Constructing and Contesting Patriarchy through Language in His Only Wife: A Feminist Discourse Approach

Abstract

This study analyzes Peace Adzo Medie’s notable novel His Only Wife (2020), focusing on the important theme of societal patriarchy. From a broader perspective, she depicts society's deeply rooted traditions, patriarchal practices, language, and gender discrimination, which are major themes in the novel. Peace Adzo Medie explores the entrenched traditions of society where men and women are viewed from different perspectives in life, where, on one hand, men seem to be dominant and oppressive by nature, and on the other hand, women seem to be suppressed by the pressures of patriarchal structures within society. These things are done only for their survival and to live with men on common grounds. In His Only Wife, Peace Adzo Medie conducts a thorough analysis of the intricate relationships between language, gender, and patriarchal norms through her writing. Using feminist discourse analysis, the study examines the covert ways in which language contributes to the narrative's gendered power dynamics and patriarchal practices. Within a broad theoretical framework that combines feminist linguistic theories and critical discourse analysis, the study carefully examines how the characters and the author use language to illustrate and question gender norms, expectations, and oppressive ideologies. Through a detailed investigation of dialogues, narrative devices, and symbolic language, the study demonstrates how linguistic choices contribute to maintaining or questioning established gender ideals and the predominant patriarchal institutions portrayed in the novel. The study argues that Peace Adzo Medie, the author of His Only Wife, challenges fundamental social norms that apply to women, including language preferences, gender discrimination, and patriarchal practices, while illustrating how women often conform to these norms as a means of survival within society.

Keywords: Language, Gender Discrimination, Traditional Society, Patriarchal Norms, Patriarchal Practices, Ideologies and Feminism