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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | Female representation and gender dynamics in Commonwealth drama: African and Caribbean perspectives |
Author: | Faï, Gilbert Tarka |
Year: | 2014 |
Periodical: | Rhumsiki: revue scientifique de la Faculté des lettres et sciences humaines de l'Université de Maroua (ISSN 2312-766X) |
Issue: | 1 |
Pages: | 69-82 |
Language: | English |
Geographic term: | Africa |
Subjects: | drama Commonwealth women literary criticism |
About persons: | Wole Soyinka (1934-) Derek Alton Walcott (1930-2017) Bole Butake (1947-2016) |
Abstract: | Wole Soyinka, Derek Walcott and Bole Butake are amongst prominent Commonwealth playwrights whose works explore diverse issues including the representation of women. In their dramaturgy, each of the three dramatists is radical and unique in his depiction of women. While Walcott presents his female characters as faceless vulnerable entities; Soyinka presents them almost as architects of destruction and ruin to society while Butake represents them as undisputed vehicles of progress and development. Based on feminist theories that try to understand gender inequalities, gender politics, power relations, discrimination, stereotyping, oppression, objectification, patriarchy, emancipation etc, the study reveals that although Soyinka and Walcott paint unappealing pictures of women as seen in the works studied, their objective is not to denigrate African or Caribbean women but rather to call them to an ethical path because these women have socio-economic and political power that if properly managed, can influence, or even alter completely the course of life in their communities as demonstrated by Butake's female characters. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. in English and French [Journal abstract] |