Abstract

This chapter looks at the construction of the Bengali Muslim woman in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Bengal, through the works of Nawab Faizunessa Chaudhurani (1834–1903) and Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain (1880–1932). Coming from aristocratic families, both were educated at home, but went on to establish girls’ schools. The chapter considers the influence of Rupjalal (1876), a work of fiction, and “Amader Abanati” or “Our Downfall” (1903), an essay. Both writings address women not in the contemporary mold of modernity, that saw them as suitable companions for educated men; rather they are individuals who think and reason for themselves, or struggle to overcome personal disappointments and suffering.