JENDA: A JOURNAL OF CULTURE AND AFRICAN WOMEN STUDIES ISSN: 1530-5686 Issue 8 (2006)

Sarah Anyang Agbor

Abstract

A growing body of Cameroonian literature in English has emerged from the late 1990s to the present. Anne Tanyi-Tang represents the new vintage of Anglophone Cameroonian dramatists who address contemporary societal issues. As a dramatist, her plays are gendered in nature and represents women in different socio-cultural and economic domains in contemporary Cameroonian society. This paper seeks to investigate the centrality of women issues raised in her first two plays Ewa and other plays and Eneta vs Elimo and how the woman’s defined role is inextricably linked to traditional and patriarchal conceptions. What is the place of a woman in Tanyi-Tang’s society? How does the woman resist and deconstruct cultural paradigms and redefine her role in modern day Cameroonian society? I intend to investigate how the woman has transcended that servile and stagnant position of being subservient, insignificant and only fit for marriage, wifehood and motherhood. My argument here is that first, Tanyi-Tang represents women in traditional and contemporary contexts. Second, her central characters (all women) deconstruct the stereotypes of women as indecisive, gullible and dependent and also redefine their roles in society. I propose to make this survey through a combination of new historicist, psychoanalytic and feminist approaches because no one of these approaches is sufficient to explicate Anne Tanyi-Tang’s representation of women in contemporary Cameroonian society.

Introduction

Over the years, the woman has been stereotyped in fiction. Anne Tanyi-Tang portrays the servile/slave/dependent woman’s emancipation from the shackles and bonds of patriarchy. She presents women who reject stereotyped feminine roles and become independent, optimistic career woman, mother and wife. This paper will explore the representation of the woman in Tanyi-Tang’s Ewa and other Plays and Eneta vs Elimo. Louis Montrose and Stephen Greenblatt, whose new historicism theory is one of those applied in this critique of Tanyi-Tang’s work, propounded the theory in the 1980s in reaction to the text-based approach (formalism). Like many other critics, they acknowledge the importance of the literary text but go further to look at the text against the historical background and stipulate that for any work of literature to be understood, it is pertinent for the researcher to take into consideration the society, norms and values that guard that society. They see history as a social science and attempt to describe the culture of a period by reading many different dimensions of a culture, including its political, economic, social and aesthetic concerns. The new historicists follow basic scholarly procedures, which derived from the school; they study a literary work’s point of origin through biography and bibliography, they contend that explicit intentions when writing might influence the development of interest in the text, and write with a view to the future. Therefore, the arts and society are inseparable and interrelated (Ross, M and Supryia M. R: 240).

In her plays: Ewa and other Plays and Eneta Versus Elimo, Tanyi-Tang portrays the world-view of her Cameroonian culture, particularly the Banyang society in the cultural and social settings of these plays. The characters are very attached to their socio-cultural norms and values. New historicists do not undermine the literary aesthetics in the text (intrinsic qualities) but also consider extrinsic qualities that could aid the understanding of the text, like the author’s life, socio-cultural, economic, religious and political realities of the society. This is why they insist that a text is referential. It refers within and without itself. It refers within itself when we consider the aesthetic ideology of the text such as style-narrative techniques, imagery, dream and fantasy. Thus the social and cultural context of the woman in Banyang society is taken into consideration.

It is necessary to emphasize that the African mind is located among other experiences in the reality of its local situation and reaction to cultural values and life in general. Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung, proponents of the psychoanalytic approach accept that for any idea to find a home in the mind of the individual that mind has to be basically predisposed to receive it. The mind is made up of the conscious and unconscious mind. George Shinn (1981:28) claims that the subconscious mind is a veritable computer - a storehouse of all the information taken in by our conscious mind. The conscious mind is the mind we all know; it does our thinking, registers what we see, helps us to reason, forms ideas and makes decisions. Therefore, when the conscious mind triggers the relationship between the man and woman, the subconscious mind will influence who plays what role. Africans acknowledge the superiority of man over woman, and society has ascribed roles to both men and women based on their traditional norms and values. Consequently, when the woman deviates from prescribed roles like wife, domestic help, and satisfier of the whims and caprices of her husband to being resourceful, independent and emancipated, then a new vision of the woman is born.

This leads one to the field of feminism. This approach is out to debunk the patriarchal social structures that stifle the individuality of the woman. Feminism developed in response to the continuous discrimination against, and relegation of the woman in society. All these attempts to relegate women to the position of ‘other’ created a consciousness in the women and other women fighters viz men. Gayatri C. Spîvak (1994:270) says feminism in other words, is female access to individualism. Feminism sets out to transform the relations between women and men, so that women can have more chances to fulfill their whole human potentials. Oyeronke Oyewumi (2003:2) attests that “Feminism is primarily concerned with the liberation of women”. Despite the diverse notions of British, French and American feminist critics like Simone de Beauvoir(1997), Wilfred Guerin et al(1992:182-183), feminist critics largely agree on a three fold purpose: to expose patriarchal premise and resulting prejudices, to promote discovery and re-evaluation of literature by women, and to examine social, cultural and psychosexual contexts of literature and criticism.

Oyewumi emphasizes that “feminism as an ideology if not as a social movement, is subject to many qualifications” (2003:1). This term has gone through so many re-definitions because of differences in socio-cultural, historical, political religious and economical realities of various peoples of the world. African scholars like Molara Ogundipe-Leslie, Catherine Acholonu, Helen Chukwuma, Rose Acholonu and Oyewumi amongst others have offered an African definition of feminism. Helen Chukwuma (2003) states:

Feminism means therefore a rejection of inferiority and a striving for recognition. It seeks to give the woman a sense of self as a worthy, effectual and contributing human being. Feminism is reaction to such stereotypes of women, which deny them a positive identity. Women conditioning in Africa is the greatest barrier toward a fulfillment of self. This is seen in the religious, socio-cultural and economic life of women (xiii- xiv).

Consequently, African feminism deals with multiple oppressions and strives to see women as humans worthy of identity. Significantly, men remain a part and parcel of the African women lives. Chukwuma (2003: xx) emphasizes that African feminism is “accommodationist not exclusive and negativistic. Men remain a vital part of the women’s lives”. It is within this context that this paper will examine Tanyi-Tang’s portrayal of the woman in two of her dramatic texts Ewa and other Plays (a collection of four plays) and Eneta vs Elimo.

Who is a woman? In western construction, a woman is the binary opposition of the man. This construction has deep roots in Judeo-Christian thought. Thus, in The Holy Bible God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone. I shall make him a helper." (Gen. 2:18). God made the man sleep deeply and he took one of his ribs and fashioned a woman (Gen. 2:19-23) and brought her to the man. Thus a woman is created to be a helper unto the man. She is physiologically everything that a man is not. In this wise, Simone de Beauvoir (1997:174-5) asserts: “Woman is defined exclusively in her relations to man . . . we sometimes say “the sex” to designate woman; she is the flesh, it delights and dangers . . . ” Ruth Robbins (1998:4) also submits: “Women are not all the same, but they do share similarities in subject positions related to the cultures in which they live”. Thus, the focus on women however politically difficult, the term ‘unity’ maybe, constitutes feminism’s main impetus.

The Representation of Women in Anne Tanyi-Tang’s Plays

Tanyi-Tang’s texts portray the systematic inequality of women in all areas of life—culture, education, work, etc. Mary Wollstonecraft (1792) an early feminist examines the ‘naturalness’ of women’s inequality and contends that it is not in fact natural at all. She argues:

Women in particular, are rendered weak and wretched, by a variety of concurring caused amongst which are inadequate parenting, bad education, the lack of property rights and exclusion from the political sphere. (79).

Against this backdrop, Anne Tanyi-Tang portrays a different class of women, who are victimized and threatened but not defeated. She seeks to improve the situation of women within the existing structures of Cameroonian society. The female predicament in this situation cannot be over emphasized. Her female characters (protagonists) work out strategies to overcome their problems. “Ewa” is the story of a young girl called Ewa who is victimized and traumatized by her own birth mother, Nyango, who actually treats Ewa like a step-daughter. At the beginning of the play, Ewa’s mother has already abused her: Nyango has forced Ewa to grind pepper only to smear it in her eyes and all over the rest of her body as punishment for eating before her siblings. The reason that Ewa’s mother treats her so badly is, in her own words, because

my husband hated you so profoundly. He abandoned me throughout the pregnancy and went out for a merrymaking trip with my mate when I was in labour. I almost died in childbirth. Even in his sick bed, he chased you like a cat chasing a rat, and advised that you should not be given education beyond primary school level. In order to win back his love, I had to send you home to my mother. I hate you (“Ewa”: 9).

Basically, Nyango hates Ewa for a situation that was out of Ewa’s control altogether: when Nyango was pregnant with Ewa, Ewa’s father cheated on Nyango and tried to leave her. Hence, she receives transferred aggression through no fault of hers.

Ewa nurtures a dream of going to school saying, “I don’t know whether I will be sent to Secondary School” (19). When she is informed of her impending marriage, she cries and begs: “Daddy, I don’t want to marry. Daddy I love school. Daddy please send me to secondary school. Daddy, I will not disappoint you” (“Ewa”: 20). Her parents respond by forcing her into a marriage without her consent to an irresponsible man named Ajoh. Ewa was impregnated at 13, and she gave birth at 14. Her insensitive husband screams at her:

Your rich family refused to educate you, instead your parents quickly gave you for marriage . . . I saved you from licking pots and freed you from slavery. Keep quiet when I am talking. Perhaps you want additional scars (“Ewa”: 22).

Ewa is not only burdened with a cruel, unfeeling and abusive husband, she is also saddled with the responsibility of taking care of herself and her baby.

What kind of a woman is Nyango, Ewa’s biological mother? Why is she such a bundle of contradictions? What is Nyango’s mission in life? Is she a woman created for a man or a mother? Does she reflect all the social constructions/patriarchal image of the woman? No! Nyango insults her own mother and daughter. She lacks respect for them. Thus, women are also portrayed to be socially arrogant through the characterization of Nyango in “Ewa.” It is a taboo to abuse one’s elders, especially one’s own biological mother. The mother asks, “Nyango, did you actually give birth to Ewa? You treat her like an orphan?” (9). She responds, “Shut up, you nonentity . . . ingrate. You keep out of it” (9). Again “shut up” (16). Indeed, this is scandalous but there are women in society who do not honor their mothers and are repelled by their own children. There are also women who put the blame of their misfortune in marriage on innocent kids. Nyango’s social arrogance is seen also when she goes to visit the chief of the village and complains that “I heard the girls calling my daughter Morah, Slave” (160). Nyango’s complaint is that the village girls have been calling Ewa Morah, which means orphan, but Nyango argues that Ewa is not one of these. The chief’s reply is “treat her well and the girls will stop calling her Morah, Slave” (“Ewa”: 17). But Nyango tells the chief that she is not satisfied with his response. Nyango also refuses to listen to the chief when he suggests about the man her mother wants her to marry that: “Normally, Ewa has to say whether she likes this man or not” (21). This in itself shows how much social arrogance Nyango has. She refuses to listen to the words of the oldest man in the village, even though respect for elders is an important African social custom.

Furthermore, society is evolving and these days, girls are not forced into marriage. Thus, the historical setting that Tanyi-Tang depicts in this particular play must have been the period from the 1940s to the 1960s. Even then, the consent of the girl is always sought before marriage. Arguably, the parents could impose their wish, but in such a subtle way that the girl is finally persuaded. In the traditional marriage ceremony of the Banyang, there is a point when the girl’s consent is sought before the family receives the bridewealth from the suitor’s family. And if she says yes, then the bride-to-be would be asked to take the bridewealth and hand it over to the head of her natal family. It is only at this point that the marriage is sealed. In the indigenous society, the bridewealth is symbolic- it indicates that the daughter now belongs to another family. A woman who goes to live with a man before the traditional marriage loses the respect of her peers and society. And the husband treasures his wife because he earned her by his responsible position, and by virtue of the belief that he is from a good family, and not just because he can pay the bridewealth. There are also other parameters used to decide if either of the couple is worthy of the other. Moreover, there is a contradiction in Tanyi-Tang’s portrayal of girls being forced into marriage based on the argument by two of her characters when the chief says: “Normally, Ewa has to say whether she likes this man or not,” (21) and Anyih, Ewa’s paternal aunt says,“Experience has shown that it’s wise to seek the girl’s opinion in these important matters” (21). The trend before the 1970s’ in Banyang society was for men who have jobs in the cities to come back home to their communities of origin to marry wives. Some of these marriages were arranged and the brides-to-be, many of whom have just completed their first stage of school education are excited about marrying these men from the cities. Of course, arranged marriages still continue in modern society where wealthy or royal families want their children to marry from the same class. However, the son or daughter can protest and do as he or she desires.

Tanyi-Tang reveals the economic exploitation in the marriage offers for Ewa and Arrah respectively. Nyango sees Ewa’s marriage as necessary. Nyango represents mothers who do not care for their child’s individuality or aspirations. When Ewa expresses her desire to go to school, she responds:

Sent to secondary school. Have you worked and saved money for your education? Even if you were a boy, I won’t send you to secondary school. Secondary school is for your sisters and step brothers. Is that clear? (19).

Her bridewealth will be used to send her sisters to school. This theme of economic exploitation and denial of the female is dominant in “Arrah.” “Arrah” shows the economic values of the woman as analogous to commodities that can be disposed of. Helen Chukwuma states: “The exploitation of the woman is seen in the bridewealth through which she is supposed to generate an income for the family” (2003: xix). Oyeronke Oyewumi further confirms that “In a host of African societies, marriage is predicated on a contractual agreement, cemented by the giving of bridewealth by the family of the husband to the family of the wife” (2003:15).

The significance of bridewealth is abused by some families who demand an excessive sum of money from the son-in-law’s family. It is commonly believed that a man who pays bridewealth would honor and respect his wife and the woman would respect the man because he has honored her by paying the bridewealth. Arrah’s worth as a human being is reduced to her bridewealth, and her immediate and extended family depended on it. To Arrah and Ettah’s chagrin, 2.5 million CFA is demanded for her bridewealth. Ma Agi says:

Yes, Arrah’s bridewealth. Each one of us sitting here and those who are not here put a hand once or twice in our pockets when Arrah was in Junior school. . . . This is the time to reap what we have sown for years (69).

This buttresses the image of the woman as a commodity. However, Tanyi-Tang exaggerates the amount of the bridewealth. It is highly unlikely in Banyang society for a sum of money up to a million francs to be asked for bridewealth.

Tanyi-Tang’s feminist stance is seen the reaction of Ewa, Arrah and Eneta (in Eneta vs Elimo) to their various circumstances. They adopt an undeniably courageous attitude in crisis and do not wallow in self-pity (“Ewa” pg 33 and 37 “Arrah” pg 98). Rather than remaining helpless and passive in the clutches of their dilemma, they sum up courage and overcome their problem. They are assertive, strong and independent. Ewa, Arrah and Eneta made plans that they executed. Hence, Tanyi-Tang portrays female individualism and personality in the midst of chaos. The naïve independent child that is Ewa becomes strong, experienced, independent and decisive. She returns her bridewealth, succeeds in the Advanced Levels Examination and aspires to go to the University, proving that a dream deferred is not a dream denied.

The eroticized career woman, dependent on her husband’s love, becomes decisive and independent and walks away from the husband who arrogantly tells her:

If you are no longer interested in the marriage, nothing prevents you from leaving. You haven’t planted a coconut tree in this garden . . . and before you leave, tell your parents to start thinking of refunding the bridewealth (“Arrah”: 80).

Initially, she was the weeping woman who groans, “Ettah wants a divorce (sobs) what I shall do?” (88). She overcomes this state of indecision, packs her bags and leaves a note:

Ettah, I have discovered lately that we have become very incompatible and the break down of constructive communication put our marriage in jeopardy. Don’t hesitate to sue for a divorce if you want. (“Arrah”: 98).

Thus she exemplifies the predicament of career women and wives. Marriage and motherhood have not offered her the security, self-actualisation and satisfaction she desires. Her economic independence offers her a choice and equips her for the burden of her decision. Rather than remain in a loveless marriage, as the traditional woman would have done, she opts out of her marriage. She cannot continue in this mentally exhausting state. Despite the fact that Ettah is the love of her life, and the traditional demands of staying with the husband for better, for worse, Arrah demonstrates her sense of self and autonomy. The difference here is that she does not make any financial demands from the man and bears no malice against him. The modern day woman has evolved and men too do not marry liabilities for wives. Women must offer more than ‘a pretty face and a fertile ovum” (Chukwuma: xiv). Even a good job, fulfilling motherhood and marriage do not grant her security in modern Cameroonian society.

Tanyi-Tang also depicts women as other women’s worst enemies. Many sister-in-laws could make life unbearable for their brothers’ barren wives. Kechen in “My Bundle of Joy” faces acts of humiliation. During Mama Wase’s funeral celebration in the village, the village women gossip about her:

First woman: Is that the much talked about barren, beautiful, educated wife?
Second Woman: Yes, she is.
Sister: She is a witch (“My Bundle of Joy”: 50-60).

The woman is portrayed as being fulfilled in marriage only if she has children. Kechen laments:

Why can’t God listen to my prayers? What have I not done? . . . when shall I also taste the joy of motherhood? When shall my friends and relations welcome my baby? I want birth songs to be sung in this house. (“My Bundle of Joy”:41).

In characterizing the barren woman, Tanyi-Tang represents the predicament of barren women who feel children are necessary to the fulfillment of their joy in marriage. However in “Arrah” one sees a different picture. Arrah says: “. . . I fulfilled my major duty. The duty of every blessed wife. He named the child Ettah the third… Then Arrah the second arrived . . . ” (“Arrah”:78). But her children could not guarantee her marriage or the joy or sense of fulfillment she expects. Her husband threatens to divorce her. Ewa also says, “My baby is the only precious gift from God. . . . She is all I have in this world” (24) after her husband rejects her. Thus, for Arrah’s and Ewa’s societies, children are no longer a source of empowerment and security in marriage. Therefore the woman is trapped in her role as a wife and mother.

The thematic preoccupation of Tanyi-Tang in Eneta vs Elimo is that the female in spite of traditional oppressive systems strives to intimidate her female folk out of competition. Elimo the directress tells her secretary, “For how long shall I keep repeating that I detest receiving women in the early hours of the morning?” (12). When Eneta asks for the form, Elimo says: “I will give her the application form after the deadline. Does she want to become the world’s judge? A very ambitious girl” (Eneta vs Elimo: 13). Consequently, the next appointment, she gives flimsy excuses that “I can’t find the keys to my drawers” (15) or “I am busy” while talking to her boyfriend (13). When she is summoned to court, she gets the best lawyer in town and gloats “Eneta’s wig and gown will decay under her trunk—a second huge defeat” (60-61). Eneta the dynamic young lawyer pursues with seriousness of purpose and determination her court case. She indicts Elimo, “Madam Directress, you are a slow murderer” (78). She asks, “What is the purpose of women’s day if each woman behaves towards other women the way you do?” (78). Indeed, the world around is crying for liberation, equality and emancipation of women. Should women be the stumbling blocks of women?

Tanyi-Tang also portrays the popular views of women as possessions and sexual tools. Ewa’s husband Ajoh views her as a possession and treats her as badly as her mother did before she left home. Ewa even explains to her aunt, Anyih that “Ajoh is not different from my mother” (“Ewa”: 33). While Ajoh tells Ewa that “I saved you from licking pots and freed you from slavery” (22) in reality he treats her as a slave, does not feed her enough, does not allow her to have visitors, leaves her alone for weeks at a time without telling her where he is going, and crushes her first chance of hope. This occurs after Tua gives Ewa ten thousand francs to start a small business. Ewa does well, but when Ajoh finds out, he makes Ewa hand over all of her capital because otherwise he would not be able to pay the rent. Ajoh believes that since he married Ewa, he has control over her and can take whatever he wants from her without giving her anything in return, an assumption that is obviously highly arrogant.

Ajoh wants to recommence lovemaking immediately the wife puts to bed. Even when Ewa refuses, he forcefully has sexual intercourse with her. This portrays the presumed omnipotence of the man over the woman as evident in many African societies. Consequently, the brutish and violent behavior of man towards woman is brought to light. Ajoh complains that the baby disturbs and drives him mad. He threatens to ‘strangle’ both mother and child if the child does not desist from making noise. While Ewa is trying to soothe the baby, Ajoh comes in:

Ajoh (Drags her into the bedroom). Come and lie in bed for a while.
Ewa The baby is crying.
Ajoh Shh. Keep quiet. You think I married you for what?. . .
Ewa Leave me alone. The baby is crying.
Ajoh Keep quiet until I finish what I am doing.

Ewa I won’t keep quiet. (Fights back)
Ajoh (Kicks and pushes her awa. Ewa cries.) Leave my house and return to slavery. Now, get out!. (30).

Ewa’s did not give in and Ajoh sends her packing. She revolts and for the first time does not satisfy Ajoh’s sexual pleasure although she knew it might cause her to be thrown out of her matrimonial home. Tanyi-Tang in this instance successfully shows the denigration and sexual abuse some men inflict on women. Ajoh believes that he married Ewa to satisfy his carnal lust. Ewa’s resistance makes him to throw her out of the house. He believes that she is his to control when, how and where he likes.

In “Arrah”, Tanyi-Tang through the character of Ettah’s mother Eyere describes the social role society ascribed to women to her son, whom she tells that:

Girls learn many things in the fattening room. In my days, some of the elderly women taught us how to eat, speak, walk, sing and dance like ladies. Others taught us how to clean ourselves. They showed us herbs which could be transformed easily into cream. The cream made from these herbs enhanced women’s beauty. They also taught us the duties of wives and mothers. They taught us how to entice our husbands and make them love us more. In short, they taught us how a woman can keep her husband. Other women taught us how to behave towards our in-laws, particularly sisters-in-laws, elders and friends. The old women told stories about the norms, ethics and mores of our society. The reason was to inculcate the values of the society in us (72).

Eyere explains here that the role of a woman in society is basically to be a good wife and a good mother and to do everything in her power to keep her husband from leaving her. Eyere spends twelve months in the fattening room, and Arrah only spends two months. This shows that despite the evolving nature of the society, some aspects of the woman’s role do not really change. For Arrah, it is acceptable and even praiseworthy that she is educated and can do much more than just be a good wife and a good mother.

The woman is also seen as a helpmate to her husband. The fact that Arrah does not agree with the conventions of the time and sees nothing wrong with paying half of her own bridewealth shows that women are evolving and standing by their men as helpmates. The older generations however, see their social customs as correct and are ashamed that their children do not follow them. However, it is more or less a taboo for a woman to pay or assist in paying her bridewealth. This is because in Banyang society from time immemorial, men give bridewealth to their father -in- laws. Both Arrah’s and Ettah’s parents refuse to step foot under their roof after they find out what the two of them did regarding the bridewealth. Arrah’s parents think that Ettah’s family will mock their family, but Arrah’s sister reassures them that their in-laws will instead respect them and if she found herself in Arrah’s situation; she would not hesitate to also contribute towards her own bridewealth.

Conclusion

Tanyi-Tang’s fictional universe is a world of women, for all her central and secondary characters are women. The women are represented within their socio-cultural constrictions, their individual and collective interactions with one another and with men. Women are lovers, wives, mothers, self-assertive, wicked, slippery and conniving, some are humble, others proud. Whether as wives, mothers, or cheats, women are generally portrayed as decisive and independent. Oh yes! Some are immoral exploiters though endowed with beauty, intelligence and sound education like Elimo in Eneta and Elimo and Di in “Honey Gardens”.

Some of Tanyi-Tang’s women are wicked and unnatural like Nyango, a mother who labels her own daughter a “bastard, idiot and fool” (9). Above all, each character brings to light some characterisation of the women folk as exemplary in their society. Tanyi-Tang offers a pithily designed world of women in which the female characters are presented in favorable and unfavorable light. The women’s characterizations are realistic and true to life. There are some daughters such like Nyango who are insolent to their mothers, bestial and inhuman to their own daughters (“Ewa”: 8-9). There are some women who being adulterous and unfaithful, indulge in extra marital affairs, such as Di. Kechen may be beautiful, resourceful, humble and eligible but she does not consider herself a fulfilled woman. There are many “Kechens” amongst us who will run from pillar to post to get a child.

Significantly, Tanyi-Tang’s plays have not been conditioned by the common vision of presenting a woman angle, but rather she has been liberal and objective in presenting topical and burning issues of her contemporary Banyang and Cameroonian societies The woman is a complex human being and Tanyi-Tang represents the struggles of some of women to overcome out-dated customs and liberate themselves from patriarchal and cultural structures which only repress and subjugate the woman. Her plays are shaped by the social forces in contemporary history. Tanyi-Tang also shows that the problems women experience could also be caused by women and not by men alone as revealed in the case of Eneta and Madam Directress in Eneta versus Elimo and Di in “Honey Gardens”. Consequently, like all feminist writings, Anne Tanyi-Tang seeks to reinstate the marginalized/“other” in the face of the centralized/self and evokes in her plays, the interplay and implications of traditional and patriarchal versus contemporary and feminist views about women.

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Citation Format:

Sarah Anyang Agbor. “Women in Anne Tanyi-Tang’s Plays” JENDA: A Journal of Culture and African Women Studies: Issue 8, 2006.

Copyright © 2006 Africa Resource Center, Inc.