The Construction Of Female Subalterns' Subjectivity In Okri's Abiku Trilogy

Ben Okri(1959-),a Nigerian English writer with world influence,is regarded as one of Africa's leading writers.His masterpiece,The Famished Road,composes the abiku trilogy together with Songs of Enchantment and Infinite Riches.Okri has created a series of popular characters in his abiku trilogy,but there are relatively few researches on the female characters at home and abroad.Based on postcolonial feminism of Gayatri Spivak,a famous literary theorist and feminist critic,this thesis focuses on two main female characters,Azaro's mother and Madame Koto,and studies the subjectivity plights faced by the indigenous female subalterns in the novel as well as their subjectivity construction process,so as to achieve a more in-depth interpretation of his trilogy.The thesis holds that the construction of indigenous female subalterns' subjectivity is restricted by multiple difficulties,mainly the indigenous patriarchal oppression,the colonial persecution and the oppression of the elite women.Madame Koto's construction of subjectivity is a long and complicated process;she is the representative of a group of people who are confused under the collision of local culture and foreign culture.In the process of constructing her great power,she struggles between the two cultures.On the one hand,she uses her strong economic strength to actively assist the indigenous female subalterns in improving their life and challenges the traditional male-dominated social order.On the other hand,she is controlled by the colonial government and suppressed by her desire,and also she plays a negative role as the spokesman of the colonial government.Her subjective consciousness develops with imbalance.The death of Ade prompts the awakening of her subjective consciousness and the regaining of love in her heart.Her confession of the evil deeds done by the colonial government is a resistance against the colonial rule,a strong expression of her emotion and thoughts,and also a sign of self-awareness.Although the process of her subjectivity construction is full of hardship,she has made a significant step.The construction of Azaro's mother's subjectivity is realized in two ways.One is the subjectivity construction in gender.Her subjective consciousness changes from weak to strong by getting rid of obedience and dependence on her husband,breaking the stereotyped concept of gender role and building a new gender relationship with her husband.The other is the subjectivity construction in the race.With the active participation in political life,along with the inheritance of oral cultural traditions and the unity of indigenous female subalterns,Azaro's mother transforms herself and the society with a tough attitude.With reference to postcolonial feminism,the thesis contends that in his abiku trilogy,Okri shows his concern for the construction of indigenous female subalterns' subjectivity,as well as his reflection on the way for them to get rid of alienation and acquire freedom.