A Description of a Life in Bondage - Nervous Conditions

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‘Nervous conditions’ by Tsitsi Danagrembga - A description of life in bondage The tale of Tambudzai, or Tambu for short, is set against the backdrop of colonialism in rural Zimbabwe in the late 1960’s. Written in a first person narrative, Tambu self tells her coming of age story, amidst a male dominant culture resulting in female oppression, poverty and lingering British superiority. Tambu’s emancipation reflects both on a country freed from the colonial power of Britain, and the women in her extended family rallying against gender inequality. Through Tambu, the reader meets her mother, Mainini, portraying the role of a traditional Shona woman. If Mainini had any ideals as a young woman, little reference is made to them. Instead she takes on the role of the supressed woman – supressed by a community that expected her to marry, and be submissive to her lazy husband, but also suppressed by a culture where a women’s needs were secondary to that of her husband and family. Mainini has long since accepted this fate as her reality, and encourages Tambu to do the same. Mainini’s only hope lies in her children, especially her male children, and with the death of Tambu’s brother, Nhamo, a piece of Mainini dies too. In contrast to Mainini, Tambu’s aunt, Maiguru, within the same culture, rose above her circumstances. Maiguru, with her husband Babamukuru, were educated both in South Africa and abroad, a remarkable achievement for a black women during those times. However, upon their return, only Babamukuru is honoured for his achievements, whilst Maiguru is criticized for considering herself superior. Maiguru’s character hints to the role of black women in the future, but suffers the same feat as Mainini, expected to be the submissive wife to Babamukuru, and his family. When the ox meat provided by Babamukuru, goes bad, Maiguru is blamed by the family. Education

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