Blots on our landscapes? Male characters in selected prose-fiction of women writers from the sub-Sahara

The non-availability of research on male portraits by female African writers is the motivation for this study. Furthermore, the researcher is interested in determining whether the assumption that the machination of African men has stunted the social and economic progress of the African woman is reflected in the fiction of African women.; The findings are based on the selected works of nine writers from five different regions of the continent. Sixteen books by Zaynab Alkali, Ama Ata Aidoo, Mariama Ba, Tsitsi Dagarembga, Buchi Emecheta, Aminata Sow-Fall, Nadine Gordimer, Farida Karodia, Flora Nwapa, and Miriam Tlali were analyzed for their portrayal of male characters.; The study discovers that the patriarchal nature of most of Africa is largely to blame for the tension between men and women. Patriarchy ascribes burdensome roles to women, and any attempt at changing the status quo is thwarted by traditional sanctions. Men who adhere rigidly to society's expectation of women are apt to deprive their spouses and other female relatives of basic freedoms. However, the study shows that exposure to more liberal attitudes produces male-female relationships with less friction.; The study argues that men are themselves victims of African society's expectations. For example, maleness is synonymous with physical prowess and economic success. A man should not be outwitted and outmaneuvered by his spouse, as being so is a sign of weakness. Nonetheless, the views of the authors suggest that the African society is not static. As women become more educated and their earning power increases, their roles are not restricted to the homestead but extend to areas traditionally reserved for men. African men themselves become willing accomplices to the success of the emerging African woman.