Feminine De-feminisation of Harmful Cultural Practices in Pierre Meunier’s Chinyelu (Tragedy of Dona Juana)

Adeoye, AbdulRasheed Abiodun

doi:10.21608/tjhss.2022.279180

Feminine De-feminisation of Harmful Cultural Practices in Pierre Meunier’s Chinyelu (Tragedy of Dona Juana)

Document Type : Original Article

Author

AbdulRasheed Abiodun Adeoye

Department of Performing Arts, University of Ilorin, Nigeria

10.21608/tjhss.2022.279180

Abstract

In contextual reflection, to de-feminise is to negate the main themes and tendencies of feminism no matter its brands and types. This negation is a situation whereby the female character uses her natural potentials and attributes to destroy her people, culture, society and herself. Just like the tragic hero who cannot escape tragic flaws which often lead to his destruction, the heroine of feminine de-feminisation also celebrates and exhibits multiple character disorder. Consequently, this study, through the theoretical foundation of mimetic criticism which Plato and later, Aristotle builds on, examines feminine de-feminisation of harmful cultural practices in Pierre Meunier’s Chinyelu(Tragedy of Dona Juana). The relevance of this text within the current postcolonial order cannot be overemphasised. Indeed, the study has also established the fact that there is timelessness in the thematic concern of a good play and that adaptation or its postcolonial literary gaze which is transplantation in drama will continue to redefine the global theatre. The study concludes that feminist scholars, dramatists and writers should take the issue of feminine de-feminisation of harmful cultural practices serious by communicating, condemning and dramatising them. The standard bearer of feminine de-feminisation in this work remains Chinyelu, the eponymous character in Chinyelu(Tragedy of Dona Juana) who destroys her people, culture, society and herself.

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