This paper presents a comparative literary analysis of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (Austen, 2008) and Ayisha Malik’s Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged (2015) to examine how marriage is reconfigured across historical, cultural, and diasporic contexts. Drawing on Linda Hutcheon’s theory of adaptation, Julie Sanders’s concept of appropriation, and Young Yun Kim’s theory of cross-cultural adaptation, the study investigates how Malik appropriates Austen’s canonical narrative to negotiate contemporary British Muslim women’s agency within the institution of marriage. Using a qualitative textual analysis, the study focuses on characterisation, familial structures, and social expectations surrounding marriage, particularly in relation to female autonomy and gender roles. The analysis reveals that while marriage in Austen’s Regency context functions primarily as a socio-economic necessity structured by patriarchy, Malik recontextualises marriage as a site of cultural negotiation shaped by diasporic identity, religious commitment, and individual choice. This comparative reading highlights the adaptability of literary representations of marriage and underscores the continued relevance of Austen’s themes within modern diasporic frameworks.

Keywords: Diaspora; Linda Hutcheon’s theory of adaptation; Julie Sanders’s concept of appropriation; Austen; Marriage 

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