Women in Xhosa drama: dramatic and cultural perspectives

Abstract

The aim of this article is to explore the influence of culture in the characterisation of women in Xhosa drama. This will of necessity require a synthetic analysis of various dramas as regards common themes and the cultural properties they reflect. The approach to the discussions will lay more emphasis on the establishment of the full range of complexity of women in Xhosa drama in order to determine whether differences can be identified among various dramas, as regards the depiction of women characters and how such possible differences may reflect differences in the cultural role and status of women in society. Through such a comparison, hopefully, it can be determined whether the depiction of women in these works has kept pace with the strides women have taken in modern day society. An important aim will thus be to establish whether women in literature are always depicted as victims or whether there are indications in drama depictions of women that perceptions of their cultural role and status are undergoing changes.