Marital Breakdown and its Impacts on Women in Nigerian A Study of Zaynab Alkali The Still Born and Bauchi Emecheta The Joys of Motherhood
Marital Breakdown and its Impacts on Women in Nigerian A Study of Zaynab Alkali the Still Born and Bauchi Emecheta the Joys of Motherhood
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
According to Statsky Marital breakdown refers to the common process whereby the relationship between a married couple erodes, such that they cannot ordinarily restore their relationship. There are many stages to the process, and each individual goes through the stages at different rates. It is a complex process involving psychology, personal finance, and often religion. It is a breach of domestic anticipation, often leading to a divorce or dissolution of the marital relationship. Often there are children, in-laws, and other individuals involved in the process. At the end of the process, there may be no relationship left, or there may be a long-term relationship at a distance (254)
The branch of domestic anticipation, often leading to a divorce or dissolution of the marital relationship may lead to negative effects on society which include poverty, educational failure, early and risky sexual activity, non-marital childbirth, the earlier marriage of children from these homes, cohabitation, marital discord, and divorce. In fact, emotional problems associated with marital breakdown actually increase during young adulthood. Andreas observed that:
For some, marriage turns out to be a loveless entrapment. While for others, marriage is one miserable long-life experience” (4). As quoted by Tagwira, “But she stayed for the sake of her children and because marriage was not something that one could just walk away from. Once you get in, you stay … no matter how hard it gets. Always remember that a woman cannot raise a good family without a man by her side… (7).
Taking a cue from the above quotations, this study critically explored the ambivalent and paradoxical presentation of marriage breakdown in the selected novels, namely Zaynab Alkali’s The Still Born and Bauchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood respectively.
At first glance, Zaynab Alkali’s The Still Born has been analyzed by many African critics such as Gilman, Kawachi, Fitzmaurice, and Buka. These scholars have explored critical issues of marriage failure in African fiction, for example; abusive husbands, infidelity, dysfunctional marriages, and divorce among others. However, there is another perspective, which has received little attention, which is the possibility of prototypical and archetypical marriages where marital satisfaction despite some challenges seems to be found. Those who have looked at the critical issues of marriage have mainly focused only on a one-dimensional perspective. In this respect, it becomes evident that much uncertainty still exists about the presentation of holistic and balanced appreciation of marital relationships in the African body of literature.
Marital Breakdown and its Impacts on Women in Nigerian A Study of Zaynab Alkali The Still Born and Bauchi Emecheta The Joys of Motherhood
Gilligan and Omage highlight, for example, concepts such as non-marital children, cohabitation, advanced ages at first marriage, and higher rates of divorce and separation. However, far too little attention has been paid to marriage in literary works as possible sites for functionality, quality, and stability. Hence, it may be evident that this is an almost one-sided view, which is the dysfunctional perspective of marriage without considering the presentation of what authors have presented as exemplary marriages, even in the midst of others who may see it as a loveless entrapment (12-13).
Turning to Bauchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood, some writers have analyzed the novel, but from different perspectives as summarised by Mlambo thus:
These writers have explored critical issues of hope in hopeless situations, women in a patriarchal society, resilience, trauma, and pragmatic morality. However, such expositions are unsatisfactory as they missed a critical dimension in the available studies, which is the holistic and balanced presentation of marriage, thus creating a paucity of literary criticism on this specific theme, which therefore is an uninvestigated issue that this study sought to investigate. (78)
The two novels proffer what Fincham and Beach explain with regards to the versions of marriages in Nigeria as the agony, pains, and setback that women faced when their marriage breakdown It is with this in mind that this study examined Marital Breakdown and its Impacts on Women in Nigeria. A Study of Zaynab Alkali’s The Still Born and Bauchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood
1.2 Statement of the problem
In recent times, the level of marriage breakdown has become more alarming in our society. For example on January 26th, 2022 when the High Court here in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State seat for the first hearing for the judicial year, a total of six marriages were divorced due to lack of endurance, love, and willingness to keep the marriage from the side of the husband. for example, in the courtroom one Mrs. Eno Ukpe cried bitterly in the court begging her husband not to break the marital vow but the husband insisted and the marriage was canceled by the preceding Judge of the High Court.
In tears and lamentation, Eno tenders the marriage certificate and the ring as she wept to alter some words like “who will marry me again after giving birth to six children “and where do I even go from here”. This is what most women in our society, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, and Africa are going through at the hand of men as a result of marriage breakdown. Hence, the current study sought to offer a nuanced understanding of the Impacts of marriage breakdown on Women in Nigerian. Study of Zaynab Alkali’s The Still Born and Bauchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood stability.
Marital Breakdown and its Impacts on Women in Nigerian A Study of Zaynab Alkali The Still Born and Bauchi Emecheta The Joys of Motherhood
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study is to examine Marital Breakdown and its Impacts on Women in Nigerian. A Study of Zaynab Alkali’s The Still Born and Bauchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood. Specifically, the study will sort to:
- Explore the ways in which marriage is portrayed in the two novels, Zaynab Alkali’s The Still Born and Bauchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood stability.
- Examine the representation of marital instability and inequality in the two selected novels; and
- Interrogate the causes of marital dissatisfaction and marital breakdown in the two selected novels.
1.4 Significance of the study
This study will add to informed ideas to the growing existing literature and how it relates to gender, and it helps to inform other studies on gender in fiction about the availability of space for the complementarity of femininity and masculinity in literary works through the use of two theories, Masculinity and Nego-Feminism.
This helps make possible a better understanding of the complex interlinking of studies on gender issues and provides valuable information for scholars, researchers, policymakers, and academics as well as those who may be interested in the subject of literary presentation of the theme of marriage in the African context. Furthermore, it is envisaged that the study could encourage readers and researchers to view the selected texts from a different perspective and comprehend the text from a critical Masculinity and Nego-Feminism lens which differ from the generally used viewpoints.
1.5 Research Methodology
The research work will be basically a long essay project and the primary source of data will be Zaynab Alkali’s The Still Born and Bauchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood. While the internet, journals, textbooks, and news publications will constitute the secondary source of data for this research work.
1.6 Scope and Limitation of the Study
The study will be restricted to the investigation into Marital Breakdown and its Impacts on Women in Nigeria. A Study of Zaynab Alkali’s The Still Born and Bauchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood. The study will be focused only on two novels as well as the exploration of one theme in the two literary texts under study
1.7 Delimitations of the study
The findings of the current study will be based on the literary representation of the impact of marriage breakdown through the characters’ interactions specifically in The Still Born and Bauchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood and the findings may not necessarily be universal to other literary texts of similar thematic concerns.
1.8 Definition of Terms
The following terms shall be defined in the course of this research:
- Masculinity: This refers to a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles associated with men and boys.
- Nego-feminism: A form of African feminism that emphasizes negotiation and compromise
