Representations of African Women Victimisation in Chimamanda Adichie's Novels

Abstract

The victimisation of African women is a persistent issue that arises from the intersection of several systems of oppression rooted in gender, race and socio-economic variables. The aim of this study is to shed some light on representations of women’s oppression and subjugation as they are fictionally delineated in Chimamanda Adichie's novels Purple Hibiscus (2003), Half of a Yellow Sun (2006) and Americanah (2013). From Black feminist perspectives, the study highlights the significance of Adichie as a formidable advocate for feminism, vigorously combating the victimisation of women via her works on the one hand, and prompting a need for a change in social standards and perspectives on the other.