The African LiteratureParmar Dipali K. Roll No: 24Topic: Comparison Of the women characters from ‘The African Literature and ‘The New Literature’M.A. Sem. 4Batch: 2015-’17Email Id: dipaliparmar247@gmail.ComDepartment Of English (M.K.B.U.)

Comparing women from two literatures….

African Literature The New Literature

Index Introduction

Kusum vs. Alu Sophie Neveu vs Mumbi

Veronica Mary Elizabeth Ford vs Ekwefi

Over all Observation Conclusion

Introduction In this presentation I have tried to compare main women

characters from two papers: The African Literature and The New Literature.

The African Literature is mainly written by Black writers and the duration of their writing is 1958 to 1980.

The New Literature is the modern literature written by either white people of Indian modern writers. The duration of the writing is 2003 to 2011.

It is very interesting to observe the changing role of a woman and their status in the society by studying theses texts.

I have tried to compare women characters from both of the literature and pointed out some interesting facts.

Kusum vs. Alu Kusum is Balram’s Grandmother

and matriarch in family. She was threatening and

cunning. She tried to apply her power

over Balram. She forced Balram to leave study

and help family financially. She also puts Dharam's

responsibility on Balram and by this Balram had an extra tension.

Alu is the wife of Makuri and mother of Igwezu and Awuchike.

Alu is a loving and a loveable mother.

She has more concern for Awuchike, who is in the city.

She is hospitable. Alu’s understanding of the world

is very limited.

Sophie Neveu vs. Mumbi

Sophie is quick-witted, agile, and devious when she needs to be.

When she helps Silas she looked confident.

She is caring and compassionate. She feels the loss of her family

deeply and mourns the death of her grandfather.

Both brilliant and sexually attractive, Sophie combines a masculine toughness with typically feminine qualities.

The beautiful sister of Kihika who dreams of sacrifice and noble deeds.

She falls in love with Gikonyo when she is young and longs for him while he is away in the detention camp.

She is having a baby of Karanja during the time of Gikonyo’s camp.

But at last she wants to re-build her relationship with Gikonyo.

She is a house wife and never show any boldness towards the male members of her society.

Veronica Mary Elizabeth Ford vs. Ekwefi

She is spiky and enigmatic ex-girlfriend of Tony. Her character is very complicated.

Her behavior in her own house seemed mysterious.

Veronica wasn’t very different from other.

She knew everything but did not revel anything.

Veronica was made shy and complex person by her mother Sarah.

Ekwefi is Okonkwo’s second wife. Once a village beauty.

Ekwefi suffers quite a bit under Okonkwo’s forceful and aggressive rule of the household.

Ekwefi is the most spirited of Okonkwo’s wives.

She is capable of withstanding much pain and disappointment.

She shows masculine strength and boldness that makes her favourite wife for Okonkwo.

Overall Observation

The characters from ‘The New Literature’ consists boldness, intelligence, sometime mysterious or complex to understand.

They like to remain independent. Interested in affairs but not in marriage. Matriarchy is also reflects through some characters. Where as in ‘The African Literature’ women’s role is little bit minor. They like to be wife of the man. Having children and doing household work is considered the main job for

women. They haven’t their own identity. But they have the same boldness that can be

seen in the characters of ‘The New Literature’ which they show when needed.

Conclusion

I have taken only few women characters.

Further research can be done on other characters also.

But by this observation we came to know that women’s role is changed very much now-a-days.

She is not mere a housewife but she has her own identity too. Thank You