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Co|on|zat|on and Its Lffects on the Women of khodes|a |n Dangarembgas Nervous Cond|t|ons
Iordan Lchard
I|nd|ng nope |n the nope|ess
1slLsl uangarembgas nervous CondlLlons ls a grlpplng blldungsroman followlng Lhe developmenL of a
young 1ambu as she flghLs Lo obLaln an educaLlon ln 8hodesla erhaps Lhe mosL glarlng lssue dealL wlLh ln
Lhe novel ls LhaL of gender roles especlally regardlng Lhe expecLaLlons of women ln 8hodeslan socleLy
1ambu ls Lhe female proLagonlsL on whlch Lhe sLory hlnges buL noL Lhe only woman belng oppressed boLh
physlcally and emoLlonally ln facL ln order Lo Lhoroughly lnvesLlgaLe Lhe AuLhors poslLlon on gender roles
wlLhln Lhls novel nyasha and Malguru musL be lncluded wlLh 1ambu ln Lhe examlnaLlon 1he women llvlng
under 8abamukurus roof are Lhose beneaLh Lhe mlcroscope of Lhls examlnaLlon because Lhey are Lhe ones
whose flnanclal means do noL resLrlcL Lhem from escaplng and Lhus allow for an ln depLh look aL Lhe
gender oppresslon Lhey suffer by lLself 1he women of nervous CondlLlons noL only llve ln a counLry belng
colonlzed by a race oLher Lhan Lhelr own buL also a paLrlarchal socleLy ln whlch Lhelr gender ls noL looked
upon ouLslde of domesLlcaLlon and obedlence 1he comblnaLlon of Lhese Lwo aspecLs causes an lmposslble
paradox from whlch several of Lhe characLers are desLroyed Powever uangarembga uses Lhls paradox and
her characLers ln such a way as Lo sLrongly condemn Lhe LreaLmenL of women and Lhe resLrlcLlon of Lhelr
fuLures wlLhln 8hodeslan socleLy whlle offerlng a gllmmer of hope lnLo a world of hopelessness
1he openlng of nervous CondlLlons glves Lhe reader a foreshadowlng Lo Lhe desLrucLlon of Lhe colonlzlng
lnfluence wlLhln Shona socleLy from Lhe perspecLlve of a young 1ambu nhamo ls 1ambus broLher a young
man on hls way Lo obLalnlng an educaLlon Lhrough Lhe help of hls uncle 8abamukuru and Lhe embodlmenL
of Lhe 8hodeslan fuLure Lven ln Lhe openlng pages 1ambu explalns how dlsgusLed she ls wlLh Lhe person
her broLher ls becomlng whlle llvlng wlLh hls uncles famlly nhamo represenLs Lhe nexL generaLlon Lhe
generaLlon of 1ambu and he ls on Lhe paLh Lo replace 8abamukuru as head of Lhe famlly nhamos
generaLlon unllke Lhe generaLlon before ls belng broughL up under colonlal rule Pe noL only reLalns Lhe
oppresslve paLrlarchal LradlLlons of Lhe Shona buL also develops a dlsgusL for hls own culLure ln favor of Lhe
Lngllsh 1ambu explalns Pe had forgoLLen how Lo speak Shona A few words escaped halLlngly
ungrammaLlcally and sLrangely accenLed when he spoke Lo my moLher buL he dld noL speak Lo her very
ofLen any more (uangarembga 32) lL ls aL Lhls momenL she reallzes Lhe Lwo headed beasL her broLher ls
becomlng and how desLrucLlve he and Lhe men of her generaLlon wlll be Lo Lhe women of her socleLy and
Lo herself nhamo has Laken on an lndlfference much llke 8abamukuru Loward Lhe woman of Lhe house
and has abandoned someLhlng exLremely deLrlmenLal Lo Lhe Shona culLure Lhelr language nhamo dles noL
long afLer Lhls a symbollc represenLaLlon of Lhe desLrucLlveness of Lhe colonlzlng lnfluence 1ambu ls so
dlsenfranchlsed wlLh whaL her broLher has become aL Lhe Llme of hls deaLh LhaL she says l was noL sorry
LhaL he had dled buL l was sorry for hlm because accordlng Lo hls sLandards hls llfe had been Lhoroughly
worLh llvlng (uangarembga 36) She sees hlm as havlng been conLenL wlLh ls llfe even Lhough Lo her lL
was corrupLed and would have only hurL her llfe ln Lhe long run 1hls polnL ls only reafflrmed when she ls
able Lo obLaln her educaLlon solely because of her broLhers deaLh Powever where nhamo represenLed
Lhe fuLure before hls deaLh 8abamukuru represenLs Lhe now ln a aLrlarchal socleLy such as Lhe Shona
have 8abamukuru has conLrol over whaL 1ambus faLe wlll ulLlmaLely be
8abamukuru ls Lhe oldesL of hls broLhers and Lhe head of hls famlly 1ambu descrlbes her uncle as
lnsplrlng Pe lnsplred confldence and obedlence (uangarembga 44) Pe ls greaLly honored and respecLed
and ls Lhe embodlmenL of Lhe paLrlarchal socleLy Pe obLalns a MasLers uegree afLer sLudylng ln Lngland
and reLurns home Lo be an Academlc ulrecLor Pe Lakes hls famlly wlLh hlm Lo Lngland and LhaL experlence
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leads Lo Lhe negaLlve evoluLlon of hls chlldren and consequenLly nhamo as well 8abamukuru doesnL llke
Lhe way hls chlldren have Laken on Lngllsh hablLs and are loslng Lhelr respecL for Lhe Shona LradlLlon
Malguru explalns abouL her chlldren Lo 1ambu 1hey are Loo Angllclsed1hey plcked up all Lhese
dlsrespecLful ways ln Lnglandand lLs Laklng Lhem Llme Lo learn how Lo behave aL home agaln
(uangarembga 74) 8abamukuru expecLs hls chlldren Lo be able Lo reLurn Lo Shona socleLy Lo colonlzed
8hodesla wlLhouL acLlng ln a manner LhaL shows Lhere exposure Lo Lngllsh culLure whlch ls slmply an
lmposslble Lhlng Lo ask Pls famlly and more lmporLanLly speclflc Lhe women ln hls famlly have seen a
world where Lhey can be whoever Lhey wanL Lo be wlLhouL Lhe oppresslon held by a paLrlarchal socleLy A
naLural Lenslon Lhen beglns Lo form beLween 8abamukuru and Lhe women ln hls famlly and uangarembga
Lakes Lhls Lenslon and uses lL Lo explore Lhe pllghL of Lhe woman ln 8hodeslan socleLy
Malguru 8abamukurus wlfe ls an example of a 8hodeslan woman who ls flnanclally emoLlonally and
lnLellecLually capable of escaplng her role as subdued moLher and housekeeper whlle sufflclenLly
supporLlng herself Lhrough her own capablllLles 1hls facL of poLenLlal ls even more powerful because she
herself ls aware of lLs exlsLence Malguru Lells 1ambu When l was ln Lngland l gllmpsed for a llLLle whlle
Lhe Lhlngs l could have been Lhe Lhlngs l could have done lflflf Lhlngs weredlfferenL 8uL Lhere was
8abawa Chldo and Lhe chlldren and Lhe famlly uangarembga 101) She ls fully aware of Lhe sacrlflce she ls
maklng and even seems blLLer abouL lL She has llved her llfe Lo Lhls polnL as she ls expecLed Lo buL havlng
seen a gllmpse of Lhe ouLslde world a world where equallLy exLends Lo Lhe female race she seems heslLanL
Lo fullhearLedly accepL her place ln Lhls socleLy Lvldence of such a resenLmenL for lnsLance appears afLer
nyasha yells aL her moLher abouL Laklng Lady ChaLLerleys Lover even Lhough lL was 8abamukuru who has
Laken lL and 1ambu remarks erhaps she was fed up wlLh Laklng Lhe blame for my uncles acLlons
(uangarembga 84) 8abamukuru does as he pleases when he pleases and hls wlfe ls ofLen Llmes lf noL
always lefL holdlng Lhe bag 1he Lragedy ln Lhls slLuaLlon resLs ln her ablllLy Lo walk away lf she so chooses
buL she doesnL Speaklng dlrecLly Lo Lhe reader 1ambu recalls ersonally l LhoughL lL was a greaL shame
LhaL Malguru had been deprlved of Lhe opporLunlLy Lo make Lhe mosL of herself even lf she had accepLed
LhaL deprlvaLlon (uangarembga 102) lf 1ambu new Lo Lhe famlly can reallze Lhe dlsparlLy ln Malgurus
slLuaLlon lL ls Lhen safe Lo conclude LhaL nyasha Loo undersLands whaL has happened Lo her moLher
nyasha even remarks Lo 1ambu abouL her moLher lLs such a wasLelmaglne whaL she mlghL have been
wlLh Lhe rlghL klnd of exposure! (uangarembga 173) 1he exposure she ls denled from her place ln Lhe
paLrlarchal socleLy and ls denled from Lhe same colonlzers who wanL her educaLed ln Lngllsh 1hls
undersLandlng Lhen beglns Lo shape nyasha lnLo Lhe rebelllous and Lroubled young woman LhaL she ls aL
Lhe end of Lhe novel
nyashas slLuaLlon ls remlnlscenL of her moLhers She ls a young 8hodeslan woman who ls belng well
educaLed who has seen Lhe ouLslde world and who knows LhaL her culLure wlll noL allow her Lo become
anyLhlng oLher Lhan a domesLlcaLed and subdued wlfe She unllke her moLher however ls noL wllllng Lo be
subdued by Lhe paLrlarch She ls consLanLly challenglng Lhe auLhorlLy of her faLher wheLher lL ls Lo hls face
or noL lor example aL dlnner she mouLhs off Lo her faLher and he has Lo be resLralned from golng afLer
her someLhlng LhaL does noL happen laLer on as she leaves Lhe Lable wlLhouL hls permlsslon Per sufferlng
sLems from her exposure Lo Lhe ways of Lhe colonlzer Per Llme ln Lngland lnsLllled ln her a rebelllon based
on seelng whaL llfe ls llke ouLslde of Lhe Shona LradlLlons She knows whaLs ouL Lhere Lo be had lf she was
whlLe and she undersLands Lhe fuLlllLy of Lrylng Lo geL whaL she can never have 1hls same colonlzer who
wanLs her Lo acL whlLe wonL afford her Lhe opporLunlLy Lo do anyLhlng wlLh Lhe person she has become AL
Lhe end of Lhe novel nyasha goes lnLo a rage screamlng 1heyve Lrapped us 1heyve Lrapped us 8uL l
wonL be Lrapped lm noL a good glrl l wonL be Lrapped (uangarembga 201) ls Lhe Lhey she refers Lo
her parenLs or more broadly perhaps Lhe colonlzers? nyasha ls assoclaLlng perhaps noL un[usLly belng a


good glrl wlLh belng Lrapped She ls noL wllllng Lo go Lhrough llfe llke her moLher has lgnorlng whaL else ls
ouL Lhere nyasha ls wllllng Lo deny Lhe paLrlarchal socleLy buL even dolng Lhls galns her noLhlng 1here ls
no escape for her aL all She ls Lhen afLer comlng Lo Lhls momenL of slmulLaneous clarlLy and rebelllon
lnsLlLuLlonallzed by her faLher denylng her even Lhe escape of deaLh lf Malguru ls a symbol for Lhe women
of 8hodesla who sLay ln llne and obey Lhelr husbands nyasha ls a symbol of Lhose who refuse yeL she ls
sllenced uangarembga makes 8abamukuru Lhe oppresslve sllenclng force as he has Lhe flnal say on any
and all Lhlngs Larller ln Lhe novel he beaLs nyasha wlLhln an lnch of her llfe because she sLrlkes hlm Pe
does Lhe same Lo 1ambu when she also dlsobeys hlm and he sLands ln opposlLlon Lo Malgurus freedom as
well Pe embodles a sysLem bullL Lo keep Lhe female ln submlsslon and sllence llnally lf Malguru and
nyasha are Lhe Lwo posslblllLles for 8hodeslan women and 8abamukuru represenLs Lhe oppressor does
1ambu escape Lhe sysLem?
AL an early age 1ambu seems Lo be on Lhe paLh of Lhe subdued wlfe flgure llke Malguru As her moLher
explalns Lo her 1hls buslness of womanhood ls a heavy burden When Lhere are sacrlflces Lo be made
you are Lhe one who has Lo make Lhem (uangarembga 16) Accordlng Lo her moLher her whole llfe ls Lo
be a sacrlflce Lven as Lhe sLory progresses and she becomes more and more educaLed she sLlll remalns on
Lhe subdued paLh ln conLrasL Lo Lhe behavlor of nyasha She comes Lo Lhe reallzaLlon laLe ln her educaLlon
LhaL l mlghL have been becomlng a young lady and belng educaLed aL Lhe convenL buL whaL use were
educaLed young ladles on Lhe homesLead? Cr aL Lhe mlsslon? l was and would always remaln 1ambudazl
Lhe daughLer (uangarembga 199) She reallzes Lhe hopelessness of her slLuaLlon Lven Lhough she has Lhe
educaLlon she has seen nyashas flre snuffed by Lhe oppresslon of Lhe gender expecLaLlons of her faLher
and aL Lhls polnL ln Lhe novel she undersLands Lhe fuLlllLy ln reslsLlng She has seen Lhe desLrucLlve power of
abandonlng Lhe Shona LradlLlons for Lhe colonlzlng ones ln an aLLempL Lo escape 1ambus moLher Lells her
1he problem ls Lngllshness so you [usL be careful! (uangarembga 20) 1ambu recollecLs Lhls
conversaLlon saylng 8e careful she had sald and l LhoughL abouL nyasha and Chldo and nhamo who had
all succumbed and of my own creeplng feellngs of doom Was l belng careful enough? l wondered
(uangarembga 20) lf uangarembga had ended Lhe novel here lL would be wlLhouL hope buL she doesnL
1he one place LhaL nyasha ls able Lo flnd escape LhroughouL Lhe novel ls ln her books Slmllarly 1ambu
dlscovers her escape and Lhls novel ls lL She pens her freedom Lhrough Lhe expresslon of her sLory her
sLruggles and her hope LhaL one day Lhlngs could be dlfferenL
uangarembgas nervous CondlLlons Lackles Lhe lssue of gender roles wlLhln a paLrlarchal socleLy under Lhe
canopy of Lhe Lngllsh colonlzer Per represenLaLlon of Lhe female sLruggle ln 8hodesla Lhrough brllllanLly
complex and flawed characLers such as Lhe women menLloned above ls a feaL LhaL resonaLes above all else
every Llme Lhe lasL page ls Lurned and Lhe novel closed nyasha Malguru and 1ambu represenL Lhls sLruggle
ln Lhree dlfferenL ways buL 1ambu ls Lhe only one Lo escape She has Lo escape Lhe colonlzlng lnfluence
LhaL lurks almosL sllenLly ln Lhe background buL ls an obvlous moLlvaLlon for her acLlons and Lhe acLlons of
oLhers SlmulLaneously she has Lo negoLlaLe Lrylng Lo be Lrue Lo Lhe LradlLlon of her people buL also
escaplng Lhe oppresslon lmbedded wlLhln Lhe paLrlarchal socleLy of Lhe Shona Per susplclon of Lhe Lngllsh
lnfluence LhaL desLroyed nhamo and nyasha allows her Lo avold a slmllar faLe and her sLory affords her Lhe
opporLunlLy she ls denled by Lhe socleLy she was born lnLo 1hough she may never see a resoluLlon Lo Lhe
problems LhaL plague Lhe women of Shona socleLy her words ln Lhls novel provlde an ouLleL for Lhelr
frusLraLlon 1hrough Lhe volces of her female proLagonlsLs uangarembga ls able Lo communlcaLe her
message of condemnaLlon for Lhe LreaLmenL of women ln 8hodesla 1hls novel possesses so much
hopelessness yeL by Lhe end Lhe book lLself ls a symbol of hope and Lhls ls her greaL achlevemenL
uangarembga 1slLsl nervous CondlLlons WashlngLon Seal ress 1989