ISSN 2360-7998
Abstract
This study explores the reconstruction of female identity in contemporary Nigerian and South Sudanese drama through a postcolonial feminist framework. Using a qualitative comparative literary approach, it analyses selected texts to examine how women are represented and how these representations challenge or reinforce patriarchal norms. The findings reveal a shift from traditional portrayals of women as passive figures to more complex depictions marked by agency, resistance, and social participation. Nigerian drama tends to emphasise individual and collective resistance within cultural constraints, while South Sudanese drama, shaped by conflict and nation-building, foregrounds themes of trauma, resilience, and communal agency. Despite these advancements, tensions between empowerment and tradition persist. The study concludes that contemporary African drama serves as a critical space for redefining womanhood and contesting dominant gender ideologies.
Keywords: Postcolonial feminism, African drama, female representation, womanhood, patriarchy, Nigeria, South Sudan, gender studies.