Ken Saro-Wiwa

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How does Ken Saro-Wiwa critique the patriarchal traditions of Dukana in "The Divorcee"?

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In "The Divorcee," Ken Saro-Wiwa critiques Dukana's patriarchal traditions by highlighting the unfairness women face when they can't bear children. His protagonist, Lebia, is blamed for her childlessness and divorced, even though the infertility could be her husband's fault. The societal expectation to return the bride price can cause financial hardship for the woman's family. Saro-Wiwa underscores the emotional and financial toll these traditions inflict on women, while men remain unpunished.

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In the short story "The Divorcee" by Ken Saro-Wiwa, it is very clear that, in Dukana, women are only meant to bear children. They also do household labor—washing and cooking and cleaning for their husbands—but this role is secondary to their duty to give birth. If they do not bear children, they have failed in their duties as wives. This is what their mothers tell them, and what they are to tell their daughters.

Lebia, the divorcee who gives the story its name, knows this and so is devastated to find herself not becoming pregnant year after year. She sees conception as a way to "secure her place" by her husband's side; when she does not become pregnant, indeed, she loses that place. Of course, the infertility could just as easily be her husband's fault, but in Dukana the provisions for divorce in the event of childlessness simply never...

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punish the man. The patriarchal society blames women, returns them to their mothers' homes—or the street, if their families have passed—and forces their mothers to return the bride price the husband had paid.

By telling this story, Saro-Wiwa showcases the vast unfairness that he sees in Dukana society. He allows us to follow the story of the one who would usually be forgotten—a wife who could not fulfill what is seen as her only purpose—and paints a heart-wrenching picture of the harm that these patriarchal rules cause.

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How does Ken Saro-Wiwa critique Dukana's patriarchal traditions in "The Divorcee"?

“The Divorcee” presents the story of Lebia, a young Dukana woman who has returned to her family’s home after her husband orders her out of their house. During three years of marriage, the couple tried to become pregnant but failed to do so. The husband understands, as do others in their society, that the woman is responsible for such a situation. The solution is simply to dissolve the marriage. The complications of this arrangement are that the local custom includes payment of bride price; when the husband dissolves the marriage, the bride’s family must return that price, which can bring financial hardship to them. In addition, the family may be unwilling to take the bride back or, if the parents is dead, there may not be a natal home to which the woman can return.

In Lebia’s case, the narrator states that she is fortunate because her mother was still living and was able and willing to take her back. The public impression that she cannot conceive is also likely to deter any future proposals. In Lebia’s case, she was able to return to her mother. The narrator describes her as an elegant woman, who walks “alone” but “unsmiling.” While most people in her community would view her divorce as far from ideal, she can see some advantages because she understands her marriage as plagued by her husband’s brutality.

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