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Reading Love Stories by Women from Ghana

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 April 2022

Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang*
Affiliation:
University of Cape Coast
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Extract

This paper forms part of a larger thematic exploration of literature by women from Ghana. The discussion focuses on the handling of personal relationships in love stories by women. It will draw specifically on those narratives which appear in the women's magazine, Obaa Sima, from Ghana. It will determine a number of issues including the general definition of love in these stories, women's priorities and how they envision themselves when they create the space to make public their hearts’ desires. It will also probe the relationship between the reading public and the writing, as well as the overall vision emanating from these love stories. Other major interests of this paper are to examine the narrative point of view, the structure of the narratives and the concerns the writers raise about the inexhaustible subject of love in this popular outlet for Ghanaian women writers and readers.

Type
Reading and Readership in West Africa
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 2000

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References

Works cited

Abokoma, E. 1971. ‘The More the Merrier’, Obaa Sima 1 (1), 8; 18; 28.Google Scholar
Ackah, N. 1971. ‘A Day in the Village’, Obaa Sima 1 (3), 27.Google Scholar
Addae, W. 1973. ‘The Deceitful One’, Obaa Sima 2 (10), 1213.Google Scholar
Asante, S. 1974. ‘My Secret Affair with my Boss’, Obaa Sima 3 (9), 11; 27.Google Scholar
Asantewaa, A. 1973. ‘A Heart on the Rebound’, Obaa Sima 2 (6), 8; 14; 26.Google Scholar
Badoe, E. E. 1976. ‘Sweet Deceit’, ‘Beloved Twin’, ‘I Shall Return’, Obaa Sima, August 1971, November 1976.Google Scholar
Danquah, D. N. 1973. ‘The Strange Dream’, Obaa Sima 3 (4) 8.Google Scholar
Esi, A. 1973. ‘The Way I See It’, Obaa Sima 2 (10), 26; 28.Google Scholar
Foriwa, N. 1972. ‘The Hangers On’, Obaa Sima 1 (10), 8; 11; 14; 26; 31.Google Scholar
Kissiedu, J. A. 1975. ‘For the Sake of the Child’, Obaa Sima 4 (6), 22; 24.Google Scholar
Kofie, P. 1972. ‘Grandma Knows Best’, Obaa Sima 1 (12), 8; 19; 20; 22; 25.Google Scholar
Kofie, P. 1972. ‘This Stranger, My Husband’, Obaa Sima 2, 7; 12; 17.Google Scholar
Kofie, P. 1973, ‘My Sordid Past’, Obaa Sima 3 (1), 16; 21; 23.Google Scholar
Sama, E. 1973. ‘The Lonely Heart’, Obaa Sima 2 (9), 8; 19; 23; 28.Google Scholar
Smit, E. 1974. ‘The Wedded Woman’, Obaa Sima 4 (2), 19; 35.Google Scholar
Angmor, C. 1996. Contemporary Literature in Ghana, 1911-1978: a critical evaluation. Accra: Woeli Publishing Services.Google Scholar
Brown, L. 1981. Women Writers in Black Africa. Conn.: Greenwood Press.Google Scholar
Cartey, W. 1969. Whispers from a Dark Continent. New York: Random House.Google Scholar
Davis, C. B. and Graves, A. A. 1986. Ngambika: studies of women in African literature. Trenton, N.J.: Africa World Press.Google Scholar
Graham, C. K. 1971. The History of Education in Ghana. London: Frank Cass.Google Scholar
Greer, G. 1972. The Female Eunuch. London: Bantam.Google Scholar
Hawthorn, J. (ed.). 1984. Criticism and Critical Theory. London: Edward Arnold.Google Scholar
Ikiddeh, I. 1971. ‘The Character of Popular Fiction in Ghana’, in Heywood, C. (ed.), Perspectives on African Literature. London: Heinemann, pp. 106-16.Google Scholar
Lippert, A. 1973. ‘Women Characters and African Literature’, Afriscope 3 (10), 4349.Google Scholar
Little, K. 1980. The Sociology of Urban Women's Image in African Literature. London: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Mutiso, G-C. M.Women in African Literature’, East African Journal 3 (3).Google Scholar
Priebe, R. (ed.). 1988. Ghanaian Literatures. New York: Greenwood Press.Google Scholar
Abokoma, E. 1971. ‘The More the Merrier’, Obaa Sima 1 (1), 8; 18; 28.Google Scholar
Ackah, N. 1971. ‘A Day in the Village’, Obaa Sima 1 (3), 27.Google Scholar
Addae, W. 1973. ‘The Deceitful One’, Obaa Sima 2 (10), 1213.Google Scholar
Asante, S. 1974. ‘My Secret Affair with my Boss’, Obaa Sima 3 (9), 11; 27.Google Scholar
Asantewaa, A. 1973. ‘A Heart on the Rebound’, Obaa Sima 2 (6), 8; 14; 26.Google Scholar
Badoe, E. E. 1976. ‘Sweet Deceit’, ‘Beloved Twin’, ‘I Shall Return’, Obaa Sima, August 1971, November 1976.Google Scholar
Danquah, D. N. 1973. ‘The Strange Dream’, Obaa Sima 3 (4) 8.Google Scholar
Esi, A. 1973. ‘The Way I See It’, Obaa Sima 2 (10), 26; 28.Google Scholar
Foriwa, N. 1972. ‘The Hangers On’, Obaa Sima 1 (10), 8; 11; 14; 26; 31.Google Scholar
Kissiedu, J. A. 1975. ‘For the Sake of the Child’, Obaa Sima 4 (6), 22; 24.Google Scholar
Kofie, P. 1972. ‘Grandma Knows Best’, Obaa Sima 1 (12), 8; 19; 20; 22; 25.Google Scholar
Kofie, P. 1972. ‘This Stranger, My Husband’, Obaa Sima 2, 7; 12; 17.Google Scholar
Kofie, P. 1973, ‘My Sordid Past’, Obaa Sima 3 (1), 16; 21; 23.Google Scholar
Sama, E. 1973. ‘The Lonely Heart’, Obaa Sima 2 (9), 8; 19; 23; 28.Google Scholar
Smit, E. 1974. ‘The Wedded Woman’, Obaa Sima 4 (2), 19; 35.Google Scholar
Angmor, C. 1996. Contemporary Literature in Ghana, 1911-1978: a critical evaluation. Accra: Woeli Publishing Services.Google Scholar
Brown, L. 1981. Women Writers in Black Africa. Conn.: Greenwood Press.Google Scholar
Cartey, W. 1969. Whispers from a Dark Continent. New York: Random House.Google Scholar
Davis, C. B. and Graves, A. A. 1986. Ngambika: studies of women in African literature. Trenton, N.J.: Africa World Press.Google Scholar
Graham, C. K. 1971. The History of Education in Ghana. London: Frank Cass.Google Scholar
Greer, G. 1972. The Female Eunuch. London: Bantam.Google Scholar
Hawthorn, J. (ed.). 1984. Criticism and Critical Theory. London: Edward Arnold.Google Scholar
Ikiddeh, I. 1971. ‘The Character of Popular Fiction in Ghana’, in Heywood, C. (ed.), Perspectives on African Literature. London: Heinemann, pp. 106-16.Google Scholar
Lippert, A. 1973. ‘Women Characters and African Literature’, Afriscope 3 (10), 4349.Google Scholar
Little, K. 1980. The Sociology of Urban Women's Image in African Literature. London: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Mutiso, G-C. M.Women in African Literature’, East African Journal 3 (3).Google Scholar
Priebe, R. (ed.). 1988. Ghanaian Literatures. New York: Greenwood Press.Google Scholar