Women Representation and Empowerment in Perpetua K. Nkamanyang Lola’s The Lock on my Lips and Anne Tanyi Tang’s Ewa

The persistent marginalization and subjugation of women in contemporary Cameroonian society, particularly within social, economic, and political spheres, remain a significant concern reflected in literary productions. This study examines the representation and empowerment of women in The Lock on My Lips by Perpetua K. Nkamanyang Lola and Ewa by Anne Tanyi-Tang, with the aim of analyzing how female resistance against male dominance is dramatized. The objectives of the study are to investigate the forms of oppression experienced by women, examine the strategies of resistance and retaliation employed by female characters, and evaluate how empowerment is portrayed as a transformative tool. Anchored on Liberal Feminist Theory, the study adopts a qualitative research methodology, using textual analysis as its primary method. The instruments employed include close reading, note-taking, and thematic categorization of selected texts. Data are analyzed using thematic and content analyses to identify recurring patterns in gender representation and resistance. Findings reveal that women are portrayed within rigid societal stereotypes structured along social, economic, and political lines; however, the playwrights equally present education, economic independence, and self-assertion as mechanisms of empowerment and resistance. The study concludes that the plays challenge patriarchal structures and expose systemic inequalities. It therefore recommends increased advocacy for female education, economic inclusion, and policy reforms that promote gender equity in Cameroonian society.

Keywords: Women, Representation, Empowerment, Drama, Resistance