Abstract
The aim of this paper is to critically explore various challenges faced by oppressed and suppressed African American women in the western societies. It also explores the varied emancipatory efforts they make when striving to absolve themselves of the forces of oppression and dehumanization as portrayed by Suzan Lori Parks in her play, Venus. The paper uses the postcolonial feminist theory of the Subaltern as the basis for the analysis to thoroughly examine the play extrinsically and intrinsically. In her play, Suzan- Lori Parks portrays African American women facing the turbulence of racism, discrimination and inequality in the western socio-geographical setting. She confidently and aesthetically reveals various challenges hindering the progress and life fulfilment of the African American women through the heroine of her play. The paper traces the history of Venus, unveils the cruelty of the European mentality and racial discrimination against African women. It also shows the rights of African women and identifies new ways for them to express their identities. Finally, the paper reveals that despite the obvious and prevalent acts of discrimination for African women for over the years, the problem persists. However, unlike the pre–Civil Rights era, today’s discrimination is less readily identifiable.
Highlights
As a black American playwright, and novelist, Suzan-Lori Parks expresses the plights of African women in general like many other scholars
The aim of this paper is to critically explore various challenges faced by oppressed and suppressed African American women in the western societies
Suzan- Lori Parks portrays African American women facing the turbulence of racism, discrimination and inequality in the western socio-geographical setting
Summary
As a black American playwright, and novelist, Suzan-Lori Parks expresses the plights of African women in general like many other scholars. The fight by Civil Rights Movement in the United States of America shows the need for Black people look harder and longer into their language, history, and movements to fully understand how racism harms America’s democratic potentials This requires new ways of seeing, acting, and speaking that may seem unconventional, if not outright strange. The play, Venus was written in (1996) and it is a pseudo-historical drama written by Suzan-Lori Parks in the play, Parks portrayed a lady in South African who was tempted to go to England by empty promises of success only to be sold into slavery and later taken as a sideshow attraction in England Due to her protrusive posterior, she appeared on public stage to display this pathophysiological abnormality in her body. Parks show how selfish the Westerns are when they put Venus on stage to act like an animal show
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