Abstract

NTSHANGASE, Sicelo Ziphozonke. Men's perceived powers to destroy or rebuild women's lives: Analysis of gender stereotypes portrayed in Uthando Lungumanqoba. Educ. res. soc. change [online]. 2018, vol.7, n.2, pp.87-101. ISSN 2221-4070.  https://doi.org/10.17159/2221-4070/2018/v7i2a6.

This article is aimed at challenging gender stereotypes portraying men as a powerful species that can either destroy or build the lives of women. Using the critical approach to literature called feminist literary criticism, which embraces pluralism of feminist ideologies, this investigation depicts how gender stereotypes and the abuse of women nearly destroyed the life of a young girl in an isiZulu novel titled Uthando Lungumanqoba [Love Conquers All], by Maphili Shange. This woman author allows the character of Phindile, a young girl who lost both her parents at the age of 17, to be rescued from the clutches of poverty and prostitution by a man named Thulani-which shows how gender stereotypes have equally infested the psyches of both men and women.

Keywords : cultural values; feminist literary criticism; gender-based violence; gender stereotypes; women's rights.

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