The plight of the African American woman is a subject of critical concern in the modern world. In practice, the African American woman faces diverse challenges in the dynamic and complex information society. Key to note, the changes coming in because of world paradigm shifts and developments have continued to redefine and shape the position of women in the society. Developments such as industrialization, globalization, and urbanization have brought unique challenges to the modern family set-up. Precisely, the rising cost of living among other economic factors continues to redefine the role of the women. Practically, women are increasingly adopting the dominant role of being the heads of the families.
Certainly, most societies assume a patriarchal setup of the family. Precisely, this means that the males have the authority and primarily bear the role of providing for their families. Thus, society expects the men to protect and fend for their families. However, with the changing times, this perspective is gradually fading. Precisely, ideological transfers and cultural infiltrations are shaping the modern family. For example, population increase and the gradual departure from religious-solemnization of marriages is growing single-parenthood at a very high rate.
Interestingly, the single African American mothers are increasingly surpassing the males in the role of providing for their families (Frazier). In principle, this role is given to the men. The African American literature is replete with perspectives and portrayals of the Afro-American woman. My purpose in this paper is to prove the notion that the African American Literature is a Matriarchal society. In other words, the African American literature supports the idea of the woman being the dominant figure in the modern society. As such, I will prove this notion using two critical plays. The first one is “A Folk Tragedy written by Georgia Douglas Johnson. The second one is “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry. Importantly, I will also consider different literature. In principle, I focus on the literature exploring the functions and unique characteristics of the matriarch of the family in the African American set up. An example of this perspective is in Lees’ anthology of the African American Women’s Literature (Lee)
Matriarchal themes are increasingly dominating literature concerning the Black family life. A closer analysis shows that the matriarchal family life features mainly in the studies of the family structure, out-of-wedlock births, sexuality, parenthood, peer groups, identification, and marriages (Rubin 33). Many texts on the Black family emphasize the negative features such as deviancy, uncontrolled sexuality, and pathology. However, Rubin notes that most of the books portraying that picture draw from studies of the lower class societies (Rubin 33). According to Besner, the idea of the matriarchy of the African American families trickles to areas such as parenthood and identification. For example, the studies show that women compensate their distant ties with the males through keen parenting. He traces the idea of a strong attachment of women with their children to Frazier in 1939 (Rubin 36). Female dominance and independence in the home significantly features in the sexual beliefs and patterns. Sadly, Sex in the ghetto is a medium of exchange, entertainment and prestige for both sexes (Rubin 38)
The play “Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry provides a superb glimpse of the plight of the African American woman. Importantly, it addresses the theme on the Youngers (Lee).Apparently; the play is about, Mrs. Lena Younger, the matriarch. Ruth is her daughter-in-law. The play shows how Ruth struggles to reinforce her matriarch role (Anderson 93). Every member of the family has a dream. In effect, they are all working to realize them (Lee). The subject of the emasculation of men is rife in this play. For instance, Anderson notes that Ruth tends to assume her matriarchal role in the family by siding with Walter’s mother. At one point, Ruth is quoted to have told Walter to eat his eggs before they could get cold. According to Anderson, she said that to exercise the motherly role in Walker. In so doing, she asserted her matriarchal position (Anderson 93).
It happened that Mama, the matriarch of this family, saved up some money from the compensation of her late husband’s death. Interestingly, the money could buy a house. Of the essence, this house was located in a white neighborhood. However, this relocation touched a live nerve. As a result, the neighbors sought to try to talk them out of dwelling in that house. Surprisingly, they offered to convince the Youngers to vacate the new as they relocate them. The Youngers refused the offer since they believed that they could achieve their goals by stating united as a family (Lee).
Hansberry shows the sufferings and struggles that the Africa American woman undergoes to achieve her dreams. Worthy to note, Hansberry presents the story in a tactfully brilliant style that captivates the reader through the diction, storyline and plot (Lee).At the outset, this play can be considered as a protest literature.
According to Mafe, there is a duality in the Raisin in the Sun and Ntozake’s ‘For Colored Girls’. Mafe’s claimed that this duality served two main purposes; necessitating the individual triumph of the two plays, and providing a memorable impact on the black female characters. Thus, she appreciates the role of the plays in putting the Black woman in the position of recognition and honor (Mafe 31).
Mafe celebrates the final scene in which Walter Lee upholds Younger’s right to choose where to live. Mama and Ruth engage in a women whispers conversation. Mama tells Ruth that Walter eventually came to his manhood by accepting their choice to move to the new apartment. According to Mafe, this conversation served to show that the director of the play had an obligation of referring to the woman as a point of reference in building his definition of masculinity. The moving on to the Claire Bourne Park revealed Ruth’s desire to have the family relocates. As well, that move served to show Lena’s contribution in buying the home (Mafe 43).
According to Mafe, Shange’s play is a rendition of the struggles and upswings of desperate Black women. It speaks of black women whose disillusionment to society has driven them to commit serious felonies in a desperate attempt to escape. However, ‘for colored girls’ depicts courage and resilience as the girls happen to discover an inner self-worth, in the verge of despair. Thus, in Mafe’s view, Raisin was a precursor of ‘for the colored girls’ (Mafe 44). Most interestingly, ‘for the colored girl,’ revives hope and optimism in the lives of the Afro-American women. By implication, it champions the idea that there is hope even in the midst of trouble. The matriarch needs to look beyond her present sufferings and see the rainbow at the end of her storms.
Religion plays a significant role in shaping and developing people’s behaviors. In a close analysis, some Afro-American women seem to rely on religion for different reasons. Precisely, religion gives them strength, resilience, peace, endurance, and temperance in the midst of her struggles. The play by Georgia Douglas Johnson called ‘Plumes: A Folk Tragedy’ shows an important characteristic of the matriarchal community. Interestingly, it narrates the story of a mother who relied on religion to strengthen her while taking care of her daughter who had a chronic disease. In fact, she was on the verge of death. To this end, the African American woman is a caregiver. She traverses all odds and fears to fight for the life of her children. She is a valiant soldier championing the preservation rather than the destruction of life. Interestingly, she will go to all ends to ensure that she secures the seemingly ebbing life. Worthy to note, this play captures the African American woman in a unique style, showing her to be tenderhearted and caring (Lee). Interestingly, the black Matriarchy seems to be able to exist even in the homes where fathers are active in the lives of their family’s lives (Frazier).
According to Anderson, the Black matriarchs deserve admiration and praise. She is of the opinion that black matriarchs such as Tommy, Ruth, Mama, and Margaret deserve accolades. In principle, she considers the white society to be the cause of most of the Black Women’s predicaments. Nevertheless, she notes that the black women managed to survive and emerge strong and successful in caring for their families and children despite the pains (Anderson 94). Anderson anthology features three key plays that place the African American woman on the praise platform; one of these is called the Amen Corner” by James Baldwin. The play is a story of a woman named Margaret who felt dispirited about men after her husband abandoned her living her with their son David. Nevertheless, Anderson notes that Margaret managed to take care of their child until the time that her husband came back. Thus, this play is a strong reinforcement as to the prowess and courage of the African American woman (Anderson 94).
The “Wine in the Wilderness” by Alice Childress recounts of the story of a man whose primary goal is to express his concept of the black woman artistically. In practice, Bill Jameson, tries to show his perspective through what he calls the tryptich. By implication, the tryptich are three pictures whose chief aim is to create a single work expressing the Black womanhood. In the final analysis, Bill realizes how unfair he was in his representation of the African American girl. Previously, in his first two paintings, he portrayed the African American as gullible and naive. The Wine I the Wilderness was his ideological concept of Africa. Bill happens to have the final concept of the woman not in the form of a painting but a real relationship with Tommy. According to the story, Bill encountered an African American girl and had a romantic relationship with her. Of the essence, this relationship changed his pessimistic outlook of the African American. As a result, he no longer looked at them as the villains of the society but as custodians of strength and beauty (Anderson 94).
The article by Graham captures the life of Margaret Walker. In the article, she shares about Walker’s life and upbringing in Alabama. She also speaks of her early life and experiences in the closely-knit extended family comprising of diverse talents. Worthy to note, her relatives had unique gifting such as storytelling, music, and poetry. As well, Graham describes Walker’s novel. Exactly, the story was about the life and times of a young girl called Vyry. Precisely, Walker wrote the novel to picture the state of life for the African American woman during the Antebellum South to the Reconstruction era (Graham 37).
Interestingly, Walker based the novel on her great grandmother, whom she strongly admired. A closer analysis of Walker’s novel shows that she was sharing her sentiments from the perspective of an African American woman. Slavery had certainly ravaged the strength and watered down the dignity of the African American men and women. Walker recounts of the diligence, determination, courage, and resilience of the Black woman. Vyry struggled to make ends meet. At some point, she was forced to choose between two husbands. The first one sought to have a political position in the newly reconstructed government. On the other hand, the other man sufficed on farming. Vyry chose to live with the farmer but released her son to the man seeing the representation of the constituency. In effect, she made that choice to maintain a humble lifestyle yet let the representative educate her son (Graham 37). Graham depicts Walker as a multi-talented, intelligent, and brilliant woman of strong will. She samples some of her essays and articles, as well as her education (Graham 39). Jubilee is Walker’s story of her grandmother. She pictures her as an example of the African American woman who survived slavery primarily due to the strength of her character and spirit (Graham 42). Thus, according to Graham, Walker perceived herself as a creative person who was constantly transforming the text of her life. She had an ability to confront and address the issues affecting society. Frequently, Walker challenged the conventional norms based on new developments in the society. In effect, she challenged the society to respond to changes in society that redefined the position of women (Graham 45).
On the contrary, Frazier has a different opinion of the African American woman. According to him, the African American woman must respect the men. The typical matriarch of the family should be sensitive to the way she relates with society and especially, with her children. Frazier considered the African American middle-class women as wicked, reckless, crude, and manipulative. He claims that the women demean their husbands. Moreover, they spend their hard-earned money lavishly and extravagantly. Additionally, they consider themselves first instead of their children. More especially, the African American women engage in uncouth mannerisms such as excessive partying, binge drinking and gambling. In the final analysis, Frazier theorizes that the unbecoming behavior of some women stems from their self-centeredness. Thus, this is a blatant and sad reality for the women (Frazier).
The Afro-American woman occupies a foundational role in the society. The upsurge of cases of absentee, passive, and abusive fathers has plunged the African American woman into the forefront of success, achievement, and social wellbeing. The African American woman continues to contribute to the shaping and redefining the position of women in society. Thus, women must increasingly take their place in nurturing and fending for their families. It is all-important that each member plays his or her role in ensuring the wellbeing of society. However, it is paramount that the African American woman continues to assert her position in a manner that respects the other members of society. Respect for other people’s space and dreams are of the essence and thus should be upheld in all spheres of life.
Works Cited
Anderson, Mary Louise. "Black Matriarchy: Portrayals of Women in Three Plays." Negro American Literature Forum 10.3 (1976): 93-95. JSTOR. Web. 03 Apr. 2015.
Frazier, Edward Franklin, and Nathan Glazer. The Negro Family in the United States. Chicago:
U of Chicago, 1966. Print.
Graham, Maryemma. "Margaret Walker: Fully A Poet, Fully A Woman (1915-1998)." Black
Scholar 29.2/3 (1999): 37. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. Web. 3 Apr.
2015.
Lee, Valerie. The Prentice Hall Anthology of African American Women's Literature. Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006. Print.
Mafe, Diana Adesola. "Black Women on Broadway: The Duality of Lorraine Hansberry's A
Raisin in the Sun and Ntozake Shange's For Colored Girls." American Drama 2 (2006):
30. Literature Resource Center. Web. 2 Apr. 2015.
Spooner, Rochelle "Black Matriarchy: Deconstruction of the Black Family." "Black Matriarchy and the Argument of the African-American Family Deconstruction". N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2015.
Rubin, Roger H. "Matriarchal Themes in Black Family Literature: Implications for Family Life
Education." Family Coordinator 27.1 (1978): 33. SocINDEX with Full Text. Web. 2 Apr.
2015.
