Female Objectification in African Culture: A Study of Selected Drama

Women are vital members of any society. However, female objectification has been a recurring theme in many African cultural experiences. Several scholars and playwrights who have written extensively on the issue link it to the patriarchal nature of most cultures in Africa.  From plays such as The Lion and the Jewel by Wole Soyinka to Hands that Crush Stones by Theodora Adimora, female characters are often portrayed as objects to be controlled and dominated by male characters. This is evident in how their appearances, actions, and desires are all determined by the male gender, and how their worth is often tied to their physical appearance and ability to please men. Female objectification not only perpetuates harmful gender stereotypes but also reinforces askew patriarchal power dynamics within African societies. Borrowing insight from the humanist feminist theory, this paper critically interrogates the derogatory depictions of women in selected African drama. It adapts the content analysis methodology to connect the experiences of the women in the texts under study to real-life consequences for the treatment and representation of women in society.

Keywords: Objectification, Female, African Drama, Humanism, Culture, Patriarchy