Vashti and Sita: The Daring Sisters We Could Trust

• Authors: Mmapula D. Kebaneilwe , Pulane E. Motswapong
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

The aim of this paper is to make a comparison between two female figures from two different religions. Vashti is one of the unsung heroines in the Book of Esther in the Hebrew Bible, while Sita in the Book of Ramayana is a revered female figure among Hindus. The tales of these women seem to display similarities in the ideals they embody and hence we endeavour to read them together. We wish to explore the extent to which Vashti and Sita’s tales of female courage and daring could inspire women today who continue to suffocate under oppressive patriarchal contexts. This is relevant to the context of Botswana, where despite global efforts to bend gender-based inequality, women continue to be victimised.

Keywords

EN

Agni pariksha; gender-based violence Rama Sita; Vashti; Xerxes

• Publisher: Sciendo
• Journal: Gender Studies
• Year: 2015
• Volume: 14
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 83-94

Dates

published

2015-12-01

online

2016-02-29

Contributors

author

Mmapula D. Kebaneilwe

• University of Botswana, Boitshoko Extension 10, Gaborone, Botswana

author

Pulane E. Motswapong

• University of Botswana, Boitshoko Extension 10, Gaborone, Botswana

References

• Anderson, Roy, Siebert, Robert and Jon G. Wagner. 1998. Politics and Change in Middle East. New Jersey: Prince Hall.
• Baker, Nancy V., Peter R. Gregware and Margery A. Cassidy. 1999: “Family killing fields. Honor Rationales in the Murder of Women.” Violence against Women 5 (2): 164-184.
• Bates, Daniel G. & Rassam, Amal. 1983. Peoples and Cultures of the Middle East. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.
• Dube, Musa. 2003. HIV/AIDS and the Curriculum: Methods of Integrating HIV/AIDS in Theological Programmes. Geneva: WCC.
• Gichaara, Jonathan. 2008. “Women, Religio-Cultural Factors.” Black Theology: An International Journal, 6, (2):188-199.
• Ginat, Joseph. 1979. “Illicit Sexual Relationship and Family Honour in Arab Society.” Israeli Studies in Criminology 10: 179-202.
• James, Carolyn C. 2005. Lost Women of the Bible: The Women we Thought we Knew. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
• Kandiyoti, Deniz A. 1987. “Emancipated but Unliberated: Reflections on the Turkish Case.” Feminist Studies 13: 317-338.
• Kebaneilwe, Mmapula. D. 2011 “The Vashti Paradigm: Resistance as a Strategy for Combating HIV” in Ecumenical Review 63(4): 378-383
• Lateef, S. 1992. “Wife Abuse among Indo-Fijians in D.A. Counts” in Modernisation and Social Change among Muslims in India. Brown, J.K. & J.C. Campbell (Eds.). New Delhi. New Delhi Press.
• Masenya, Madipoane. 1997. “Proverbs 31:10-31 in Southern African Context: A Reading for the Liberation of African (Northern Sotho) Women.” Semeia 78: 55-68.
• Motswapong, Pulane. E. 2009. Marriage Dana in Ancient and Modern India: Hindu Dowry / dahej. Germany: VDM Verlag.
• Murphy, Michael. 2012. “16 Days of Activism to Stop Violence Against Women and Children”, Boot Camp at Old Naledi Grounds November 26, p4.
• Nfa-Abbenyi, Juliana M. 1997. Gender in African Women’s Writing: Identity, Sexuality and Difference: Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press.
• Niditch, Susan. 1995. “Esther: Folklore, Wisdom, Feminism and Authority” in A Feminist Companion to Esther, Judith and Susanna. Athalya Brenner (Ed.). Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, pp. 26-46
• Oldenburg, Veena. T. 2002. Dowry Murder: The Imperial Origins of a Cultural Crime. New York: Oxford University Press.
• Pitt-Rivers, Julian. (1965), “Honour and Social Status” in Honour and Shame: The Values of Mediterranean Society. Peristiany, George John. (Ed.). Chicago: Chicago Press, pp.17-97.
• Rutenberg, N., Kaufman, C. E., Macintyre, K., Brown, L., & Karim, A. 2003. “Pregnant or Positive: Adolescent Childbearing and HIV risk in KwaZulu Natal South Africa.” Reproductive Health Matters, 11(22): 122-133.
• Schneider, J. L. 1971. “Of Vigilance and Virgins: Honor, Shame and Access to Resources in Mediterranean Societies.” Ethnology 10 (1): 1-24.
• Sejabosigo, Josh. 2013. “Gender Benchmarking Mission, Botswana Daily News.” May 15. [Online]. Available: . [Accessed 2015, July16].
• Shastri, Haraprasad P. 1959. (Translated). Valmiki Ramayana. Vol 3. London: Shanti Sada.

Identifiers

DOI

10.1515/genst-2016-0006