The female fatale archetype in elechi amadi's the concubine and ferdinand oyono's hosueboy
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Date
2016
Authors
Chanda, Royd
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Zambia
Abstract
The femme fatale concept has been there from time immemorial especially in
Western culture. It is a male construct that stereotypes women, thereby perpetuating
male dominance.
This study, using the qualitative method, looks at the representation of the femme
fatale in Western culture and in African culture, focusing on the treatment of the
femme fatale in two novels: Houseboy and The Concubine, comparing their
similarities and differences.
The findings in the representation of the femme fatale in Western culture show her as
beautiful, attractive, intelligent, mysterious, subversive, double-crossing, unloving,
predatory, tongue-sweet, unreliable, irresponsible and manipulative, at times a
femme vampire who is extremely dangerous.
In African culture her image has been equally mystified. She is a figure enriched by
sensuality and luxury, depicted in powerful colours, with waist beads, lush fabrics,
indigo, henna, patchouli, and nipple tassels. Glamour is her uniform. The African
femme fatale is accused of witchcraft and murder.
Although the findings in the two texts show that the femme fatale (literally, the
woman who brings death) exists in the African literary tradition, there are crucial
differences from the modern and contemporary Western examples. The traditional
African femme fatale is given strange, mystical, mythological and supernatural
attributes like the ancient Greek Medusa or Circe. Meanwhile Ihuoma in The
Concubine, although her association with the sea and water links her to the ‘mammy
wata’, a figure in West African tradition, she is not conscious of her fatal power but
is ostensibly a good, well-behaved and innocent village woman. In Houseboy,
Madame’s mysterious power lies in the fact that she is Toundi’s boss and therefore
has power over him. Toundi has a fascination for this older yet attractive, sexually
active white woman who cheats on her husband, and this fatal attraction and
fascination stem from his childhood experiences.
Description
Master of Arts in Literature.
Keywords
Amadi, Elechi, 1934-2016. Concubine. , West African fiction (English)--History and criticism.