SO LONG A LETTER – MARIAMA BA
‘So Long a Letter’ is a prose that explores two major themes of feminism and the problems of polygamy.
FEMINISM
Mariama Ba outlines political, social and cultural practices that depict the oppression of women in societies that are dominated by men. The inequalities and discriminations that women encounter is realized in different forms. The writer exposes the dangers of masculine domination in marriages, politics, religion, and customs in her novel – So Long a Letter. The superiority of men and subjection of women to the authority of men are explained below:
Mariama Ba exposes the abuse of women through the marriages of Ramatoulaye and Modou, Aissatou and Mawdo Fall, and Jacqueline and Samba Diack. Second wives like Binetou – Nabou receive better attention, treatment and care than first wives who labor with their husbands right from the beginning of the marriage. Modou for instance abandoned his first wife – Ramatoulaye and neglects his responsibilities that include payment of school fees, light bills, and provision of food simply because he has fallen in love with Binetou. In other words, Ramatoulaye single handedly provides the needs of her twelve children and takes them to school in the government bus because her husband – Modou married Binetou, the young girl at the age of their daughter Daba. Modou married Ramatoulaye for 25 years, they had 12 children before Modou later married the young girl Binetou of whom he pays monthly salaries as a second wife. Binetou, her mother and entire family who once suffered from severe poverty now enjoy luxurious life based on the sponsorship of Modou. Modou sponsors the night clubs, signs bank notes, buys cars, jewelry and supplies food to Binetou and her family.
Another instance of women abuse is realized in the marriage of Mawdo and Aissatou. They had four children before Mawdo later married a second wife called Nabou. In the name of new love/wife, Mawdo neglects and maltreats his first wife Aissatou. Aissatou, who realized the essence of life and peace over pains in marriage, divorced Mawdo, and left with her four children. Mawdo cherished Nabou as a second wife and established her in a good profession of midwifery. Jacqueline who decides to endure the subjections, insensitivities and maltreatments of her husband – Samba Diack, died out of depression.
Mariama Ba’s attitude towards wives who endure pains to earn their children a brighter future, support the success of their husbands, train their children to become responsible citizens, run errands that develop a happy family and towards resilient women in education and politics support feminists’ argument that women are capable developers of homes and societies. For example, when Daouda says ‘but you women, you are like mortar shells. You demolish. You destroy’, Ramatoulaye disagreed with him and said “but we are not incendiaries, rather stimulants. We have a right just as you have to education, to equal well-paid employment, to equal opportunities and the right to vote’. Daouda vindicates Ramatoulaye’s thoughts on feminism and said “women should no longer be decorative accessories, objects to be moved about, and companions to be flattered, women are the nation’s fundamental root from which all else grows and blossoms. Women should be encouraged to take a keener interest in the destiny of a country’. Ramatoulaye, Aissatou and Daouda stand against oppression of women hence feminism.
The ability of Aissatou to walk out of a marriage of pain to begin a new life that comes with success and happiness, and Ramatoulaye’s denial in becoming a second wife to Dauda indicate that, African women possess intelligence, skills, confidence and virtues of personal development. The spirit of hard work, endurance, resilience, smartness and discipline make African women visionary and nation builders in the areas of home, education, politics, religion and cultural values. Ramatoulaye’s conversation with Daouda proves the positive impact that women will make when given equal opportunity to make decisions and to lead developmental projects in education, politics, marriages and in the matters of youth empowerment.
The manner in which Malam, the friends and brothers of Modou inform Ramatoulaye about Modou’s second marriage of Binetou is very sarcastic and humiliating. Feminists oppose any form of sarcastic and humiliating treatments of women. A husband who is sensitive to the pains and sufferings of his wife would not marry a second wife that will generate issues of rivalry. Modou receives the full support of Malam (a representer of Islamic religion), his brother, Tasmir (a representer of his family) and his friend (a representer of his loved ones) to abandon his first wife – Ramatoulaye and marry Binetou- the lady at the age of his daughter, Daba.
To conclude, the novel examines and argues for a change of unfair treatments of women in the society. The concern of feminism on women’s plight is realized when Ramatoulaye’s husband, Modou takes a second wife without Ramatoulaye’s consideration. Modou never cares about her feelings. Modou neglects Ramatoulaye and focuses on his second wife Binetou and Binetou’s extravagant mother. Ramatoulaye is considered as a weak woman who submits to rules of religion and tradition by respecting the decisions and authority of her husband – Modou. Ramatoulaye faces many challenges of marriage yet she remains a resolute and responsible mother. Ramatoulaye later gained independence from her pains through the encouragement of her friend, Aissatou. Aissatou strongly opposed the oppression of women by men when she divorced her husband Mawdo, pursued her education and got a lucrative job with the Senegalese embassy in the USA. Tamsir, the brother of the late Modou desires to take advantage of Ramatoulaye in order to marry her in addition to his wives but Ramatoulaye ignores him.
THE PROBLEMS OF POLYGAMY
Mariama Ba highlights the dangers of polygamous marriage in Senegal and Africa in her prose that is entitled “So Long a Letter”. The extent to which societies in Africa recognize the virtues, strength and weaknesses of African women and the challenges of polygamy are presented in the letter Ramatoulaye wrote to Dauda and that of Aissatou to Mawdo Fall. Ramatoulaye clearly states the bitter experiences of wives in polygamous homes in the lines of ‘You think that the problem of polygamy is a simple one. Those who are involved in it know the constraints, the lies and the injustices that weigh down their consciences in return for ephemeral joys of change’. The injustices of first wives become unbearable when their husbands deny them the rights to enjoy the labor of their hands and marry a second wife, and also deny them the rights to take bold decisions in marriages.
In “So Long a Letter”, the Islamic religion and Africa traditional religion forced polygamy on women with less attention to their pains. Any woman who rejects polygamy is seen as a defiant. In a polygamous marriage, wives are expected to submit to the authority of their husbands and to duly perform the abandoned duties of their husbands. Jacqueline for instance died out of depression because she keeps harboring marital pains that she experienced under her husband – Samba Diack. Aissatou took a bold step to divorce her husband Mawdo Fall because she can no longer endure his maltreatments. Aissatou believes that life, peace, and self-confidence are better means of achieving success than staying in a marriage that the husband has no value for the right, comfort, suffering and hard work of his wife. Aissatou for example states in her letter to Mawdo “I cannot accept what you are offering me today in place of the happiness we once had. You want to draw a line between heartfelt love and physical love. I say there can be no union of bodies without the heart’s acceptance. I am stripping myself of your love, your name”.
Ramatoulaye represents wives who for the sake of their children, endures pains and performs the abandoned responsibilities of their husbands. Ramatoulaye for instance states that “I cried every day. From then on, my life changed. I had prepared myself for equal sharing. I was left with empty hands. I lived in a vacuum. And Modou avoided me. He never came again, his new found happiness gradually swallowed up his memory of us. He forgot us”. Ramatoulaye also expressed her pains in the lines of “in addition to my former duties, I took over Modou’s as well. The purchase of foodstuffs kept me occupied at the end of every month. My brain was taxed by new financial gymnastics. The last date for payment of electricity bills and of water rates demanded my attention. I was often the only woman in the queue. Replacing the locks and latches of broken doors and windows as well as looking for a plumber to deal with block sinks”. Ramatoulaye endured much pain when she states that “I faced the situation bravely. I carried out my duties, they filled time and challenge my thoughts”. Ramatoulaye missed her husband especially when she reflects on their beautiful memories. Ramatoulaye emphatically write to Dauda that “You think that the problem of polygamy is a simple one. Those who are involved in it know the constraints, the lies and the injustices that weigh down their consciences in return for ephemeral joys of change”.
Credit to MADAM SITSOFE GANU
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE
S. D. A. COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
ASOKORE – KOFORIDUA.