Gênero e as dinâmicas de poder: um estudo de Niketche: uma história de poligamia, de Paulina Chiziane

Abstract

This Final Course Project entitled “Gender and power dynamics: a study of Niketche: a story of polygamy, by Paulina Chiziane” analyzes gender relations in polygamous contexts, focusing on the female condition, masculinity, and the hierarchy of power relations in Mozambican society. The work of writer Paulina Chiziane is understood here as a literary and political space that denounces patriarchal oppression and proposes the reconstruction of female identities. The objective of the research is to understand how the narrative of Niketche problematizes the social roles attributed to women and men, highlighting processes of submission, resistance, and female solidarity, in addition to questioning the limits of masculinity in polygamous culture. The method used was bibliographic and interpretive research, based on literary analysis and references from gender and postcolonial studies. The contributions of Teresa de Lauretis, Michelle Perrot, Lúcia Osana Zolin, Heleieth Saffioti, Angela Davis, Stuart Hall, Homi Bhabha, Gayatri Spivak, Grada Kilomba, Vilma Piedade, and Manuel Castells were addressed. The analysis was developed from excerpts from the novel in conjunction with theoretical contributions. The results indicate that the protagonist Rami undergoes a process of transformation: from a submissive wife, limited to the domestic sphere, to an insurgent leader, capable of creating bonds of solidarity with other wives and challenging male power. Tony's crisis of authority symbolizes the collapse of patriarchy when confronted by female unity. Furthermore, it can be observed that Chiziane's literature gives visibility to historically silenced voices and creates a space for denunciation and resistance. It can be concluded that Niketche is more than a novel: it is a literary document that highlights the symbolic and material violence imposed on Mozambican women and, at the same time, points the way to rupture, solidarity, and the reconfiguration of gender roles. The study contributes to the debate on African literature written by women and to critical reflection on the dynamics of power in postcolonial societies