A Feminist Critique of Women Portrayal in NGUGI WA THIONGO’S Devil on the Cross

Abstract

African American Literature demonstrates that the Black Women's Feminism Caucus acknowledged that black women faced a dual patriarchal oppression from within their own community and from white society. This paper examines how Devil on the Cross portrays a Kikuyu woman striving for liberation and transformative change in Kenyan society. Employing a feminist perspective, the researcher contends that Ngugi Wa Thiong'o illustrates the plight of women in Kenyan society, interpreting feminism within its cultural framework. Building on this foundation, the study advocates for the designation of essential services such as police protection, justice, shelters, helplines, and community support services, ensuring they receive adequate support and resources to operate during pandemics and other public emergencies affecting women and girls. It emphasizes the necessity of involving women and women's civil society organizations in policy formulation, development, and implementation to integrate their knowledge, experiences, and needs into response strategies. Furthermore, it stresses the importance of prioritizing prevention and protection against gender-based and domestic violence in national responses by collecting detailed data on the prevalence of such violence and identifying which demographics of women and girls are most vulnerable. Keywords: Domestic violence, Feminist critique, Fiction, Women emancipation, Women portrayal