52 pages • 1 hour read
Sujata MasseyThe Widows of Malabar Hill
Sujata MasseyFiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2018A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Cultural Context: Zoroastrianism in India
The novel is set against the backdrop of colonial India and explores the rich cultural heritage of its various characters. Perveen and her family are Parsis, members of an ethnoreligious group originating in Persia who immigrated to medieval India to escape persecution. Parsis follow Zoroastrianism, a monotheistic religion that worships a deity called Ahura Mazda and whose core maxim is “Good thoughts, good words, good deeds.” According to Parsi folklore, when they arrived in India, the local ruler showed the refugees a glass of milk, indicating that there was no room for them in his land. In response, the Zoroastrians added “a spoonful of sugar to the milk, demonstrating that they would blend into their surroundings and sweeten the proverbial glass of milk without causing it to overflow” (“Zoroastrians in India and Iran.” The Pluralism Project). Thus they were allowed to settle in India and followed certain local customs, such as women wearing saris, but still maintained a distinct identity. For example, Parsi women wrap their saris differently than Hindu or Muslim women.
Though Perveen and her family have lived in Bombay their whole lives, they still maintain their Parsi culture. Their neighborhood is exclusively for Zoroastrian families, and they tend to socialize and intermarry with one another. Perveen’s legal career is also a product of her heritage. The novel notes that, “Although Parsis accounted for just 6 percent of Bombay’s total inhabitants, they constituted one-third of its lawyers” (5). In addition to the Parsis, Zoroastrians who immigrated in the 19th century also settled in India. These immigrants call themselves Irani. Though Zoroastrianism is not as well-known as religions like Hinduism and Islam, it has a rich cultural heritage that informs Perveen’s choices and characterization.
Historical Context: India in the 1920s
The India of The Widows of Malabar Hill is a country undergoing massive social and political changes. The novel is set in the 1920s, a time when women’s rights were becoming a global issue. In the United States and Europe, the first wave of feminists advocated for women’s education, legal representation, and suffrage. Alice and Perveen are Oxford-educated and familiar with these arguments in favor of women’s rights. However, they also contend with cultural norms that limit women’s agency, including Alice’s parents’ expectation that she marry and hide her lesbian identity. While Perveen’s parents are more comfortable with her working professionally, they also expect that she will live at home with them and ask permission to be out late and travel. Massey demonstrates that even parents who were progressive for this era might still be bound by cultural or societal norms.
The 1920s were also a time when the Indian independence movement became widespread, spearheaded by leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Sarojini Baidu. Mahatma Gandhi became the leader of the Indian National Congress political party in 1921, and the party campaigned for anti-colonialism and Indian self-rule. Leaders like Baidu also linked issues of women’s rights and agency to the independence movement, envisioning a freer future for Indian women. Though India did not obtain freedom from the British until the Indian Independence Act of 1947, the seeds of independence were sown during this era (“India’s Independence.” National Geographic). Perveen is sensitive to issues of Indian nationalism and independence and worries when neighbors harass her for riding in the British governor’s car. The tension between the colonizers and colonized is evident in the novel, where Perveen constantly must tread carefully to not offend others.
Unlock all 52 pages of this Study GuidePlus, gain access to 9,150+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features: