Summary
Summary - ENG2603 - Colonial And Postcolonial African Literatures
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- University Of South Africa (Unisa)
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ENG2603 NERVOUS CONDITION NOTESTHE AIMS OF THE STUDY
This study explores the gender, race, class and cultural experiences of black African
women. It will analyze Nervous Conditions (1988) from a feminist point of view of
women’s subjugation. The main argument of this study is based on the notion that even
though gender oppression against women is widely discouraged and is in the process of
being eradicated, unequal power relations between the sexes still lingers. Women still
suffer daily infringement of their basic rights as human beings and live with the ever
present experience of sexual oppression.
The focal point of this exploration is an analysis of the role women play in the novel
and to expound on how patriarchal oppression fosters discriminatory treatment against
women. The established norms and decorum sanctioned by culture as a whole which
relegate women to subordinate positions are investigated. Tsitsi Dangarembga’s
Nervous Conditions (1988) is used as a point of focus critically to investigate the
oppressive experiences of African women, all of whom now live in post-colonial
The Zimbabwean writer Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions (1988) is a novel
that shares many of the preoccupations of African women’s autobiographical writing,
and is spoken throughout by a single narrator who may be defined as “a narrative
voice” or “speaker” of the text, one who supplies the “I said” tags and descriptions.
The narrator of Nervous Conditions is an internal participant of the story, and a
seemingly reliable one since the rendering of the story and its commentary affords the
reader the opportunity to accept it as an authoritative account of a non-fictional truth
(Rimmon- Kenan 1987:87).
The narrator is a `woman who has already experienced the occurrences described in the
text; the protagonist is a young woman trying to overcome hardships and develop
herself to the fullest. As a woman she’s undermined and deemed inferior. This
subordination is further influenced by cultural ideologies that accord men a higher
status than women. The text explores how a Shona woman being oppressed by cultural
norms, patriarchy and race had minimal chances for social advancement.
AFRICAN SOCIETIES.
In the African culture, women are often trapped in traditional roles, as men do not take
equal responsibility for family care and will not do what they see as women's work. It is
within the novel that we can see how Tambus mother, Ma'Shingayi is trapped in the
traditional role of caring for the household as well as the children,
"The business of womanhood is a heavy burden." - Ma'Shingayi page 16,
this is when she explains to her daughter, Tambu, that there are sacrifices to be made, and
you as the woman, must be the one to make them. It is also within this quote that we can
see that Ma'Shingayi has accepted her fate as a servant to the men in her life.
In many cases, women do not have control or equal control over the management and
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, allocation of family income, as we can see where Babamukuru has entire control of his
wife, Maigurus income. Later on in the novel Maiguru speaks up to Babamukuru about her
unhappiness and how she will no longer allow him to use her hard earned money as he
pleases, here Maiguru displays agency in hsr role in the novel.
When looking at the main married women in the novel, Ma'Shingayi (first married in the
eyes of the Shona culture and later married within the Western culture) and Maiguru, we
can clearly see how each women faces challenged in their respective households.
Tambu and her mother, cannot imagine that Maiguru suffers in anyway, as to them, she
seems to have it all, money, education and decency.
Maiguru throughout the beginning of the novel, is seen as a strong, educated, successful
and professional woman, and thus, she stands out from the rest of the women in the
family. Life in England I believed changed her views and beliefs on her traditional life and
role,
"When I was in England I glimpsed for a little while the things I could have been, the
things I could have done if-if-if things were different. But there was BabawaChido
and the children and the family. And does anyone realise, does anyone appreciate,
what sacrifices were made? As for me, no-one even thinks about the thingsbi gave
up." - Maiguru page 103.
As.a woman, Maiguru had to sacrifice the opportunities she earned by educating herself.
We see how she constantly battled between the two cultures, of being obedient, loyal and
submissive to her husband with maintaining her traditional role and being herself, by
showing true agency and not having someone govern her every move, thought and
spoken word.
" I am sick of Babawa Chido. Let me tell you I have had enough! And when I keep
quiet you think I am enjoying it. So today I am telling you I am not happy. I am not
happy anymore in this house." - Maiguru page 172.
Here Maiguru had finally had enough of being subservient to all and stood up to her
husband, after having to conceal her deep seared resentment and frustration brought on
by the family.
Her delaying tactics during the wedding preparations were subtle indications of resistance
if not the rebellion against the traditional role of womanhood. Maigurus departure and
subsequent return serves as a turning point in the order of power relations in the house, as
Babamukurus decisions were no longer unchallengeable.
Within Maigurus and Babamukurus family, we can also see the battle that each of the
children face when it comes to the difference in cultures.
Chido I believe has fully embraced the Western culture with little difficulty and near the end
of the novel, much to the dislike of Ma'Shingayi, he has a white girlfriend.
Nyasha, on the other hand truly battles with the two very different cultures, as seen when
they first return from England and both her and her brother have forgotten how to speak
their native tongue, Shona. She also expresses that while they were in England, they had
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