The enactment of Male Mothering in Clark's the Wives' Revolt
Abstract
The predominantly conventional situation in indigenous and contemporary
Africa has been a practice of female mothering within the domestic space.
Given the postmodern spirit of professionalization that is affecting numerous
entrepreneurial outfits and agencies around the world, men have entered into
spaces of mothering, hitherto reserved for women. Examples abound in Europe
and America of male nannies while a sizeable number of men in Nigeria
secured employment through the growing influence of the Macdonaldization
witnessed in fast food companies. This has influenced the gender changing
roles witnessed in a number of homes in Nigeria and in Africa. This paper
ô€—ô€‹ô€ˆô€•ô€ˆô€‰ô€’ô€•ô€ˆô€€ƒô€ˆô€›ô€„ô€ô€Œô€‘ô€ˆô€–ô€€ƒô€—ô€‹ô€ˆô€€ƒô€•ô€ˆô€“ô€•ô€ˆô€–ô€ˆô€‘ô€—ô€„ô€—ô€Œô€’ô€‘ô€€ƒô€’ô€‰ô€€ƒô€ô€„ô€ô€ˆô€€ƒô€ô€’ô€—ô€‹ô€ˆô€•ô€Œô€‘ô€Šô€€ƒô€Œô€‘ô€€ƒô€€¦ô€ô€„ô€•ô€Žô€‚·ô€–ô€€ƒô€€·ô€‹ô€ˆô€€ƒô€€ºô€Œô€™ô€ˆô€–ô€‚·ô€€ƒ
Revolt with a view to establishing the artistic agency of the playwright. Judith
ô€€¥ô€˜ô€—ô€ô€ˆô€•ô€‚·ô€–ô€€ƒô€Šô€ˆô€‘ô€‡ô€ˆô€•ô€€ƒô€—ô€‹ô€ˆô€’ô€•ô€œô€€ƒô€’ô€‰ô€€ƒPerformativity is used to analyze representations. The
discussion of representation in the play shows that the playwright mismanages
the male mothers and thereby demonstrates a clear misapprehension of gender
as performance.
Key words : Female mothering, domestic space, male nannies, performativity,
representation, performance
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