Abstract

This thesis examines and compares the portrayal of patriarchy in Nervous Conditions, So Long A Letter and The Joys of Motherhood. It argues that compared to the other two novels, Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions portrays patriarchy in a more vivid and authentic manner that captures the colonial condition of the female characters in these novels. Dangarembga’s portrayal reveals the universality of patriarchy and its double form. In a close textual comparison, the thesis analyses how the female characters in the three novels perceive patriarchy and then looks at how they react to it. An examination of how these novels handle the portrayals and the issues raised is followed by an account of my preference for the portrayal of Nervous Conditions. In order to investigate patriarchy fully and tease out the different ways in which it has been portrayed, I have employed radical libertarian feminism. This theory not only focuses on patriarchy in explaining female oppression but also portrays it as a social construct that either sex can unlearn, thereby giving room for collaboration of both sexes in the struggle against patriarchy. Furthermore, in an attempt to examine the colonial context of the novels, I have used the postcolonial theories of Frantz Fanon and Homi Bhabha. These critics argue that the colonial experience can affect the psyche of the colonial subject very negatively and cause physical illness. The thesis tackles questions such as: VVhat is patriarchy? \What is its form and nature? What are the roots of patriarchy? What is the relationship between colonialism and patriarchy? How do women react to patriarchy? Finally, the degree of diversity of and reaction of the characters of Nervous Conditions is linked to the novel’s to be representative and not prescriptive. This is further strengthened by the open ended conclusion, which captures the colonial condition of the female characters.

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School	: School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Issued Date	: 2005

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