A FEMINIST APPRECIATION OF OUR HUSBAND HAS GONE MAD AGAIN

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page – – – – – – – – – i
Declaration – – – – – – – – – ii
Approval Page – – – – – – – – – iii
Dedication – – – – – – – – iv
Acknowledgements – – – – – – – – v
Table of Contents – – – – – – – – vi-vii
Abstract – – – – – – – – – viii

CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Background of the Study – – – – – – 1-2
1.2 Statement of the Problem – – – – – – 2
1.3 Purpose of the Study – – – – – – 3
1.4 Significance of the Study – – – – – – 3
1.5 Scope of the Study – – – – – – 3
1.6 Definition of Terms – – – – – – – 4

CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Introduction – – – – – – – 5
2.2 Theories of Literary Appreciation/Criticism – – – – 5
2.2.1. Deconstruction – – – – – – 6
2.2.2. Formalism – – – – – – – 7
2.2.3. Structuralism – – – – – – – 8
2.2.4. Post Colonialism – – – – – – – 9
2.2.5. Feminism – – – – – – – 10
2.3. Feminism in Related Literary Works – – – – – 15
2.3.1 Feminism in Mariama Ba’s So Long A Letter – – – 15
2.3.2 Feminism in Bessie Head’s The Collector of Treasures – – 17
2.3.3 Feminism in Ngugi Wa Thiongo’s Petals of Blood – – 18
2.3.4 Feminism in Buchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood – 19
2.3.5 Feminism in Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus – – 21
2.3.6 Feminism in Zaynab Alkali’s The Stillborn – – – 22
2.3.7 Feminism in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart – – – 25
2.3.8 Feminism in Elechi Amadi’s The Concubine – – – 27
2.3.9 Feminism in Tawfiq Al-hakim’s The Sultan’s Delimma – – 27
2.3.10 Feminism in Flora Nwapa’s Efuru – – – – – 29
2.4. Feminism and Female Education – – – – – 32

CHAPTER THREE
TEXTUAL PRESENTATION
3.1 Biography of the Author – – – – – – 33
3.2 Synopsis of the Text – – – – – – – 34

CHAPTER FOUR
TEXTUAL ANALYSIS
4.1. Feminist Themes in Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again – – 41
4.1.1 Discrimination against Women – – – – – 41
4.1.2 Cultural Practices against Women – – – – – 43
4.1.3 Polygamy – – – – – – – 45
4.1.4 Subordination of Women – – – – – – 46
4.1.5 Female Oppression – – – – – – 48
4.2 The Roles of Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again in Female Education 50

CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF THE WORK, FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary of the Work – – – – – – 52
5.2 Findings – – – – – – – 52
5.3 Conclusion – – – – – – – – 52
5.4 Recommendations – – – – – – – 53
References – – – – – – – 56

ABSTRACT
This research examined the roles of women in education through the study of Ola Rotimi’s Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again. The study was carried out with the objective of sensitizing women to rise up to the challenges in the society. The study examined the problems of feminism in African drama and the extent of marginalization of the African women in a sexist society which relegates the female gender. It was discovered that the persistent inequality between men and women in the society has contributed to polygamy, discrimination and oppression of women. The study has further discovered that illiteracy among women is on a slow decline compared to that of men and this has affected the quality of life of the females. Education, thus, has been presented as the most essential weapon for fighting gender inequality. The findings also revealed that education plays a major role in empowering and repositioning of women in the society. The study concludes that education underscores a fundamental necessity for the mental and material liberation of women from male domination. And it recommends among others that imperialist male gender privilege, biased traditional and religious myths impeding female education should be discouraged in order to accelerate the process of positioning the women in every ramification of life.

CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Feminism is a literary theory which tends towards female liberation in the society. Joseph, (2003 p. 99), describes feminism as an ideology of social commitment to the struggle for female libration in the society through conscious and collective effort.
Toji (1999 p. 228), says feminism concerns itself with contemporary agitation by women for social, economic, political and cultural equality with male counterparts. Most feminists are especially concerned with social, political and economic inequality between men and women.
First, inaugurated in the sixties, feminist criticism proceeds from the assumption that the history of all the societies is the history of patriarchy (a system run by males rather than females) whereby there is the existence of male domination and exploitation of women.
Feminism like Marxism is concerned about societal inequalities. It is also a literary ideology founded on the need to develop a female tradition of creativity to cause awareness to women as the oppressed, deprived, subjugated and unfulfilled gender. Marxism and feminism as schools of thought are different but may have a meeting point while Marxism deals with class stratification between the wealthy and the poor, feminism discuss gender discrimination between the oppressing male and oppressed female. The bottom line is that they are both fighting for the same cause which is liberation of the people from oppression, exploitation and domination.
Varieties of African feminist writers like Acholonu says that women should not be seen as objects to decorate the homes but they should be regarded as major contributors to the destiny of the nation without really affecting their roles as mothers and wives at home. In her article titled, “Buchi Emecheta” (1988) Acholonu says: “women should no longer decoration accessories, objects to be moved about, and companions to be flattered or claimed with promises. They should see themselves as nation’s primary fundamental roots, from which all else grow and blossom. Women must be encouraged to take a keen interest in the destiny of the country.
African male writer have presented better images of women in their writings, such writers include Ola Rotimi, Wole Soyinka, Ngugi Wa Thiong’O and Olu Obafemi. These playwrights depict their female characters as being strong, resourceful and skillful against the mundane opinion of some writers who points to women of being second fiddle.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The entire human society has a large number of problems. In spite of the knowledge before man, he still has problems unsolved. The researcher wishes to pay attention on the socio-cultural issues in the text. The text is a social drama which the author has used to expose some societal ills in the society, gender inequality and power relations in the text.

1.3 Purpose of the Study
This study examines the problem of feminism in African drama through a critical study of Ola Rotimi’s Our Husband has Gone Mad Again. The work aims to conscientize women to rise up to the challenges in the society with the understanding of the roles they could play in their community to make the society a better place. It also focuses on how women have struggled side by side with their male counterparts against the general injustice and oppression that the few privileged men impose on the majority of underprivileged women.
1.4 Significance of the Study
The importance of women in any given society can neither be underestimated nor can research on their past, present and future be exhausted. The study is justifiable as it seeks to investigate the socio-cultural issues experienced by the women in the text.
This topic, “A Feminist Appreciation of Ola Rotimi’s Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again and its roles in Female Education is significant because it exposes the effect of feminism on education. It also shows how his work reflects the socio-cultural issues that have unfolded and are obvious in Africa.
Female students will be exposed to the tyrannical ways of men in the society and therefore, resist the male domination. This will help them to say no to polygamy and other unfavourable condition brought upon the female gender in a patriarchy society like Africa. The project will be beneficial to literature students in both tertiary and secondary institutions as a reference material. Researchers who intend to investigate and carry out research on feminism will also find it useful. Lecturers and non-academic staff will find this work helpful in understanding gender differences among students in the class and managing it accordingly.
1.5 Scope of the Study
This research work will only cover the aspect of feminism and areas related to it. It will be limited to the feminist concept as it is applicable to Ola Rotimi’s Our Husband has Gone Again and attention shall be focused on defining feminism as an ideology and on the relevant areas that are predominant with feminism as its thematic pre-occupation. Therefore, it is meant to analyse feminism and its roles in female education through plays.-
1.6 Definition of Terms
Feminism: A social theory or political movement arguing that legal and social restrictions on females must be removed in order to bring about equality of both sexes in all aspects of public and private life.
Sexist: A person who discriminates on grounds of sex. As an adjective, it refers to being unfairly discriminatory against one sex in favour of the other.