4. Feudalism
In novel
The Holy Woman, Qaisra criticises feudalism occurring in Pakistan. Feudalism in Pakistan appeared in form of the existence of landlords,
especially in Sindh. Those landlords controlled the whole area in that village. However, in this novel Qaisra presents feudalism so differently from reality that
she can offers her criticism toward feudalists in Pakistan. In this novel, Khawar, Habib and Siraj Din as the landlords lead their
villages differently from feudalists in Pakistan. They do occupy their lands to peasants; they make decision on tractor and irrigation and other needs on
agriculture. As he walked by himself in one of his vegetable fields, Siraj Din
bent down and prodded the dry earth with his walking stick to check how moist it was underneath. The irrigation system was
definitely working. A tractor, driven by one of his workers, Faisal passed him by. Siraj din continued with his leisurely walk, heading
back toward the village Qaisra: 144.
However, they do not bind their peasants to their lands. Moreover, they also try to care about the prosperity of people in their village. People in that
village respect them fully because Habib and Siraj Din care about them. However, they also know that there are a lot of feudal landlords who harm their peasants,
and that is why feudalism is harmed. By using those characters, Qaisra wants to criticise feudalists in Pakistan who harmed peasants so that they could not
improve their land. This criticism clearly shown on citation below: “There are, however, still a lot of feudal landlords in our province
who suck everything out of their fellow villagers and have had their families bonded as laborers to work their land for generations
Qaisra : 125.” PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Based on that citation, Qaisra presents her criticism toward feudalists in Pakistan who took everything from peasants in Pakistan. Feudalism in Pakistan
made so many people, especially villagers, in poverty. As this criticism is presented by villagers in this novel, Qaisra offers feudalism from villagers’ view.
In other words, Qaisra tries to offers her expectation toward feudalists in Pakistan to change and to abolish this system.
Those landlords were also said, sometimes ignored love and justice. In contrast they loved their land more than anything. The landlords put their lands
above all they had. This issue is also raised by Qaisra in this novel. Qaisra presents character Habib and Siraj Din, landlords in Sindh. They
rank first place in their own villages. As landlords they love their lands more than their family. They always care about their lands. The first thing in their mind is
their lands. When his only son passes away, Habib only worries about his lands and whom he will inherit his lands to. What Habib thinks is only how to retain his
lands. “Now, I have fallen at the greatest hurdle of my life. What is to
become of us and our inheritance?...Well now that I have no son, who is going to be my heir, Shahzada? To whom am I going to
bequeath all this land? I am not going to hand it over to some strangers who just happen to marry my daughter. This our land
accumulated and paid for by the sweat and toil of my forefathers, down the centuries by different generations. Tell me what would
you do in my position?...There is only one choice that is facing us…. Qaisra: 42.”
By looking at citation above, it can be seen that for Habib loosing a son is the greatest loss because there will be no heir- not because of his love toward his