UNVEILING POWER DYNAMICS AND GENDER OPPRESSION IN BUCHI EMECHETA’S THE BRIDE PRICE

Abstract

This study examines Buchi Emecheta’s novel, The Bride Price through the lens of cultural, religious, educational, and economic hegemony. Set in post-colonial Nigeria, the novel recounts the life of Aku-nna, a young Igbo girl whose experiences speculate the pervading influence of abundant hegemonic forces on individual and societal levels. The study focuses on how cultural traditions, particularly the practice of bride price, reinforce patriarchal values and manipulate women, thereby maintaining cultural hegemony. Additionally, the study probes economic hegemony by highlighting the financial dependencies and distinction that shape gender and class relations within the narrative. Religious hegemony is also investigated through the novel’s portrayal of the interplay between traditional Igbo beliefs and colonial Christian creed, revealing the complex ways in which these belief systems hits moral values and social behaviors. The role of education is also inspected, examining how colonial educational structures and serve as instruments of both authorization and control, influencing individual desires and societal expectations. Through a comprehensive analysis of these hegemonic dimensions, this study aims to uncover the sophisticated mechanisms of power and their implications in Emecheta’s work. By establishing The Bride Price within the broader context of post-colonial discourse, the study contributes to an enhanced understanding of the enduring impact of hegemonic structures on post-colonial societies and the individuals within them.