Exploring Women’s Quandary in Buchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood and Flora Nwapa’s Efuru

Abstract

This study has highlighted the root causes of women’s quandary in post-colonial African fiction. It explores two giant Nigerian women-authored novels. Analyses have revealed that women’s suffering is basically due to the patriarchal ideology that governs most African societies. Barrenness, motherhood, and poverty are other major factors. Further analysis of these factors shows that the last three aspects are in connection with the first. As a result, one can assume that the excessive patriarchal philosophy is a leading reason for women’s predicaments. For an objective result, we have used a qualitative data analysis approach. We have applied feminism and post-colonial theories in the analyses.