A Feminist Analysis of the Themes of Bride Price Practice in Sutherland’s Marriage of Anasewa and Sofola’s Wedlock of The Gods

Abstract

The paper focuses on the issues of bride price practices projected in the plays of two African playwrights. These are Sutherland's Marriage of Anansewa and Sofola's Wedlock of the gods. In the former play, Ananse uses his daughter as a means of solving his economic problems through her bride price. In the later play, some consequences of exorbitant bride price are projected. These include forced and unhappy marriages. These plays project the practice in some parts of Africa whereby the practice of bride price has become commercialized. This has become a concern of African feminists as the practice demeans women and subjects them to maltreatment such as domestic violence. There is therefore need for concerted efforts by stakeholders such as the government and NGO's to bring an end to the practice of exorbitant bride price.