Violence in Gender Relationship in African Culture: A Study of Zulu Sofola’s Wedlock of Gods

Abstract

The article interrogates African traditional practices that are discriminatory in nature and produce violence against the female gender within the episcope of the play, Wedlock of the Gods by Zulu Sofola. The research is a content study that relies on purposively selected extracts from the play for analysis. In order to achieve the objective of the research, African Feminism theory is used for the interpretation of selected extracts to show instances of discriminatory African traditional practices that occasion violence against the female gender. Findings from the study show that some of the traditional practices that produce violence are: the widowhood practice of seclusion; forced marriage and culture of bride price; male child preference; and, victim blaming. The authors contend that the identified practices are gender sensitive and constitute violence against the woman.