The Treatment of Motherhood in African Culture and Literature

In a woman's life, motherhood starts with the pregnancy of a woman and the birth of her baby which is said to be shaped by her culture and tradition. Giving birth and nurturing a new life is one of the dimensions of being feminine. It is seen that, in different literature, for instance, African and Indian, the theme motherhood is presented in a different way. The paper presents a discussion from Indian Literature too to show that the concept of motherhood differs from culture to culture though the aim of this paper is to discuss the role of women in African culture. In African culture, motherhood is viewed as sacred, a powerful spiritual component and also an evil, but in two different situations. In African society, though motherhood gives a woman her identity, it also limits her identity. The paper will interpret motherhood both as an institution and as a concept, from a feminist perspective.