CHAPTER ONE

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Women oppression, over the years, has made concerted attempts at developing theories that could establish differences in gendered reading of texts. For instance, Elaine Showalter (1985) argues that: …women oppression developed as part of the international women’s movement…women oppression has shown that women readers and critics bring different perceptions and expectations to their literary experience, and has insisted that women have also told important stories of our culture.

Showalter here outlines the basic tenets of women oppression. She is of the view that in the past the story was told by the male and the interpretation was done by male critics. Even when the story was told by women the interpretation of the story was done by men. It is now the place of women to interpret their own stories and to re-read the male texts, thereby giving the male story a gendered interpretation.

It is also an attempt to outline feminist differences in textual reading. Women oppression has not only helped in guarding the bastions of male intellectual endeavour, but it has also helped to open a space for the authority of the female critic which goes beyond women writings to the whole body of texts.

It will be of interest to note that of all theories, it is only the feminist theory that does not look back to any previously existing theory. For instance, the structuralist theory will be linked to the linguistic discoveries of Saussure, the Psychoanalytic to Freud, the Marxist to “Des Kapital” and Deconstruction to Derrida etc.

Feminist critics have studied all these theories, and they use them as analytical tools for women oppression. Though the feminist movement has been in existence for the last four decades, a definition that will reduce it to a single digit is yet in sight. However the unifying factor is gender consciousness. The text, that is the individual text, will reveal its own form and pattern, influence and structure. Its tenet is not exclusively female, its history and expression are linked up to gender.

Women oppression came to maturity with the publication of Kate Millett’s Sexual Politics (1970). Earlier, in the U.S., literary as well as academic women writers, editors and graduate students who took part in the women’s liberation movement of the 1960s prompted the birth of feminism. With the publication of Millett’s book, there was a great awakening which necessitated the rediscovery of the female texts in the novel genre.

With the rediscovery of the text, women critics started exposing the negative image in these texts which also fashioned the idea of discovering women writers and the feminist aesthetic in their works. The feminist aesthetic logically celebrates female consciousness. This aesthetic is manifest in the works of such writers as Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Bessie Head, Buchi Emecheta Akachi Ezeigbo, Flora Nwapa as well as in the works of younger female writers like Chimamanda Adichie, Promise Okekwe and others.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The dominant, male-centered, age-long literary, stereotype of women in African literature and the marginalization and subordination of women in patriarchal societies have been a great concern to all those who believe in the equality of the sexes. This has given rise to radical and/or confrontational feminism which has often been used as a strategy by many feminist writers in their women emancipation crusade. This strategy has not always yielded the best result for the cause of the woman, in the African context. The problem could also be that due to the oppression encountered by women both individually and collectively, they have been so humiliated to the point they feel they are of no use to the society and family as well; thereby resulting in low self esteem. It could also be that the government has not made everyone else to see a woman from another side of life other than “kitchen” by enacting a law that could guide the women and also punishing those that want to ridicule them. Finally several research has been carried out on women right and feminism; a journey so far but not even a single research has been carried out on women oppression and liberation in Ifeoma Okoye’s behind the clouds and Bessie Head’s a question of power.

1.3   AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

        The main aim of the study is to examine women oppression and liberation in Ifeoma Okoye’s behind the clouds and Bessie head’s a question of power. Other specific objectives of the study include;

1. to determine the causative factors of women oppression and liberation as seen in Ifeoma Okoye’s behind the clouds and Bessie head’s a question of power.
2. to determine the effect of women oppression in the society as seen in Ifeoma Okoye’s behind the clouds and Bessie head’s a question of power.
3. to determine the factors affecting women oppression and liberation in Ifeoma Okoye’s behind the clouds and Bessie head’s a question of power.
4. to determine public’s perception of women liberation in Ifeoma Okoye’s behind the clouds and Bessie head’s a question of power.
5. to proffer possible solutions to the problems.

1. RESEARCH QUESTIONS               

1      What are the causative factors of women oppression and liberation as seen in Ifeoma Okoye’s behind the clouds and Bessie head’s a question of power?

2      What is the effect of women oppression in the society as seen in Ifeoma Okoye’s behind the clouds and Bessie head’s a question of power?

3      What are the factors affecting women oppression and liberation in Ifeoma Okoye’s behind the clouds and Bessie head’s a question of power?

4      What are public’s perception of women liberation in Ifeoma Okoye’s behind the clouds and Bessie head’s a question of power?

5      What are the possible solutions to the problems?

1.5   STATEMENT OF RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H0:   There is no significant effect of oppression and liberation of women in Ifeoma Okoye’s behind the clouds and Bessie Heads a question of power.       

H1:    There is a significant effect of oppression and liberation of women in Ifeoma Okoye’s behind the clouds and Bessie Heads a question of power.       

1.6   SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

        The study on women oppression and liberation in Ifeoma Okoye’s behind the clouds and Bessie Head’s a question of power will be of immense benefit in the sense that it will enable the women to stand up for their right in the society with all amount of boldness and strength within them, secondly, it build their self esteem. The study will also enable the government to fight for the women as they are also part of the country; and to make laws that guide and protect the girl child as well as women in the country. The study will also change the perception of other gender about the women taking the lead in the society. Finally, the study will contribute to the body of existing literature and knowledge to this field of study and basis for further research.

1.7   SCOPE OF STUDY

        The study on women oppression and liberation is limited to Ifeoma Okoye’s Behind the clouds and Bessie Heads a question of power.

1.8   LIMITATION OF STUDY

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.9   DEFINITION OF TERMS

Liberation       The action of setting someone free from imprisonment, slavery, or oppression; release.

Oppression      prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or exercise of authority.

Women    A woman is a female human being. The word woman is usually reserved for an adult, with girl being the usual term for a female child or adolescent.