Abstract

This paper takes a critical view of the popular assertion that Ken Bugul endorses polygamy when she created a female character who accepted to become the twenty-eighth wife of an octogenarian. Following the publication of Riwan ou le chemin de sable (1999), some critics argue that Bugul justifies polygamy by being apologetic towards the practice. This paper proves that the writer rather adopts a paradoxical stance on polygamy. Our analysis is grounded on the feminist theory. This theory enabled us to study the male-female relationship in the text as well as the world vision of the Daroulère community as portrayed by the writer. Data was based principally on the novel under study. However, other novels and scholarly publications are included in the discussion to prove that the polyphony of feminism contributes to denounce polygamy. The study concludes that Rama's symbolic act of infidelity could be understood as a revolt against polygamy. Furthermore, the equivocal stance of Bugul in the work explains her strategy to leave the debate on polygamy open so that readers could decide, each according to his or her own conscience.

Keywords: capitalism, feminism, institution, patriarchy, polygamy, polyphony, refusal