The Failed Masculinity of Abraham

In “The Moor’s Last Sigh”, the figure of Abraham, among others, indicates to the reader a dire failure of masculinity which is an explicit statement on his exilic existence.

If one starts off the timeline with his naming: Abraham Zogoiby, his last name translates as Misfortunate in his own tongue. Moving on to his first sexual encounter with Aurora one can immediately note that it was Aurora who was in control right from the moment she saw him and led him by holding his chin. Having no say in the state of affairs, which he could have controlled, is implied and this is a stamp on his failed masculinity. The fact that he later decides to burn his own roots, by confronting his mother in a manner only describable as madness, in order to marry Aurora is confirmation of the fact that he was willing to be uprooted in favor of spending a life with Aurora. Furthermore when the marriage is performed and he partakes on helping in running Aurora’s family business, he ends up damaging that too. This is further proof of the fact that he was impotent and is a stamp on his failed masculinity. In order to fix the damage that he causes, so as not to displease Aurora (which is again confirmation of his servitude to his wife) he approaches his mother whom he had confronted in order to marry Aurora. This predicament, as it stands, shows that he was willing to go to any length to showcase his effectiveness and hence his masculinity, something which, as it stands, speaks volumes on the current state of his failed masculinity. The failure of Abraham’s masculinity is further intensified with the subsequent bargain that he strikes with his mother: material means to revive Aurora’s family business in exchange for his first son with Aurora.

By virtue of his mother’s bargain, Abraham does manage to bring the business back up, but this success of his does not last long as his mother, impatient with his ability to produce a son and fearing him going back on his word, approaches Aurora and shows her proof of the bargain that he had struck. Subsequently Aurora effectively cuts off Abraham and he is left in a very manner that borders on a pathetic existence. However after Abraham’s mother dies, Aurora conveniently decides to get back together with Abraham, as they were previously. Again the fact that virtually all of the control of the marriage lay in Aurora’s hands is a stamp on Abraham’s failed masculinity. This is brought into greater perspective when Aurora, against the protests of Abraham, names their children according to what, essentially, fancied her. His failed masculinity is further depicted when he is not even allowed by Aurora to die when he has a supposed heart attack when the family visits the Buddist cave-temples at Lonavla.

The fact that Abraham’s life, fate and choices were not his own but belonged to an external entity highlight the fact that his existence was not his own. Starting with his last name till the point where he is not even allowed to die, are explicit indications of his failed masculinity and hence, his exilic existence.