Polygamy in Dramatic Texts: A Discussion around Postmodernism

Abstract

This study looks at the representation of polygamous marriage in selected dramatic texts from Nigeria and juxtaposes it against global discussion on the acceptance of the "otherness" in society. It concludes that monogamy and polygamy (polygyny and polyandry) are systems of marriage practised in different cultures, most especially in sub-Saharan Africa. In the continent, marriage enjoys cultural, religious and constitutional backing. However, the focus of this paper is on polygamy in dramatic texts in relation to the social reality of the environment from which the texts emerged. The paper further narrows its interest down to three levels of contractual marriage in sub-Saharan Africa. It reveals that the traditional and religious marriage systems in sub- Saharan Africa embrace polygamy while state institutions or legal marriage system frowns at it. It is against this backdrop that this work adopts postmodernism as a theoretical framework to examine the place of polygamy in four African dramatic texts. The paper argues that postmodernist worldview has reinvigorated the practice of polygamy beyond the boundaries of Africa, Asia and of the adherents of the Islamic religion.