MISOGYNY AND PATRIARCHY IN CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE’S PURPLE HIBISCUS

Abstract

This project work examines issues of misogyny and patriarchy in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Purple Hibiscus as well as the use of irony and suspense to depict the world of subjugation and oppression of women. Patriarchy which is the rule of the father has been portrayed in the text to be a depressing and oppresive system of leadership. It's one that gives room for abuse of the rights of individuals, especially women, making them vulnerable to the subjugation of misogynist. Adichie's tells of the effect of patriarchy through her autobiographical character, Kambili who narrates her father oppresive rule in her family. The use of irony in the text satirises the character of Eugene, the catholic church and the Nigerian Institution. Eugene poises to be a devout catholic, a philanthropist and a charitable figure publicly, but to his family members he is tyrant, an abusive father and inconsiderate Husband. To say, Eugene is a murderer, who has severally beats up his wife to loosing her children. The arrangement of the events in this, keeps us in suspense as we trial to know the next point of action. The characters use is the text depicts the concept of radical and liberial feminism. Beatrice Achike who have been severally abused revolted to end patriarchy in home, as a symbol of a radical feminist she cuts of Patriarchy from her root. Adichie's uses her female characters to depict the sufferings of women under patriarchal rule and also satarising the effect and its harm not just to the nuclear family but to the society at large.