Document 5

Topic:
“Wedding in the Flood” by Taufiq Rafat
Submitted to:
Ms. Manahil Farrukh
Submitted by:
Nabiha Khan
Semester:
7th
Section:
B
Roll no:
57
Wedding in the Flood by Taufiq Rafat:
Introduction to Poet:
“Wedding in the flood” is an important work of
Taufiq Rafat representing Pakistani wedding culture. Prominent
Pakistani author, poet, and short story writer Taufiq Rafat (1927–
2002) is renowned for his works in Urdu and English. He is praised
for his deft depiction of Pakistan's social, cultural, and political
dynamics following independence, frequently fusing themes of
tradition, identity, and human resiliency.
Rafat was born in British India, and his writings were significantly
impacted by his experiences before and after the partition. After
receiving his education in India, he went on to work as an educator
and in a variety of administrative capacities in Pakistan. But it was
the publishing of his short stories—which were praised for their
capacity to portray social realities and complicated emotions
through a sharp yet sympathetic lens—that launched his literary
career.
Summary:
Wedding in the Flood is a narrative about a couple, Mirza
and the bride, who are being married in the middle of a severe flood
in a small Pakistani rural community. The wedding goes ahead
despite the floods that threatens to overwhelm the community,
signifying the tenacity of tradition and love despite calamity.
Given the dangerous situation, the groom, Mirza, must decide
whether to proceed with the wedding. Despite being affected by the
natural disaster as well, the bride's family chooses to go forward
with the ceremony because they recognize how important it is to
preserve social and cultural customs. The wedding continues
despite the rising seas and the worsening circumstances,
demonstrating the strength of custom and community.
Themes:
Following are the themes followed by Taufiq Rafat in the
poem “Wedding in the Flood”:
1. Pakistani Society/Societal norms:
Taufiq Rafat has remarkably represented the mentality of
Pakistanis and has tried to depict a clear picture of societal norms
in Pakistan. He highlights the role or status of women in our society
and then throws a light upon common Pakistani issues like concept
of dowry, superstitious nature of people etc.
Firstly, he highlights the concept of arrange marriages as he
narrates how the bride is unfamiliar with her in-laws and she
doesn’t even know how her husband will treat her or whether he is a
good man or not. Arrange marriages are a major part of Pakistani
traditions and it is very common for marriages to be arranged like
this.
Secondly, he talks about the superstitious nature of Pakistanis by
depicting the fact that rain was being related to licking of pots by the
girl. It is a very common point of view in our villages mostly that it
will certainly rain on wedding day of someone who licks pots. This is
what the writer tries to narrate as he says:
“This girl has been licking too many pots”
Thirdly, he narrates the concept of dowry in a light hearted and subtle
way. He makes it clear how it is common in our society to consider
dowry as a right and how a groom and his family expect bride’s parents
to fill their houses with a lot of stuff. He shows the materialistic approach
of first the bridegroom by writing:
If only her face matches her hands,
and she gives me no mother-in-law problems,
I’ll forgive her the cot and the trunk
and looking glass.
This shows the thinking of every common man in our society and
what little they think of a woman. The poet then shows the
materialistic nature of groom’s family (his father) who is thinking
about how he could’ve received a couple of oxen in dowry.
They might have given a bullock at least,
grumbles the bridegroom’s father; a couple of oxen
Thus, the poet has drawn a clear picture of Pakistani society and
has highlighted the most common domestic issues of our society.
2.Role of Women:
The poet has tried to show the status of women in our
society. He makes it clear that women are considered only a mean
to collect a lot of dowry or they are only judged by their beauty or
how they create no issues and stay silent.
If only her face matches her hands,
and she gives me no mother-in-law problems
This shows a common man’s perspective about women that how they
want their wives to be beautiful and tolerating and not creating problems.
The idea of dowry further highlights the role of women in society and how
they are judged and treated according to the amount of dowry their
parents can arrange for their in-laws.
3.Flood/Fate:
Another important theme is the role of fate or flood as a metaphor.
The flood’s symbolic force serves as a metaphor for modernism,
sweeping away traditional arranged marriages and challenging
established norms. Rafat provocatively suggests that this deluge washes
away preconceived notions of success and dignity, urging readers to
embrace the unpredictable currents of change. In this poetic exploration,
Rafat skillfully dismantles cultural expectations, inviting readers to
question established conventions in the ever-evolving landscape of
matrimony.
4.Death and marriage:
The poet has created a juxtaposition of two ideas that is
marriage and death. One is related to happiness while other is in stark
contrast and is related to grief. Symbolism takes center stage as the
palanquin transforms into a funeral bier, metaphorically linking marriage
to death and societal expectations of severance.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, “Wedding in the Flood” by Taufiq Rafat addresses
issues of custom, peer pressure, human resiliency, and the transience of
life. With a catastrophic disaster as the backdrop, these themes
encourage readers to consider the difficult balancing act between
individual aspirations, social responsibilities, and the uncontrollable
forces of nature.

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“Wedding in the Flood” by Taufiq Rafat

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