A Feminist Interpretation of the Plays of Amhara Regional State Television Programme
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2008-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa Universiy
Abstract
Gender stereotyping is a cross cultural phenomenon prevalent across
boarders. The nature and the negative impact of such stereotyping are
pronounced in poorest countries of the world like Ethiopia where
education and access to media for females is deficient. The
preponderance of such stereotyping in the region becomes the reason
which compels the resea rcher to engage in studying the contribution of
the Amhara region's Television drama in this regard.
This study, thus, which primarily focuses on investigating the extent of
the reflection of gender stereotyping and the degree of females resistance
to such stereotyping, also tries to asses the significance of the plays in
abolishing this stereotyping.
To this effect, the researcher has employed a purposive sampling
technique to select some plays which could better show cultural roles of
sexes. In this respect, from the total of 102 plays transmitted in 1997
and 1998EC, the researcher had to confine himself to the study of only
five plays.
The result of this study shows the availability of dramas which addresses
the most important problems of femininity like early marriage and
consideration of marriage as a reward for a female . However important
raising these issues in the plays is for feminists, the plays are not up to
the expectations of feminists because the portrayal of characters couldn't
show the expected transforma tion.
From the plays, it is also observed that the television dramas a re only
rhythmic . with the contemporary society in representing the role and
representation of both sexes. However, feminists, in this ,regard, believe
that the absolute reflection of a patriarchal society in a television play is
only a contribution to producing a new patriarchal generation. Thus, the
;.); plays of the television programme in focus ;, in this project, shall act on
·re creating a. reasonably new environment with regard to the role and
representation of sexes,rto bring about a change in the actual patriarchal
society.
In the sense of bringing the change in the plays and thereby the targeted
audience, this study, therefore, intends to suggest some solutions. The
researcher believes that both the agency and the drama producing
companies including authors have to be aware of transforming the
nature of plays in response to feminists aim of creating a new world free
from females' oppression.
Description
Keywords
Amhara Regional State Television Programme