For my next essay on Things Fall Apart written by Chinua Achebe, I will be applying a feminist lens on the novel. With the fact that this novel was written by a male, I will write about the observations I have made on the males perspective of a female and her roles in society.
In Things Fall Apart the woman is treated and viewed as a certain kind of maid in their Ibo culture who is simply there to provide her husband with a clean house, children and food on the table. Unlike the males, the women are not allowed to take titles. In the novel that is why men with out titles are referred to as women or "agbala." The man is supposed to represent powerfulness while the female represents weakness. Having men with greater jobs and women staying at home resembles the gender discrimination of the ancient Greeks stating that men are superior while females are inferior (Feminism 171). Even the highest of women do not possess the roles similar to a man. The Goddess of the earth, Ani, who holds a high position is only holding a responsibility of morality and conduct and being a source of fertility. And the most powerful woman the priestess is still inferior to a God. Things Fall Apart also contains cultural feminism in which "women are inherently and biologically 'kinder and gentler' than men" such as Elizabeth Gould David states. In chapter four when Okonkwo is explaining how he feels towards Ikemefuna, he explains how showing affection is a sign of weakness and previously Ikemefuna was explaining how Nwoye's mother was kind to him.
These are examples of some of the stereotypical view that a man takes on a woman when applying a feminist lens. In the upcoming essay I will explain this lens applied in further detail.
