THE PORTRAYAL OF WOMEN IN SESOTHO LITERATURE WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO SOUTH AFRICAN NOVELS, POEMS AND PROVERBS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the portrayal of women in Sesotho literature, with more emphasis on the novels, poetry and proverbs genres. The depiction of women is needed in sociological view to see whether what that depiction reflects reality. A major focus of the study is to investigate how to bring new perspectives on writing a book from a different view point. To also promote women's liberty and encourage equality. Since literature depicts social life, people should be able to treat others in a humane manner. Literature should also change the tradition of human inequality and to promote justice for all. New authors should avoid the stereotypes about women in society. The study employs African feminist literary criticism as a tool in critically analysing the various literary genres. It also adopts purposive sampling of Sesotho novels, poetry and proverbs that have women characters in them and analyse how these women characters have been portrayed. The naming of female characters is examined in relation to their roles in the texts and the titles of the texts are also investigated and critically analysed to establish whether they portray any gender stereotypes. The themes of the selected texts are also examined to establish if there is any gender biasness. The study concludes that there is gender-biasness in the manner in which women characters are depicted that do not reflect the current political and social order. However, some women authors, unlike their male counterparts do not reflect gender-biasness in their depiction of female characters.