The Evolution of the African Female Protagonist in Contemporary Literature
For decades, African literature was dominated by male voices and male-centered narratives. The earliest celebrated works—by writers like Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, and Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o—focused largely on colonialism, politics, and masculinity. Women were present, but often peripheral: mothers, lovers, symbols of tradition or temptation. But in the past three decades, the African female protagonist has undergone a remarkable evolution—from shadowy background figure to fully realized, emotionally complex character. Today, she is no longer simply written about; she writes herself into existence. Contemporary African literature, shaped by the likes of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Sefi Atta, Noviolet Bulawayo, and…
