied experience, reinforcing a profound internal conflict where her sense of self is continuously at odds with the identity imposed upon her by postcolonial society. The oppressive words used against Firdaus ‘clung to me cold and sticky like spit’ (Saadawi, 1975, p. 124) – the simile here evoking a visceral sense of mess and contamination. The adjective ‘clung’ captures the discomfort of her awareness, highlighting how the derogatory perceptions imposed upon her by a postcolonial legacy diminish her sense of self.
Firdaus's internal conflict, exacerbated by the absence of a cohesive national identity to provide support and validation, manifests as psychological hysteria, illustrating the profound dislocation and alienation she experiences within a patriarchal and postcolonial context. Homi K. Bhaba defines postcolonial hysteria as a ‘dispersal of identity’ (1994, p.64) that manifests in psychological distress. Her trauma becomes a manifestation of this dislocation through her desperate plea of ‘I wanted to scream, but I had no voice. I wanted to run, but I had no legs’ (Saadawi, 1975, p. 124). The physical separation between ‘voice’ and ‘legs’ emphasises the dislocation of her physical identity, with ‘voice’ symbolising her desire for self-expression and ‘legs’ representing her longing for freedom. This fragmentation of her identity illustrates her postcolonial hysteria (used here in Bhaba’s sense), highlighting how the disconnect between her aspirations and oppressive patriarchal constraints intensifies her psychological distress. Similarly, the imagery of wanting ‘to run’ but having ‘no legs’ reinforces her entrapment, illustrating how her psychological hysteria is rooted in both physical and emotional immobilisation. Firdaus’s yearning for freedom contrasts sharply with her actual inability to escape her circumstances, highlighting her ‘dispersal’ within postcolonial society. This duality of wanting freedom yet being immobilised captures the essence of postcolonial hysteria as it reflects the conflicting struggle between her inner desires and the external realities that inhibit them.
El Saadawi’s Woman at Point Zero articulates the complex interplay between nation and conflict, revealing how patriarchal structures contribute to the fragmentation of identity in postcolonial societies. Firdaus’s commodification illustrates the profound impact of economic and systemic exploitation on national identity, exposing how a society prioritising profit over dignity undermines the possibility of true national cohesion. Her experiences highlight the systemic inequalities that persist, suggesting that without addressing these foundational issues, genuine national unity remains elusive. Moreover, the portrayal of Firdaus’s internal conflict demonstrates how the absence of a cohesive national identity exacerbates psychological distress, illustrating the deeper emotional costs of living in a fractured nation. El Saadawi's critique of patriarchal authority underscores how such structures perpetuate division. Ultimately, this narrative reveal that if a truly postcolonial nationhood is unattainable, the quest for identity will continue to provoke conflict, perpetuating a cycle of alienation and oppression. In this context, Firdaus stands as a poignant symbol of the broader struggles faced by individuals in a world where the promise of belonging is consistently undermined.
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