Education as an Impetus for Elevated Roles of Women
in Selected Novels of Ayi Kwei Armah
Linda Ogugua Onwuka
c/o Department of Animal Nutrition
Federal University of Agriculture
Abeokuta, Nigeria
E-mail: [email protected]
+2348038038720
ABSTRACT
In most societies, women are assigned gender roles such as wives, mothers, wet nurses, sex pots and farm mates. Consequently, most writers have portrayed women as not being capable of playing any significant role in the society. The feminist theory was used to critique some selected works of Ayi Kwei Armah, a male novelist who has progressively used his narratives to give women greater social relevance as illustrated in Two Thousand Seasons and Osiris Rising. The study adopted a textual analysis of the selected novels and relevant critical works.
In these works, Armah, contrary to patriarchal sentiments, portrays women who are politically conscious and are able to play crucial roles in the society because they have acquired formal or informal education. He sees education, formal or informal, as an impetus for playing elevated roles, bearing in mind that education is the knowledge of putting one’s potentials to maximum use. Education trains the human mind and provides knowledge, skills and attitudes for active citizenship. However, in the contemporary society, formal education is preferable as it builds capabilities, and prepares individuals for opportunities in the public and private domains as shown in Osiris Rising.
Keywords: Sex, Gender roles, Patriarchy, Politics, Education