The life of African women has been the focus of increasing interest, interrogation and interpretation since the publication of the first internationally-acclaimed African texts, despite the fact that male African writers have often been criticized for their inadequate portrayal of African women. In fact, it can be argued that many Black African male authors in particular, even renowned writers and critics such as Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Wole Soyinka and Es’kia Mphahlele, have composed texts which gave central roles to African male characters while distancing, displacing or simplifying African women. Thus Nigerian critic Oyeronke Oyewumi writes: “In much of Africa, ‘womanhood’ does not constitute a social role, identity, position or location” (
African Women and Feminism2). Indeed,…
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Citation: Shober, G Dianne. "Beauty's Gift". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 08 March 2012 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=34386, accessed 21 November 2024.]
