Women Within Hegemonic Masculinity: A Case Study on The Short Story “As’adu Az-Zaujaini” By Taufiq Al-Hakim

Duality between feminine and masculine is a conceptual scheme regarding the tendencies of gender class which generates hegemonic power. Since the age of ignorance (Jahiliyah) to the modern era, Arabic literature has been narrating female characters. However, the characterizations of women often present gender intersection entities that lead to social stratification. The current research focuses on the hegemonic masculinity experienced by the female figure in the short story "As'adu az-Zaujaini" by Taufik Al-Hakim and its relationships with social, economic, and family issues. It employs a feminism approach under the perspective of R. W Connel with descriptive qualitative research methods. The hegemonic masculinity that the male character play in the story illustrates a hierarchical situation based on gender differences. This situation leads to the cultural domination attitude. The results of this study prove a hegemonized female character by the cultural constructs of the male character. Hegemonized, the female character does not just remain silent. She keeps moving, being more progressive, by making breakthroughs and resistance against the shackling hegemonic masculinity. This action affirms that a woman is not only a subject to the normative structure between husband and wife, yet she can move outside and exist in the public sphere.