Intertwining National and Female Identity in South African and Mozambican Novels: A Thematic analysis of Paulina Chiziane’s “The Joyful Song of the Partridge” and Kopano Matlwa’s “Period Pain”

Abstract

This dissertation intends to present the intersection of national and female identity in South African and Mozambican literature through a thematic analysis of Paulina Chiziane’s translated novel “The Joyful Song of Partridge” (2024) and Kopano Matlwa’s “Period Pain” (2016). By examining how these novels depict the complex nature of nation building, gender play, and post-colonial struggles, this study highlights the role of women’s narratives in challenging dominant national discourses. Using an African feminist and postcolonial theoretical lens, the research investigates how female protagonists explore their identity with historically oppressive systems shaped by colonialism, Apartheid, patriarchy and other socio-historical events. The study uses thematic analysis to identify key themes in each novel, such as the use of the female body in literature, motherhood and gender roles, and racial and national identities. This analysis also explores individual and collective identity tensions in postcolonial societies. A comparative literary approach further contextualises these themes within broader national histories, highlighting how literature serves as a space of contention of existing discourses and a redefinition of identity. The findings contribute to discussions on African women’s literature, gendered nationalism and the ever-changing narratives of postcolonial identity in South Africa and Mozambique.