Novel: Things Fall Apart
By: Chinua Achebe
Female Character (Role Of Women)
Question:
ANSWER:
She is a spiritual leader; whose authority is unquestioned. Grace Okafor remarks on the Igbo opinion of women's ceremonial power: The ceremonial function of women originated from the belief in the ceremonial spirit of women as ancestors of society. The idea is that women know the top-secret of life since they are the cause of life. Because of their biological role in the life-giving procedure, society looks on them to protect life. Thus, it is the biological part of women that influenced belief in their power. (Okafor, 9-10)
There is a notable question that old Uchendu asks, which stresses the position of women in Things Fall Apart in a dramatic way: Can you tell me, Okonkwo, why it is that one of the commonest names we give to our children is Nneka, or "Mother is Supreme"? We all recognise that a man is the head of the family and his wives do his command. A child goes to its father and his family and not to its mother and her family. A man goes to his fatherland and not to his homeland. But we state Nneka- - "Mother is Supreme." Why is that? (94)
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