Partition, Memory, and Female Subjectivity in Qurratulain Hyder's A Season of Betrayals

Abstract

Qurratulain Hyder's A Season of Betrayals, comprising the novellas Sita Betrayed, The Housing Society, and the short story The Sound of Falling Leaves, represents one of the most significant literary explorations of the psychological and cultural consequences of the Partition of India. Unlike many contemporary Partition narratives that foreground physical violence and communal conflict, Hyder shifts attention to the emotional, psychological, and existential dimensions of displacement. Through female protagonists who experience migration, alienation, and social transformation, she examines the fragmentation of identity and the search for belonging in a rapidly changing political landscape. This article argues that A Season of Betrayals functions as a literary archive of cultural memory, preserving the experiences of individuals uprooted by Partition while simultaneously interrogating nationalist narratives that reduce history to political events. By analysing the themes of displacement, nostalgia, cultural memory, and female subjectivity, the study demonstrates how Hyder transforms personal experiences into broader reflections on history, identity, and the enduring impact of political upheaval.