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Analysis of The Wives' Revolt by J.P Clark






The Plot
    An oil company operating in Erhuwaren brings an amount of money to be shared by all the village dwellers. The money is unequally distributed and the women feel cheated by the men.
  Furthermore, a law was enacted forbidding the rearing of goats in the village while goats found were to be confiscated. This law affects the women of Erhuwaren as they were the only rearers of goats. The offense of the goats was that they had become mediums for the practice of witchcraft.
   The reaction of the women to this unjust law and the inequitable distribution of the village's resources was to embark upon a revolt which saw them march on o Iyara- an enemy territory. Therefore, the action of the women was deeply felt by the men as an assault.
    At Iyara, the women were well received and hosted by Ighodayen, a notorious woman who was known for her promiscuity. The men of Erhuwaren came to appreciate the importance of their women during the period of their absence as they found they could not do domestic affairs. This later affected them and their income, so, they hasten to bring their women.
  The women came back home afflicted with an infection. The women are labeled as promiscuous and loose but the notion is removed when the source of the infection is known,
  The men realised they had not been fair to the women and so they revoked the law banning the rearing of goats and there is reconciliation as the women are regarded as stake holders. Medical attention is also given to the women.




Themes
1. Conflict

2. Conservatism/Liberalism

3. The war of sexes

4. Agitation over oil/oil crisis








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