Black female power in Dudu Busani-Dube’s novels Hlomu-the wife, Zandile-the resolute and Naledi-his love.

Abstract

This dissertation examines the power of black females in Dudu Busani-Dube’s novels Hlomu-the wife, Zandile-the resolute and Naledi-his love. The study also examines Black diamond by Zakes Mda and Hunger eats a man by Nkosinathi Sithole to evaluate their representation of black female characters. South African literature has a pessimistic portrayal of black female characters, and the representation of black female characters seems to be that of victimisation in various forms. The black female body has been a symbol of victimisation in literary textual representations. The study briefly looks at the background of how black females such as Sarah Baartman were victimised, both physically and in textual representation. It then explores the activism of females in South African history. Thereafter, the themes of power, motherhood, conflict and sexual love are analysed in detail. The research highlights the power and strength that black women possess as represented in Busani-Dube’s work. Previous research studies focused on women as a homogenous group negating the cultural and racial differences of black women. Black women’s vigour and courage call for scholarship thought and consideration. The study aims to affirm black women in literature and highlight their victories. The research methodology of the study is textual analysis, and the theoretical framework is African feminism. The analysis of the study demonstrates that black women are not only victims as they are generally portrayed in literature, but they are heroines and competent women who require positive recognition in South African literature and Africa as a whole. The aim of the study is to depict that black women have positive traits worth academic engagement.