Feminism as a revolutionary and literary movement has become a controversial topic in the contemporary world, especially in developing regions like Pakistan, where there are several stereotypes associated with the mere concept of feminism. The concept is as broad and objective as Delmar quotes the movement of the women, by the women, for the women. But is contemporary feminism perceived that way? To trace down the real meanings of feminism, one has to go deeper into the historical background and voices that shaped the movement.

The term feminism first appeared in a French medical textbook concerning the impaired growth of sexual organs. However, the woman question was first raised by the French Revolutionists and then was carried on by the founding mother of the movement, Mary Wollstonecraft, in her book A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1972). She raised attention to the various aspects of women’s oppression that had previously been ignored or covered up by male chauvinists in her controversial book. For the very first time, women were provided a free, full-throated voice. Together with J. S. Mill, Wollstonecraft was successful in reversing the prevailing anti-feminist tendency in society. With the release of Subjection of Woman (1869), J. S. Mill entered the scene later, becoming one of the first male voices raised in favor of women’s rights, and continued the movement that would eventually be known as feminism. By sponsoring a law to grant women the right to vote, Mill gave his pro-woman sentiments a tangible form.

Because of these individual efforts, society underwent a paradigm shift in how it saw women throughout the course of the century that followed. Owing to women’s increasing legal, social, and political consciousness, the earlier-started mission of women’s suffrage was partially completed. At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a revolt against the violation of rights and in favor of freedom. The long-suppressed complaints of women, who not only wished to speak but also to be heard, were the cause of this persistent struggle.

However,........

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