THE POSITION OF WOMEN IN FLORA NWAPA’S EFURU

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ABSTRACT

          This project examines the position and problems of women in the society with an appreciation of the Flora Nwapa’s  Efuru. The study interrogates how women are still being dehumanized and subjugated by men and culture. Thus the economic and political values of women throughout the globe are still explored in this study.

The study is to explore the anguishes of women feminist theory as a lunch – pad the novel is subjected to critical and literacy analysis  one of the stumbling blocks debarring   the betterment of the modern nation is the controversy surrounding the status  of the female gender as this study observes.

Therefore, this study submits that the  fight against gender discrepancy in socio – political and economic circles is sustained by and a products of nation  under development.





TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page…………………………………………………………………i

Certificate ………………………………………………………………..ii

 Declaration ........................... ………………………………………….. iii

Dedication………………………………………………………………...iv

Acknowledgement .............................................................................. . . v

 Abstract………………………………………………………………… vi

 Table of Content …………………………………………………………vii


CHAPTER ONE

1.0   General Introduction…………………………………………     ……1

1.1 Background of the Study………………………………………………3

1.2 Statement of the Problems …………………………………………….4

1.3 aims of the study ……………………………………………………….14

1.4 Significance  of the Study………………………………………………14

1.5 Research question ............................................................  …………....15


CHAPTER TWO

2.1 Review Of The Relevant Study .............................................................17


CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

3.0 Research Methodology ..........................................................................28

3.1  Research  Design ......................................................................................29

3.2  Sampling and Sampling Procedure ............................................................29

3.3  theoretical framework ................................................................................29


CHAPTER FOUR

4.1 Data Presentation, Analysis and Discussion of Finding ............................30


CHAPTER FIVE

5.1 Summary......................................................................................................33

5.2 Conclusion  ..................................................................................................34

Reference.........................................................................................................35

 



 

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODU`TION


          1.1          BACKGROUND TO THE  STUDY

Globally it  is believed that literature reflects and refracts realities in the society. The roles played by literature in the past and the present to shape the future cannot be overemphasized in the area of character moulding and moral development. It exposes the virtues and vices in the society. This, therefore, relates to the influence society has on the creative and imaginative works of authors role exposed the societal ills with a view to bringing about the transportation that instills an attitudinal and emotional change in the mind set of its readers  ( kariki – Namji, 216). The writers have varying  what Ngugi wa Thiong O affirms that “ the writer should note explain the world of he should change it” (1980:75) Nwapa Flora (1966) Efuru London: Heinemann.

          Literature spring from our inborn love of telling a story of putting words in pleasing patterns and in elevated style some of our experiences of life. This slynchroruses with toni morrisons.

We have always been imagining ourselves

We are the subject of our own narratives

Witnesses to and participant in our own experiences? (1990 :208)

Thus  literature, either oral  or written is categorized into prose poetry and drama to express aesthetics, personal experiences, emotions ideas and social experiences.

From the time immemorial, entertainment is among  the chief functions, if not the chief of literature in every human society. Novels are read for pleasure and in all honesty, the home – video industry, which is an appendage of Literature is doing  quit well in terms of entertainment. Sometimes, when plays are presented or novels are read. A lot of hitherto oblivious information, line of thought  and new vistas to knowledge become instructive to note. This is why there are deductive works of literature which teach morals lesson.

It is well known facts that literature function as a means  of escapism from tedium of labour, from the grip of a strong emotional or psychology breakdown and from the shackle of different forms of  oppressions. This qualifies literature a therapeutic element of man. It has been observed that literature cannot be separated from life in fact it offers resources to better the world of reality as Theodore Akachi Ezeigbo (2008 :10-11) observes that :

Through the creation of illusion of reality, writer are able to expose on    one hand, the evils in the societies with a view to correcting their people and on the readirecting their people and on the other hand highlight the positive aspects in order to encourage their people to emulate the and perpetuate them for  posterity.

Implied in the topic of this project is the notion that women have not been given much recognised in the society, especially in Northern side of the country as men have received. This general logging behind is broadly true of most country of the world. But in the western countries like England, America  and past society France, the situation changes radically. In the past society frawned on women taking to creative writing which was regarded as exclusive to men. For instance in England, the women George Eliot, had to adopt a man name for her novels to hide the fact that she is a female. Now throughout the world, it seems thing are changing in order to recognise the stand and position of women in the society. Men oppressed the women, culture refused to accommodate their technical know – how religions relegate women support man patriarch in subjugating other in the past.

Anne and carole (1986:205) posit that “ true feminism is an  abnegation of male protection and a determination to be resourceful and reliant” this provides a concrete, national and reliant  this provides a concrete, rational and true reflection of what female writers posit in many of their creativity. They use negative portrayed of male characters as a literacy device in their  attempt to address and highlight gender issues. Therefore it is against the back drop of the foregoing what this research work embarks  on the position of women in the past and the contemporary society in Flora Nwapa’s  Efuru   to paint the woman position in the nearest future. Literacy expression has been one of the process in which social issues are addressed and African feminism writers find this art of depiction very much handy as Danzomo observes that “ either reinforced or challenge the established social and cultural institution their ideas and practices (1996) gives stability in the feminism ideology.

The central concern of female authors of which  Flora Nwapa’s  belong is to explore the role of literature in the development of social attitude toward women and of women attitudes toward themselves thus this research work is concerned with projecting it giving it the kind of critical attention it had not received from male critics.


1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM  

There has been a lot of problem as well as debate in male African writing regarding the depiction of females /women  in their writing it is as a result of  this Flora Nwapa’s  and other female salient issues facing African women especially during post colonial African society.

This study is of artistic socio political, economic and cultural utility to the position of the women in Africa, Nigeria precisely. A historical research of this nature is a potent tool of information education and reflection about the past the presence and helps in shaping the future. Thus this study is to be valued and utilized in many ways. First, it provided credible information on the history, nature and development of women /female activities from the antiquity period till the present. Second it clarifies various contestable assumption about Nigeria  literacy works of women third, the study provides an objectives assessment and a clear perspective on the problems of women and suggest feasible remedies most especially northern women/female children most who only remains the second class citizens.

The study reveals fresh ideas concept and innovative tendencies in creative arts which will be useful to researcher and literacy students.

leave him and returns to her father house to remain unmarried for the rest of her life even when she is advised to consider going back to (her) husband she immediately reject “that  is not   possible” (221)

In African society, the well known duty or role of women is child bearing and  this depicts that women are fully understood the nursing career as it is  observed in the character of Ajumpu who easily identifies that efuru is pregnant with out any medical or urine test. Moreso, a child plays a control role in any marriage. In other words, the success of failure of any marriage is often measure by the number of children, especially made children such marriage is blessed with. This is the major reason Efuru is worried and devastated when it seems a child is not coming. She known that the only thing that can make her have a say in the after two years of marriage without an issue.

Efuru was every worry in the second year of her marriage.” My mother had only me she said one might to herself. My father told me so and also that she found to difficult to become pregnant. Am  I going to be like my mother? But if I am going to be like her than I too will have a daughter like her. But what if that is denied me? What if that also is denied me? She went. (24)

The above foreshadows the future incident, the destiny which she cannot escape. She is later blessed with a baby girl after consulting a dibia ( a medicine man) who known how to cure barreness (adobi).

Efuru condition of infertibility reveals the import and role of women of women in the aspect of marriage, especially  match – making. In her second marriage with eneberi, she has to marry a younger woman who will bear him a child since she known that she may not have one herself. Some one who is not conversant with African traditional cultures may be quick to ask if children are all there is in marriage. Arguably marriage is not only for procreation but also for mutual love, only intimacy and help.

Invariably, the novelist, flora Nwapa deliberately uses Efure to debunk the assumption that women are less enterprising but also compared with men. Throughout the text and despite Efuru ordeals, she is portrayed as not only enterprising but also generous in sharing the profit of her business with those around her because of her astute enterprising nature she is able to raise money with a short pay her time price.

Tell my father that i shall be the last person to bring shame on him. Since my mother died five years ago I have been a good daughter to him. My husband is not rich. In fact he is must  see that this is  done.(10)    

After she helps her husband  Adizua, in paying the dowry, she continuous to build her business empire which later employs her husband and makes him leave his farming business which is nothing to write home about. Through this text flora Nwapa is of the opinion that women boosts the economic of every society through their business natural orientation.

Meanwhile, Efuru tells her husband that she wants to trade rather than farming and Adizua acquiesces to her decision. So she remains in the town to trade. This addresses the issues that, for the sake of love, women sponsor their marriage  support their matrimonial families. What can be deducted here is other  many men engage in polygamy as a result of the assistance getting  from their wives. In our immediate environment, at present one would observed that  new married wives move to their husband houses with the furniture and necessary needed domestic materials.

Women are being subjugated and dehumanized in a polygamous marriage. Efuru is an X- ray of a polygamous marriage in the society. Although women are not always bestowed with the freedom to leave their husband even when they are unfaithful. Efuru is given the freedom to leave her unfaithful husbands. This is what makes her  an independent woman different from her folks. It  is not an exaggeration to say that it is women that suffer more in polygamous marriage wherever they are practised. However Nwapa is trying to say that women do not have endure such marital maltreatment they can walk away as efuru does i  the text. He leaves Adizua’s house and re- marries to  gulbert who is also painted as a prisoner in the text.

When living is also not favourable and peaceful, despite the effort of efuru to achieve her ambitious peace- making mission she divorces him and moves to her father house at the end of the text. The character and characteristic of efuru shows  that women  are role models love makers and builders of peaceful.

The role of men and women in the pre- colonial era were complimentary roles of women in African society are forsaken by the effects colonialism. African women have not been when their voices are ignored efuru , the protagonist  ask her husband to count out of farming business because she prefers trading to farming. Even if her husband does not want, he obliges and through this efuru is able to settle her husband dowry. This is in proratato sarah Namulondo’s opinion despite that women vices are always ignored.....they are positioned as mystery or other by (neo) colonialism and patriarchy, black African women writing resist the compartmentalization of fenunine identify in a predetermined samaantic space (19) Efuru) creates independent and self   reliant women whose personalities diwarf  and shadow that of their husband and men generally. Efuru is beautiful and hardworking woman, symbolises except lonal and quintessential women in African society yemi mojola, in her essay titled “ flora Nwapa” sums up the characteristic of female character in Nwapa’s  novels thus.

In general, the female creation of Nwapa’s primary and secondary ones alike, are business like, industries and condemning laziness of any shade or colour (123)

In Efuru Flora Nwapa adopts a subtle approach to against some of the societal traditional that against the interest of woman hood such as the issue of bride – price the issue of bride price or dowry is an essential aspect  of marriage in traditional African societies no marriage is consummated unless the families of the bride groom pay the require price. Among the igbo people the payment of the dowry is done both in cash and in kind but Efuru has chosen her husband without observing this age – long tradition. Adizua, efuru lover comes from an unknown family, meaning that they are poor and not prominent he cannot afford  the bride price. He even has the temerity to brag around that he has no money tp pay the bride price according to him i have no money for the dowry we agreed to be husband and wife and that all matter white the none payment to bride price could be taken as credit for efuru going against the tradition of treating a women as a commodity to be sold in the market it is a ball game for adizua was not good at trading it was efuru who was the brain behind the business the profit that comes out of the trade is used to pay efuru bride – price. This is against the usual tradition where by the husband families  are fully responsible for the payment the dowry. The narrator conderm the culture of bride price. John Gilbert friends has not got married because he has not gathered enough money to pay bride – price. According to him is going to marry. “as soon as I can pay the dowry .... Now a man who has four grown up daughters counts himself a very wealthy man. Each daughter will bring to the father at least a hundred pound in cash, in Raw  cash. bride – price in one of the  outlandish traditions that need to be done with because women are not commodities to be transacted in the market.

Another tradition condemned by the narrator is circumstance or what is other wise known as female  general mutilation which is a prevalent practice  in many traditional African societies. Medically, the traditional is injurious to the health of  women the process is painful and efuru is made to pass through feasting fattening after circumstance traditions such as the payment of the bride price and female genital mutilation are condemned by the narrator and should be discouraged among African people it is surprisingly that flora Nwapa and many  other African female writers have not come out to stand against an injustice meeting out against women portraying as housemaids instead she  uses efuru a woman her domestic roles so that she focuses her business. Can we  summit  still that house servant is among the secluded roles or positions  in Africans society? Why is it still existing that ,many women most especially the elites, demand  for  a female or women house  maids? Left or remained  these and  many other question  are still left or remained vacuum to be filled by women critics or writers  either this act  is to be condemned or redeemed.

Another important role woman perform in the society is perseverance as efuru believes in negotiation her might through pacification rather than the use of violence to achieve her goal. This explain why she  succumbs to extra marital affairs of her husband who elopes with another women. According to efuru after all .... “ he is the lord and master if he wants to marry her i cannot stop him “ (55) the voice above tactifullly support marriage including polygamy but within this vacuum efuru wants her dignity to be preserved and not just abandoned unfortunately adizua elopement with the anonymous women to Ndoni is the last we hear of  him. This is an act of irresponsible father hood which African female writers try to condemned. Thus this makes writers, the righters and women are understood to be the “second class citizens “ as buchi emechata titled one of his novels where she paints the life of women in the pangs of men. The text efuru shows that the women position in African community is categorized as “ second” in a male dominated environment.

It is also unlucky that ossai efuru mother in law has emitially suffered the same fate in the hands of adizua father which adds credence to the fact that adizua comes from an irresponsible lineage. Adizua’s father abandons her mother for six years while he gallivants around lavishing the fortunes he and  his wife had worked  for an women . efuru examines her life as the wife of adizua and voices out saying “ i know i am capable of suffering for greater things but to suffer for a truant husband, an irresponsible husband like adizua is to be debase suffering “ (61- 62)

It is the untold suffering of efuru in the hands of adizua that makes ajampu concludes that: “ some men are not like dogs that do not know who feeds them” (58). This paints another pictures of women as bread winner. Adizua therefore, represents an irresponsible and absentee father who earning  of  his wife

 Flora Nwapa deconstructs   living through the general belief of men as can also  evidenced in whole Soyinka’s

The Lion  and the jewel that women are “ weaker sex “ she compares the female characters in the novel with their male counterparts, it is discovered that most of the female characters in the text are more outstanding and chivalric than their male counterparts. When the home of Nwapa bata and Nwosu is robbed, Nwabata is aware of the presence of the thieves but she does not raise alarm because of the fear of being murdered. Meanwhile her husband Nwosu has been fast asleep and is not aware of the robbery incident. Therefore the image of Nwosu created in this text is that of a weakling and cowardly character in contract to the effeminate Nwosu Ajumpa is described as an  enigma. The day some theeves attacked her house, she challenged them to break in and meet their death. Ajanupu is a counrageous woman. In demonstration of her bravery she  challenges the thieves to come and attack her so that they can lick their “ blood” women in African history and historiography, have unblemished militant roles in their various communities. Women are more security alert them men to further condemned made   hegemony, the narrator frowns at how john and Gulbert come to the term that preference should be given to the education of a male children at the expense of a female child (191) the narrator believes that when a girl child acquires functional education and men allow her to complete her education before marrying her ...she can teach and thus bring theme also resonates strongly in Zaynab Alkali’s the stillborn, the descendants and the invisible Border.

Female. Now throughout the world, it seems things are changing in order to recognise the stand and position of women in the society. Men oppressed the women, culture refused to accommodate their technical know how religions relegate women to the background and even some women in the past patriarch in subjugating other women in the past.


1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY   

The objective of this study is to investigate the magnitude and causes of poor reception and depiction of women in many Nigerian novels by what of society  and paint the real picture and position of women in female imaginative works  from Flora Nwapa’s  intervention in the parlance of writing till present. While doing this the study aims at proffering significant remedies to the anomalies that have poor condition of women.

This study also aims at analyzing what constitutes inappropriate criticism, in order to put their qualities in proper perspective.

Study further aims at exploring the way in which same African male writer view gender inequalities and stereotypes in their female character depiction.

Lastly this is work is very percipient to bring out woman desire for change from man patriarch idealism using feminism perspective.


1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY    

The significance of this study is to serve as a yardstick for further research especially in modern African literature.

It is not surprising that erudite female scholars ferociously challenged the belief which has provided a solid foundation for a negative part royal of female characters in literacy works erected on the patriarchal Ideas    of men. This would add more flavour to the existing search material.

Another significance of this study is in the tradition condemned by the author, the traditional circumstance or what is otherwise known as female genetal mutilation which is a prevalent practice in many traditional African societies. This study reveals that the tradition is injurious to the women health.

The study is significant in giving voice to the female towards actualizing economic buoyant in the family, and this is achieved through pacification rather than the adoption of violence.

The study also itemizes the political advantages of recognizing females/women in the society as observed in the character of the eponymous heroine in the novel. This is project provides a link between the academic community the problems of identity and those of political organisation .

 

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTION  

i.  What is the basic fundamental concern of the author writing the text.

ii. Has the author succeeded in conveying the message.

iii. Does the novel have anything related to the plight of African women ?

iv. Does the theme of the  novel deal with issues affecting African women or are there sub theme relating to it?

v. In  what ways do the authors portray the position of women – negative or positive retrogressive or progressive, wise or wicked?  



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