Au-delà de la sororité – Le féminisme postcolonial dans trois romans contemporains d’expression française

Abstract

It has been stated that feminism and postcolonialism have developed in similar fashion during the last few decades, given their many interests in common. This comparative study focuses on the presence and interpretation of some of the main themes of feminist postcolonial theory in three novels written by francophone female writers. The themes are the representation of women, the femaly body and sexuality, as well as the situational awareness and female resistance. The purpose is to establish whether it is possible to do a feminist postcolonial reading of the novels, as well as how these female authors create female characters who subvert and contradict the monolithic image of the victimized « average third-world woman », created and sometimes used within Western feminism. The analysed novels are C'est le soleil qui m'a brûlée (1987) by Calixthe Beyala, Célanire cou-coupé (2000) by Maryse Condé and Le ventre de l'Atlantique (2003) by Fatou Diome. After a brief theoretical introduction follows the analysis, which proves that it is possible and even quite relevant to do such a reading. However, the novels approach these themes in various manners.