Patriarchal hegemony and second sex in Chimamanda Adichie's <i>Purple Hibiscus</i>

Abstract

Existing Studies in the field of African literature and culture have mostly centred on masculine texts that often tilt towards the benevolent nature of women in society painted with so much gender imbalance. These studies have relegated the struggle of the second sex and their roles as formidable denominators in the interpretation of literature. This paper which is based on textual research into gender imbalance therefore tends to lend a voice to the subjugated sex. It basically investigates how the female characters react to the challenges that confront them. The methodology used was largely analytical of the selected text, Purple hibiscus, and subjected to content analysis. Different instances of female subjugation were extracted and interpreted using the African brand of feminism, 'womanism'. The theory of feminism provides a viable framework upon which this research anchors as it engages literature from the angle of gender. Considering the salient fact that literature provides a platform for articulating and interpreting the realities and aspirations of a society, the portrayal of women in African literature is greatly influenced by inherent social beliefs attached to females in a patriarchal world. The study concludes that a re-orientation on the importance of complementarity of both sex and the adoption of fierce stands against feminine subjugation will help combat this dehumanizing society menace in African communities.

Keywords: Africa, Feminism, Literature, Subjugation, Patriarchy