Feminism in Trois Prétendants, Un Mari by Guillaume Oyônô Mbia and in Sous L'Orage by Seydou Badian Kouyaté

Abstract

Feminism is generally conceived from the perspective of the condition of women and girls in society, notably concerning their responses to the inordinate urges of patriarchy. It is the manifestations of this general conception that we interestingly sought to determine in two great Francophone African works: Trois Prétendants... Un Mari (1954) by Guillaume Oyônô Mbia and Sous L'Orage (1964) by Seydou Badian Konaté. The problem hinges upon the still-surviving glimpses in African societies of that aspect of the lurking influence of tradition which results in the generational gap. At the end of it all, the key observation holds that though most women suffer and struggle under patriarchy, not all of them - rather significantly - take the necessary steps for their emancipation. To them, maybe, pain is inevitable; suffering is optional. Surprising? Is the condition of most of these women thus self-inflicted?