The portrayal of female characters in Maake's novel MME

• Main Author: Moloi, Nthabiseng Hazel
• Language: en
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10394/16997

This research project entitled: The Portrayal of Female Characters in Maake’s Novel Mme is about the manner in which the author portrayed female characters in the novel. The author unlike the most Sesotho authors who portray their female characters as inferior, he portrays his female characters as strong human beings. The study is divided into six chapters and the strong characterisation of women as depicted in the novel is discussed in those chapters. Chapter one is the introductory chapter and it presents the definition of concepts, problem statement, the aims of the study, methodology, literature review as well as the contribution and challenges of the study. The second chapter is the chapter that provides the study with the theoretical frame-work. This study is guided by Feminism. The Feminist theory helps to organize the study and provides a context in which to examine the problem of the study. It also helps to achieve the aims of the study. The third chapter gives a clear picture on how Maake (1995) portrayed the young female characters. There are many young female characters but for the purpose of this study only three characters are looked at. These characters are Dikeledi who later became Mmateboho because she is known a married woman. Miss Lekena is the unmarried woman teacher. Mmatakatso is also married and she is closer to Mmateboho. The fourth chapter discusses how Sehloho abuses his concubine Mmalenka by eloping with her by force. As she is reluctent to go with Sehloho, he beats her and forces her to leave her house without a person guarding it. Mmalenka is forced to leave her house and her business because she is a shebeen queen. The most painful part of Sehloho‟s action, is when he takes Mmalenka to Mmadimakatso‟s house and forces both his wife Mmadimakatso and his concubine Mmalenka to sleep in the same room. Mmadimakatso does not agree to share a room with Mmalenka. Sehloho accommodates Mmalenka in the outside room. In the fifth chapter, the study discusses how Sehloho when he is in Dithotaneng at Setinkolo‟s place. He is much attracted to Setinkolo‟s daughter Sofi. He proposes love to Sofi and tells her lies that he is still a single man. Sehloho elopes with Sofi to Mmalenka‟s place. He forces Mmalenka to accommodate Sofi in her hut‟s room but Mmalenka beats Sofi. At the end, Sehloho and Sofi sleep in Mmalenka‟s hut. Mmalenka decides to sleep with Sehloho‟s children in another hut. Mmadimakatso and Mmalenka go out and Sofi is left alone at home. She calls Sefofane and they steal from Mmalenka and Mmadimakatso. The concluding chapter is related to the questions raised in the introductory chapter. Sofi becomes the voice of the voiceless. As she steals from Mmadimakatso and Mmalenka, Sehloho‟s status of patriarchal domination ceases and both Mmalenka and Sofi are released from the practice of tjhobediso. Mmalenka is released from an abusive marriage and she returns to her house. The study concludes with recommendations for applying research and suggestions concerning further research.