Abstract:
Begum Rokeya’s Sultana’s dream is considered worldwide as a
feminist utopian story. However, Sultana’s Dream does not talk about
women’s empowerment and women’s issues only. The story talks about a
complete social transformation. It visualizes an ideal country and social
system free of hunger, theft, and untimely death. This is a country where
people live in harmony with nature. A country whose economic and political
affairs are based, not on profit mongering, but on ethical standards. A
country which is uncompromising to the imperialists and revolutionary in
ideals. Most importantly, this is a country where women take active roles in
scientific research, economical activities, country planning and political
decisions. Marxism is a philosophy which calls for the transformation of the
worn-out society and women’s active participation in all the state’s affairs.
The paper aims to show that many Marxist thoughts have been implemented
in Begum Rokeya’s imaginary country, ‘Ladyland,’ showcasing a complete
social transformation based on perceived Marxist ideals that emphasize
equality, justice, and the well-being of all members of society. The article
presents an analysis of the Marxist elements in the text through a close
reading and comparison to Marxist theory. The article also explores the
historical and social context of the author and the text to gain a deeper
understanding of the Marxist elements present in the work. Through this
analysis, the article presents Begum Rokeya as a Marxist feminist.
Keywords: Marxism, Feminism, Women, Society, Emancipation
