A Comparative Feminist Study of Subalterns in Adichie's Americanah and Darzink's Song of a Captive Bird

Abstract

The present study explores the issues of oppression and gender identity in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah and Jasmin Darznik's Song of a Captive Bird. This study examines Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak's subaltern theory that views how women suffer from oppression and gender identity in a patriarchal society. The postcolonial feminist research method is employed in the study to analyze how the two female authors present the struggle of women living in patriarchal cultures. From different views, this study uses close textual analysis to examine the narratives of Ifemelu and Farrokhzad and their respective struggle with societal expectations about gender roles. The findings of the study indicate that both authors address the issue of oppression and gender identity through their respective narratives. The authors' works show how gender norms and expectations limit women's opportunities and agency in Nigerian and Iranian societies. This study also highlights how patriarchal culture contributes to the anguish of Nigerian and Iranian women, creating additional barriers to their empowerment and fulfilment. This study concludes that the works of both female writers provide valuable insights into the struggle of women living in patriarchal societies and call for a re-examination of gender roles and societal expectations to promote gender equality and empowerment.