Interrogating the conflicting presentation of Osofisan‘s Women as Heroines and Villains. <i>Tegonni… and no Longer the Wasted Breed</i> as Paradigm

Abstract

This paper takes a close look at the misrepresentation of the female image in Africa. Most cultures and civilization regard the female image as weak, inferior and lower than men, lacking capacity to achieve any noble sublime or reputable feat. They are relegated to the kitchen, the bedroom, the backyard and the back side of history. Feminism arose to challenge, change and debunk this mentality. This paper takes a close look at the misrepresentation of the female image in Africa. Most cultures and civilization regard the female image as weak, inferior and lower than men, lacking capacity to achieve any noble sublime or reputable feat. They are relegated to the kitchen, the bedroom, the backyard and the back side of history. Feminism arose to challenge, change and debunk this mentality. They canvass that arts should be enlisted in the politics of the representation of the female image. Many feminist artists are in the vanguard of this effort. Interestingly, Femi Osofisan‘s drama seems to portray him as a feminist because in many of plays, he projects the woman as strong, virile and productive. However, a close look at the presentation and portrayal of women in his dramaturgy reveals something quite different. Unlike feminists who project the woman as spotless and blameless, Osofisan‘s strong heroes and protagonists are women, yet his most heinous, dark and despicable villains are also women. The goddess‘ Yemonja in Tegonni…and Elusu in No More the Wasted Breed where used as paradigm. In carrying out this research, the literary methodology was used in gathering useful information from the library for critical analysis. The work also leveraged on the new formalistic theory which posits that arts must be relevant to society. This paper concluded by establishing that Osofisan is not a feminist but a socialist, canvassing equality and egalitarianism for the downtrodden and voiceless in society, which the female gender typifies and epitomizes: a metaphor of the oppressed and silenced. They canvass that arts should be enlisted in the politics of the representation of the female image. Many feminist artists are in the vanguard of this effort. Interestingly, Femi Osofisan‘s drama seems to portray him as a feminist because in many of plays, he projects the woman as strong, virile and productive. However, a close look at the presentation and portrayal of women in his dramaturgy reveals something quite different. Unlike feminists who project the woman as spotless and blameless, Osofisan‘s strong heroes and protagonists are women, yet his most heinous, dark and despicable villains are also women. The
goddess‘ Yemonja in Tegonni…and Elusu in No More the Wasted Breed where used as paradigm. In carrying out this research, the literary methodology was used in gathering useful information from the library for critical analysis. The work also leveraged on the new formalistic theory which posits that arts must be relevant to society. This paper concluded by establishing that Osofisan is not a feminist but a socialist, canvassing equality and egalitarianism for the downtrodden and voiceless in society, which the female gender typifies and epitomizes: a metaphor of the oppressed and silenced.